Los Angeles, of course, is surrounded by amazing mountains and steep hillsides that are replete with beautiful views, an abundance of wildlife, a wide variety of trees, and lovely vistas – but also with narrow and twisting streets with lots of homes and people living there. As a result, these areas have an ever-present fire danger with difficult access for fire and safety help or evacuation in emergency times. In the post-WWII boom, LA began expanding upward into the hills. Developers saw the ridges as blank canvases for high-density projects, often ignoring the geological risks and environmental impacts. As a result, in 1952 a non-profit group called The Federation of Hillside and Canyon Associations was formed, now comprising almost 50 groups, with members from the Pacific Palisades to Mount Washington. The Hillside Federation is a powerful voice for the residents living in the mountains, hillsides, and nearby areas, all joining to preserve the natural topography, wildlife, and safety of LA’s most fragile ecosystems against the pressures of urban sprawl. The group realized that a unified front was the only way to influence city hall and ensure that hillside development remained responsible and sustainable. Over the ensuing years and continuing today, the Federation has been instrumental in stopping projects that threatened public safety, exacerbated fire risks, or destroyed natural beauty. Here are just some of their most significant accomplishments: •The Mulholland Scenic Parkway Ordinance – By advocating for strict zoning and design reviews, the Federation prevented the “backbone of Los Angeles” – world-famous Mulholland Drive – from being turned into a high-speed commercial corridor, preserving it as a scenic and recreational treasure. •The “McMansionization” Fight – The Federation was a lead advocate for the Baseline Hillside Ordinance, preventing the construction of oversized, out-of-scale homes that destabilized slopes, blocked views, and overwhelmed narrow, winding canyon roads. •Wildlife Corridor Protection – The Federation has always fought to preserve habitat connectivity, ensuring that mountain lions, bobcats, deer, and more can navigate the Santa Monica Mountains despite city encroachment. A great example is the Federation’s support for the Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Calabasas. •Maintaining The Geography – Over decades, the Federation has successfully blocked numerous megaprojects – from massive luxury hotels on unstable ridges to high-density apartment complexes in areas with zero fire-evacuation capacity to such ideas as a freeway replacing Laurel Canyon. The Federation knows that hillside development isn’t just an aesthetic issue – it’s also a public safety issue. Their advocacy focuses on three critical pillars: •Fire Safety – The Federation ensures that new developments do not clog narrow canyon roads which serve as vital evacuation routes during California’s perennial wildfire seasons. For example, the city has approved, or has attempted to approve, a number of homes that clearly do not have room for the entry and exit of fire equipment. The Federation works to prevent this type of building. •Geological Stability – They prevent over-grading of hillsides that can lead to landslides and debris flows during heavy rains. •Resource Preservation – They protect the last remaining stands of California Black Walnut and Coast Live Oak trees, plus many other types of vegetation. Today, the fight continues unabated. As recently as last December, the Hillside Federation joined as a major voice in a lawsuit against Los Angeles County because the City of LA repeatedly approves development in fire-prone areas in violation of state standards for safe evacuation and firefighter access. The lawsuit lists 75 examples of building permits and other plans approved by the city that allegedly violate requirements known as the state’s “minimum firesafe regulations”. The city has a long history of struggling to adopt and enforce wildfire safety regulations and the Federation believes that the local citizens can more readily identify these violations than the city – which either ignores the safety issues, is beholden to developers, or is so understaffed they don’t even recognize the problems. This is who the Hillside Federation is and why SOHA is a member.