Rebecca Pynoos (Beverly Hills City Council At-Large, California, candidate 2026)
Rebecca Pynoos is running for election to the Beverly Hills City Council At-Large in California. Pynoos is on the ballot in the general election on June 2, 2026.[source]
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Biography
Rebecca Pynoos has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Rebecca Pynoos, click here to fill out the survey.
Elections
General election
The general election will occur on June 2, 2026.
General election for Beverly Hills City Council At-Large (3 seats)
The following candidates are running in the general election for Beverly Hills City Council At-Large on June 2, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| Barry Axelrod (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Lester Friedman (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Andrew Kole (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Andy Licht (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Jonathan Mariande (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Sharona R. Nazarian (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Rebecca Pynoos (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Ariel Rofeim (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Clayton M. Saunders (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Russell Stuart (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Roger Tanenbaum (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Endorsements
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Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Campaign website
Pynoos' campaign website stated the following:
Rebecca’s Vision for Good Governance in Beverly Hills
Accountability. Transparency. Safety.
A Resident-First Future.
A proactive approach grounded in
- Commitment to Community
- Accountability
- Transparency
- Public safety
- Fiscal discipline
- Collaboration with residents representing all neighborhoods of the city and establishment of neighborhood representatives
- Long-term, proactive planning over short-term reactions
For more than a decade, I’ve been consistently showing up to City Council and Planning Commission meetings—speaking out, holding leadership accountable, and championing the issues that matter most. That long-standing commitment gives me a deep, firsthand understanding of our residents’ concerns—and the experience to represent them effectively.
Beverly Hills doesn’t just need promises—it needs proven resident focused leadership. Leadership that shows up, listens, protects, and delivers real results on the livability issues affecting our city every day.
CLICK ARROWS ON RIGHT TO EXPAND
Continue to Strengthen Public Safety
Public safety is paramount. It is the number one priority.
Our families, friends, children, and grandchildren must continue to feel safe in our neighborhoods and secure in their homes from Trousdale to the Southeast. There is nothing more important.
- Fully support and properly resource our Police and Fire Departments.
- Explore expansion for our Police Department that has outgrown their space to modernize an enhanced station to meet current and future demands
- Strengthen coordination between public safety departments and community stakeholders.
- Ensure public safety planning keeps pace with new development and Metro expansion.
- Clearly disseminate information to residents
Commitment: Safety first — always.
Respect Beverly Hills' Historic Character While Building the Future
While planning responsibly for the future, we must preserve what makes Beverly Hills special.
- Uphold neighborhood character and architectural integrity.
- Ensure development, outside of State Housing mandates, aligns with the General Plan.
- Responsibly Address State Housing Mandates, while upholding livability in communities where these projects will go
- Restore Planning Commission review of Development Agreements for transparency and consistency.
- Bring in new projects that enhance city offerings, while valuing resident input
Commitment: Protect our legacy while planning for tomorrow.
Ensure Transparency for Residents in Decision-Making
Residents deserve clear communication about what is happening — and why.
- Provide publicized concise, understandable reporting on major initiatives.
- Provide clear outreach and education about new state housing laws and policies so residents understand how they impact our city before projects show up at their doorsteps, like Builders Remedy and SB 79
- Restore meaningful public participation, including full three-minute public comment at both City Council and School Board meetings. This should be standard to welcome public engagement and participation.
- Actively use City communication channels to focus more on promotion of necessary city information, and less self promotion.
Commitment: No surprises. No hidden processes. An informed community.
Ensure Accountability at City Hall
When residents ask, “How much does that cost?” and “How are we paying for that?” — they deserve answers.
- Assign individual Council oversight responsibility for major departments and initiatives.
- Require an internal feasibility review before engaging outside consultants, including allocating appropriate staff time to assess whether a project is viable, necessary, and aligned with full Council priorities.
- Develop a formal process to close out or formally sunset inactive projects.
- Publish real-time, accessible tracking of major projects and spending, so residents can track city spending as they would their own bank accounts
- Implement rotating zero-based budgeting reviews.
- Responsibly manage the city’s $662 million operating budget — spending wisely and strategically, not extravagantly.
- Use independent investigators when necessary — rather than creating permanent bureaucracy — to ensure integrity and performance and true accountability
Commitment: Clear responsibility. Clear reporting. Responsible spending.
Practice Smart Financial Stewardship
- Identify cost controls and efficiency improvements.
- Evaluate revenue potential from underutilized City-owned property.
- Provide stronger direction and measurable goals for financial advisory committees.
- Bring back efficiencies for Blue Ribbon Committee and Sunshine Task Force
Commitment: Fiscal discipline
Support Renters, Seniors, and Families
A strong Beverly Hills includes residents at every stage of life. As the ONLY renter on Council, I will:
- Support renters, seniors, and families by protecting quality-of-life services residents depend on daily.
- Renters are being displaced for new development projects, especially our older adult community. Our Rent Stabilization Office should help residents in their initial housing search - outsourcing to Bet Tzedek is not enough.
- Make sure renters and landlords know City policy and procedure for livability and protection
- Ensure city services and programs reflect residents’ changing needs and priorities. Keep our Community Services division strong to offer a good range of current programs for children and adults to engage in with appropriate staffing
- Keep neighborhoods safe, accessible, and livable for all generations. This includes things like supporting older adult residents through the Handy Worker Program and bringing back family friendly restaurant options.
Commitment: A city that works for longtime residents and future generations alike.
Support Our Businesses — Beyond Rodeo Drive
Our commercial vitality should extend throughout the City.
- Very important high end retailers make significant crucial investments in our city, as a luxury capital of the world, that in turn, help us provide a superb level of public and emergency services. We should support them, while adding to our portfolio of offerings.
- Commit to working directly with our real estate community to foster vibrant, resident-serving retail at a range of price points.
- Focus attention on revitalizing La Cienega, Robertson, Wilshire, Olympic, and other commercial corridors.
- Foster relationships that directly help support small businesses and help create new ones.
- Be proactive in shaping our community, especially where we have control in city owned properties.
- Attract neighborhood restaurants and family friendly spaces
Commitment: Vibrant neighborhoods across Beverly Hills — not just a single shopping district.
Actively Master Planning La Cienega
La Cienega deserves focused attention.
- Shape what we can of the area through thoughtful planning that includes residents in the discussion.
- Strengthen public safety.
- A station-area safety plan (BHPD deployment, lighting, retail opportunities, streetscape improvements all lead to a safer space).
- Curb and traffic management around Wilshire, Beverly Dr, La Cienega approaches (deliveries, rideshare, shuttles).
- Service integration (MicroTransit study is stalled and shelved - focus on utilizing city trolley with frequency timed to peak rail time as a pilot program).
- Enhance pedestrian improvements - this increases safety
- Support local retail for residents and visitors via Metro — not a continued sole focus on Rodeo Drive. The City is leaving money on the table and a missed once in a lifetime opportunity to proactively enhance the area for long time residents and visitors looking for market, restaurant and retail within walking distance of the Metro.
Commitment: Intentional holistic planning, not piecemeal development.
Build Stronger Relationships With Regional and State Leaders
Beverly Hills must have an active seat at the table. We need a city council member who is a contemporary of new state legislators to best advocate for the needs of our city - and best represent it in Sacramento.
We must:
- Build meaningful relationships with regional and state leaders.
- Advocate directly and consistently — a lobbyist in Sacramento, a great idea of former Mayor Linda Briskman, is needed, but is not enough. We need personal impact.
- Engage early in major policy discussions that will affect Beverly Hills for decades. In 2029, we will have the next Regional Housing Needs Assessment. We need to advocate what makes sense given our demographics and land availability. We as a city should be focused on building affordable senior housing as well. We need someone who understands this - who can best advocate for our community.
Commitment: Representation that advocates, prepares and builds bridges
A Standard of Ethics and Cooperation - Holding Our Schools and Council Accountable to Each Other
Our Police, Fire Department, and Schools are pillars of our community. Our community thrives when our students and families succeed and feel supported.
Through the Joint Powers Agreement and property taxes, we help finance our schools. The JPA was the innovative vision of former Mayor Vicki Reynolds to fund joint services. However, negative press about school decisions and lawsuits takes away from the wonderful work of our amazing teachers, students and great strides of our School Board - and makes accountability essential.
- Expect ethical leadership and transparency.
- Public leaders must uphold Beverly Hills’ standards of tolerance and integrity.
- There are serious concerns about antisemitism and racism that cannot go unaddressed. We must address this, Council and School Board, together in partnership to ensure our community is one where everyone feels valued, welcomed, and included. The strongest cities foster belonging, pride, joy, and a true spirit of cooperation. Let’s restore that sense of unity in Beverly Hills—for every resident. Not only is this morally prudent - it is legally so. The City and Schools have major lawsuits. We must come together to address this as a united community.
- On Council and School Board, a focus on real solutions for our community, not on taking sides, results over rhetoric.
- Ensure accountability where public funding is involved.
Commitment: High standards for our selves and every institution we support.
Protecting the City in High-Stakes Litigation
- Retain independent legal counsel when conflicts of interest arise.
- Ensure litigation strategy serves the City’s best interests.
- Protect taxpayer dollars from unnecessary exposure.
- Address head on major issues in our city which have become legal and institutional liabilities to the City
Commitment: Independent judgment. Responsible risk management.
Support our City Staff at every level in our 12 Departments
Our city is fortunate to retain incredibly hardworking and dedicated staff at every level across our 12 Departments. I’ve been fortunate to work with many of our staff for the last 14 years. As one of five Councilmembers, I will work to ensure our city staff are both heard and supported throughout their careers.
- Meet frontline needs: Ensure Public Works, Community Development, Code Enforcement, Community Services, Library, and administrative staff have modern tools, adequate staffing, and strong leadership support.
- Prioritize public safety support: Continue investing in Police and Fire training, safety resources, and wellness programs to sustain high performance and resilience.
- Strengthen supervisors and managers: Provide leadership development, clear expectations aligned with City Council priorities, and goals of department heads
- Ensure strategic executive leadership: Promote transparency, cross-department collaboration, and steady organizational direction.
- Invest in growth and retention: Offer competitive compensation, meaningful professional development that strengthens skills, and clear opportunities for job mobility so employees can build long-term careers within the City.
- Foster a culture of belonging: Create an environment where employees at every level feel supported, heard, and part of the Beverly Hills family.
Enhanced Visitor and Tourism Experiences
Our city’s rich history is under-told, and a sole focus on luxury limits engagement beyond parks and luxury retail.
With modest investment in simple exhibits, as well as volunteer and commission led art and walking tours—especially before the World Cup and Olympics—we can actively engage tourism, and share Beverly Hills’ story, driving lasting cultural and economic impact.
Also, by supporting mid range family friendly retail options, we can drive enhanced offerings and revenue generation
Address Antisemitism, Racism, Bullying, Head on
- It’s not always popular to confront difficult truths — but leadership isn’t just about protecting comfort; it’s about addressing harm.
- Antisemitism is a major concern among our residents and we must address it - not just with ourselves, but with the broader regional community.
- Racism has been a persistent concern in our community, with lawsuits reflecting serious issues and harm that deserves real attention.
- Community members have shared experiences of racism that has gone ignored - and it must be acknowledged and addressed.
- At the same time, the City has failed these members of our community — showing how quickly it can come together around other important causes and recognitions, but not theirs.
- This is an opportunity to engage more directly and consistently on issues of both Antisemitism, Racism and all forms of discrimination and hate, that have no place in our community.
- Beverly Hills faces real challenges — and avoiding difficult conversations only allows problems to persist.
- Commitment: engage our community in the education and work to address biases and racism - and make Beverly Hills fairer, and better for everyone
Safety for Transit - Metro, Traffic and Speeding Cars
- Master planning, environmental design and retail invigoration around Metro is crucial for public safety
- Speeding cars zip through many neighborhoods - we must explore more traffic calming measures for pedestrian safety
— Rebecca Pynoos' campaign website (April 3, 2026)
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
