History
Founding
LA Más was established in 2012 as an urban design non-profit organization. Co-founded by architects Elizabeth Timme and Mia Lehrer, LA Más was founded upon the potential of design as a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to public projects and civic planning – a tool that could be used to support and voice the needs of the community. Current Executive Director Helen Leung joined the organization in 2013, bringing extensive experience in public policy and community engagement. In its early years, LA Más quickly gained recognition for pushing beyond the norms of urban development by demonstrating an inclusive model for community-led investment.
Challenging Urban Development Through Design
Across Los Angeles’ diverse neighborhoods, LA Más collaborated with residents, community organizations, and local government agencies to execute thoughtful, playful, and contextually designed projects. Serving as an intermediary between community members and policymakers, LA Más’ projects focused on elevating what already works – demonstrating that smaller, community-scale urban developments can preserve a neighborhood’s local identity. This included working in the public realm to create safe pedestrian experiences, empowering small business owners through design, and building alternative affordable housing.
Learn more about our past projects below:
Alternative Affordable Housing
Small Business Support
Public Realm Improvements
Evolving into a Place-Based Organization
In 2019, after years of relying on the team’s expertise in policy and design to support projects across the city, LA Más recognized the need to be more intentional about its long-term impact and accountability to its community of Northeast LA. As major public infrastructure investments came to the LA River, the region was rapidly changing and longtime residents were facing increased displacement pressure. The organization updated its mission statement in 2020 to reflect LA Más’ commitment to building local ownership and power among working class communities of color in Northeast LA. This involved letting go of previous design-based projects, some of which live on in Office of: Office, a design organization formed by former LA Más team members in 2021.
Grounding in our Community of Northeast LA
Today, we actively partner with community members to develop neighborhood initiatives that promote affordable housing and economic resilience. Our work includes connecting residents with information and resources, creating opportunities for deep collaboration and leadership, and promoting equitable, community-led development. With residents driving LA Más’ work, we see our role as an advocate to support residents in accessing resources and advocating for policies and infrastructure to shape the future of their community.