Rebecca Pynoos for Beverly Hills

Rooted in Beverly Hills. Committed to Our Community. For Our Future, For A Change.

Honoring our city’s legendary past, while inspiring its bright future.

“Rebecca Pynoos is an exemplary leader whose analytical approach and extensive commission experience maker her the right choice for Beverly Hills. We are in need of her younger perspective at 42, and thoughtful leadership to move our City Council forward”

— Howard S. Fisher, Beverly Hills City Treasurer

Rebecca Pynoos is the next generation of leadership Beverly Hills has been waiting for — deeply rooted in the city’s legacy, energized by its future, and passionately committed to taking on challenges in the community she calls home.

Meet Rebecca

For Rebecca, serving Beverly Hills isn’t about self promotion—it’s deeply personal public service.

A third-generation resident, Beverly Hills is where her family built their lives, and where she formed a deep connection to the city - and a love for smart, engaging urban planning and community engagement.

For more than a decade, Rebecca has been committed to giving back to the city she calls home. 14 years ago, she made history as the youngest appointee to Beverly Hills’ inaugural Cultural Heritage Commission, beginning a long record of public service.

Today, at 42, Rebecca serves as Chair of the Architecture and Design Review Commission, where she is known as a thoughtful and independent leader—smart, warm, approachable, energetic, and deeply committed to the community she loves. She listens carefully, brings people together, and aims to turn good ideas into real results. She is endorsed by The Beverly Press, Former Mayors, City Treasurer Howard Fisher, City Commissioners, State Senate Candidate Brian Goldsmith and Federal leaders including Congressman Ted Lieu….and many more!

Rebecca believes Beverly Hills deserves leadership that puts residents first, keeps residents safe, plans responsibly for the future, and brings people together to solve problems. She’s a real voice for residents - and the right person for right now.

Rebecca is running for City Council on June 2 to deliver positive, independent, resident-first, and focused on positively addressing real local and regional issues impacting Beverly Hills - without ties to lobbyists or special interests that too often guide our council. With deep experience as a commissioner over the last 14 years, she understands City Hall and is ready to lead with integrity, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. She’s committed to safer neighborhoods, better livability, and thoughtful planning in all realms that engages residents.

Rebecca grew up north of Santa Monica Boulevard in the Flats and now lives in the Southwest, giving her a perspective that reflects the full Beverly Hills community — and one that is currently underrepresented at City Hall. When elected, she would be the only millennial on the Council, the only South Beverly Hills resident, the only candidate with urban planning experience, crucial for today’s local, regional and state issues we are grappling with. Her leadership would bring a balanced, thoughtful voice to local government while helping ensure every neighborhood has a seat at the table - and that residents are heard and protected. Rebecca is committed to preserving what makes Beverly Hills exceptional while advancing a practical, forward-looking vision that keeps the city strong for both current residents and the next generation

Public safety is paramount. Rebecca will ensure first responders have the adequate staffing, tools, and resources they need — and she will advocate for critical support to our Police and Fire Departments, greater efforts toward retention and recruitment of officers, more visibility, as well as crucial safety enhancements across neighborhoods impacted by Metro and infrastructure enhancements to prevent

Rebecca treasures what makes Beverly Hills’ the best place to live - our strong public safety services, where we devote 53% of our budget; our dedicated city staff, our beautiful parks, walkable neighborhoods with evenly paved sidewalks, and cherished small businesses — not just as amenities, but as the foundation of our identity and quality of life. We can do ever better.

Beverly Hills is entering a pivotal period of transformation over the next four years—one that calls for strong, accountable, energized new leadership to address challenges that have too often been ignored.

New state law and state housing mandates - 16 out of scale Builder’s Remedy projects - resulting from the City’s repeated 3 time failure to adopt a compliant housing element, a lack of attention to neighborhoods beyond Rodeo Drive, shifting economic conditions, the arrival of Metro, and growing divisions are all reshaping our city.

These are serious issues — and Rebecca is ready to confront them holistically, responsibly, head-on. She is committed to restoring direction, accountability, and trust in City Hall.

As a passionate third-generation resident, Rebecca is running because she believes Beverly Hills deserves better. She is driven by a love of our community, a deep frustration with the lack of responsiveness to residents over many issues, and a determination to preserve what makes our city special while doing the hard work to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.

Rebecca will focus on smarter planning, creating more engaged neighborhoods, and transparent, responsible good governance that puts residents first. With steady, principled leadership, she is ready to move Beverly Hills forward—and ensure it remains a city we are proud to call home.

Professional Experience

Professionally, Rebecca has worked with government, nonprofit, and creative sectors, managing city and federal grants while developing experience in urban policy and planning. Her prior work with Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles and Wise and Healthy Aging has focused on helping communities—especially aging populations—remain safe, connected, and engaged.

Education & Planning 

Rebecca is a graduate of Marlborough School and holds degrees from Brandeis University and the University of Southern California, where she earned a Master’s in Social Work, focused on policy and planning.

She is the only candidate with both education and experience in urban planning, balancing needs of preservation and crucial development, completing postgraduate coursework at:

  • USC’s School of Architecture

  • UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design

  • UCLA

This combination makes Rebecca the candidate best suited to address both luxury of the city and day to day livability issues - and - the complex planning and policy challenges facing Beverly Hills today, like stopping future out of scale Builders Remedy Projects. Rebecca has already been meeting with regional planners to get ahead of this - and she’s ready to hit the ground running.

Leadership & Civic Engagement

Rebecca has been selected for prestigious leadership fellowships focused on solving complex regional challenges, including:

  • Jewish Federation’s Rautenberg New Leaders Program

  • CORO LA Lead Fellowship

  • Urban Land Institute’s GROW Mentorship Program

She is also a graduate of Team Beverly Hills, reflecting her long-standing commitment to civic leadership and community engagement.

Leadership for Beverly Hills Right Now

Rebecca Pynoos is the right person for right now— a Southwest resident with a background in policy and planning, a bridge-builder who believes the strongest solutions come from honest conversations, listening to different perspectives, and collaborative leadership.

Rebecca is a person of strong moral character, energized and excited to tackle difficult issues to make us better informed, better engaged, and better connected.

Proud of Beverly Hills’ legendary past and inspired by its bright future, Rebecca is ready to serve with integrity, energy, and an unwavering commitment to the residents who make this city extraordinary.

Rebecca represents the future of Beverly Hills — and she’s ready to lead.

Rebecca’s Civic Engagements

Chair, Architecture and Design Review Commission. 2022-present
Cultural Heritage Commissioner. 2012-2018
Team Beverly Hills. 2022-2023
Metro Docent Council. 2018 - 2026
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL MUSEUM           2018-2023, ASSOCIATES CO-CHAIR
Jewish Federation Rautenberg New Leaders Fellow
CORO LA Lead Fellowship 
Urban Land Institute GROW Mentorship Program
AMERICA PLANNING ASSOCIATION Member

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. No other candidate has shown up for years.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

    • 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

  • A strong Beverly Hills includes residents at every stage of life

    • Support landlords, 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.

    • 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.

  • 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.

  • La Cienega deserves focused attention. With Metro and the bulk of major developments coming to this area, residents deserve better.

    • 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.

  • 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

  • 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.

    • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

    • 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

    • 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

A Family Legacy of Engagement and Innovation

I come from a family whose story is deeply connected to the spirit of LA and Beverly Hills—one rooted in resilience, innovation, and service to others. My great-grandfather arrived in Los Angeles in the 1920s after fleeing religious persecution in Lithuania and Latvia, where he trained as a Cantor. He left harsh winters for citrus groves, and in Southern California felt he had arrived in paradise. He practiced as a Rabbi and Cantor in LA’s early Jewish community.

The next generation helped shape the city itself. My grandparents, Rita and Morry, were civic boosters who played a role in building a growing Beverly Hills. Morry was an inventor, engineer, and builder who worked alongside legendary architects like Paul R. Williams and Frank Lloyd Wright, constructing custom homes and major buildings—including the Wilshire-Camden bank building (now home to William Morris and Equinox). Always innovative, Morry invented the nail gun, pioneered prestressed concrete, and even designed early plans for computerized carpooling to address Los Angeles traffic—decades ahead of its time. My grandmother, Rita, brought that same forward-thinking spirit to civic life. A strong advocate for women’s rights, she marched for the Equal Rights Amendment and encouraged women to pursue leadership roles in public life, always cheering me on—from student council to city commissions.

My parents dedicated their careers to gerontology, working to improve quality of life for aging populations in urban communities—an influence that shaped my own path. Today, Nick, an aerospace engineer, and I are building our family life in Beverly Hills. These family roots, along with a deep interest in civic life, continue to guide who I am, my values, and my commitment to public service.

Beverly Hills is home to approximately 30,000 residents — 30,000 unique viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds

Each of us has a story about how we came to Beverly Hills.
Each of us has something we cherish about this city.
Each of us has ideas about how it can be much better.

I’m here to listen. I’m here to work. And I’m here to represent you.

Please reach out below — I’d love to connect.

Get in Touch with Rebecca

Fill out the form below to get in touch. If you prefer email, you can reach Rebecca directly at rebecca@rebeccapynoos.com.