Mission + Vision
LA Más keeps working class neighbors rooted in Northeast LA
About LA Más
Created in 2012 by co-founders Mia Lehrer and Elizabeth Timme, urban designers and civic leaders who believed our communities needed investment and infrastructure that was inclusive and inviting. LA Más started as an urban design nonprofit supporting communities across the Los Angeles region. Helen Leung joined the organization in 2023 to help realize the vision that Angelenos deserved more (or más) in their communities. LA Más worked with local government and community-based organizations on award-winning public realm improvements, business corridor transformations, and affordable housing strategies. The urban design work of LA Más’ early years continues at Office of: Office with our 2020 organizational transition.
Since 2020, LA Más has rooted itself in Northeast LA with its programs guided by community members - serving as a community-based organization committed to building collective neighborhood stability and resilience through affordable housing and local economic strategies for working class residents.
Keeping our community rooted in NELA
We center working-class communities of color in NELA, especially non-native English speakers, renters, immigrants, and undocumented residents facing challenges like displacement, rising rents. We envision a NELA that has options for working-class residents to stay in the communities they love and call home.
Through capacity building, popular education, and cultural gatherings, LA Más helps residents strengthen their ties to each other while equipping them with the tools to engage in collective action.
Our Programs + Impact
Through capacity building, popular education, culture and wellness-focused gatherings, LA Más helps residents strengthen their ties to each other while equipping them with the tools to engage in collective action.
Our two areas of focus are:
Community Housing
Community Economies
Learn more about our programs and our impact (2025 Annual Report).
Values
Rooted in resistance
We ground our work in the legacy of historical resistance led by BIPOC communities, local movements, and generations of collective struggle.
Stewarding the land
We honor Indigenous practices and relationships to land, uplifting stewardship that sustains both people and place.
Mutuality and Interdependence
We thrive as part of an interconnected ecosystem of residents, organizations, and coalitions, practicing mutual support and shared responsibility.
Cultural and Language diversity
We celebrate the richness of cultural and linguistic diversity, creating spaces that are accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all.
Restoration and Healing
We nurture spaces of restoration and healing that prioritize the well-being and sustainability of our communities.
Collective leadership
We embody cooperation through collective decision-making, shared leadership, and collaboration rooted in trust and equity.
Redefining value
We challenge traditional notions of value by honoring the unique knowledge, skills, and contributions of our community.
Community Governance
Supporting decision-making power by NELA’s working class residents
Introducing the Community Advisory Committee
In 2025, LA Más will launch a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to formalize and deepen our commitment to community leadership. This next step ensures that Northeast LA’s working-class residents shape the direction of our work.
The inaugural cohort, consisting of up to 20 residents, will be invited by LA Más staff based on their dedication to personal growth, collective well-being, and our shared mission of keeping working-class communities rooted in NELA.