Councilmember Sal Guarriello

Contact Councilmember Guarriello

Sal Guarriello and his late wife Rita moved to West Hollywood in 1964. Guarriello worked for Farmers Insurance Company as an independent agent until he retired in December 1986. His interest in issues affecting residents in West Hollywood had been growing for several years before he retired. In 1983, he joined the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), the leading renters' rights organization. He later joined CES' Steering Committee in 1986.

In 1986, Councilmember Guarriello became a member of the Board of Directors of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation (WHCHC), a non-profit corporation which rehabilitates run-down housing and builds new apartment buildings to increase the supply of affordable housing in West Hollywood. He was soon selected by his fellow Board members to serve as Treasurer of the organization. The work of the WHCHC has been so successful that West Hollywood is replacing apartments lost to demolition with more than three times as many new affordable apartments. By January 1999, 141 low- and moderate-income housing units had been built in West Hollywood.

In 1988, Guarriello was appointed to the Rent Stabilization Commission. As a Commissioner, he helped develop policy on rent control matters and sat as judge on appeals of decisions made by Rent Stabilization Hearing Examiners. While striving to be fair and impartial, Guarriello worked hard to protect West Hollywood tenants and the City's strong rent control law.

Councilmember Guarriello is constantly working with the community to generate innovative ideas for beautifying the City. In 1997, Guarriello formed the Eastside Redevelopment Agency. The agency's first major project is the West Hollywood Gateway Project at Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. In 1998, he was instrumental in negotiating the transfer of ownership of Santa Monica Boulevard from the State of California, Department of Transportation to the City of West Hollywood. This transfer of ownership allowed the City to plan for a major rehabilitation of the Boulevard in 1999.

Councilmember Guarriello also served on the City's Banking and Reinvestment Task Force in 1988, where he worked with local banks to improve low-cost services to Seniors and small businesses.

In April 1990 with seven years of experience serving the West Hollywood community behind him, Guarriello became a member of the West Hollywood City Council. Since then he has been re-elected to the West Hollywood City Council three times -- in April 1994, March 1999 and March 2003. He devotes himself to the community and its government, and strives to meet the needs of residents by promoting and protecting affordable housing, supporting environmental issues and working to deter crime. Councilmember Guarriello is also dedicated to assuring that new development projects are the highest quality and conform to West Hollywood's General Plan. Councilmember Guarriello supports a vibrant business community balanced with a healthy residential community and supports more parking to accommodate businesses and residential areas. In January of 2000, Mayor Pro Tempore Guarriello authored a very successful No Cruising Ordnance on Sunset Boulevard to reduce traffic gridlock and increase visitor safety along Sunset Boulevard. In June of 2006, Councilmember Guarriello was awarded the President's Award from the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for his support of the West Hollywood business community.

In addition of his support for the Russian community, GLBT community and people with disabilities including people with HIV/AIDS, Guarriello is a strong supporter of the large Senior community in West Hollywood and was awarded the "Outstanding Community Service Award" from the Los Angeles County Commission on Aging at the 41^st Annual Older Americans event in May of 2006.

In 2002 Councilmember Guarriello began the recall process against Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley after a gay resident of West Hollywood was nearly beaten to death with a baseball bat by three men. Councilmember Guarriello was outraged that District Attorney Cooley considered this crime a robbery rather than the hate crime it was.

Guarriello initiated a "Don't Drink & Drive Napkin Walk". Each December Guarriello distributes thousands of napkins to bars and restaurants in West Hollywood that serve liquor. The message on the napkins reminds patrons not to drink & drive.

The Children's Summer Olympics held every August in West Hollywood Park is Councilmember Guarriello's creation and remains one of his favorite events.

Guarriello served as an army combat medic in WWII from 1943 through 1946. He believes in honoring those who have served in 's armed forces. In 1998, he initiated the West Hollywood Veterans Memorial Task Force to create a permanent Veterans Memorial in West Hollywood. In the Spring of 2001 the City of West Hollywood approved a Veterans Memorial intended to honor all veterans who have served our country since the 1776 Revolution. The West Hollywood Veteran's Memorial/Holloway Park was dedicated on November 11, 2003.

Currently, he serves on many civic boards. Guarriello represents West Hollywood as a Director and Chairman of the County Sanitation District No.4 representing West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. Guarriello also serves as the City's delegate for the Southern California Cities Joint Powers Consortium, is a delegate to the Joint Powers Insurance Authority and has served as a Commissioner on the County Public Library Commission.

You can contact Councilmember Sal Guarriello at West Hollywood City Hall through his deputy, Donna Saur, at (323) 848-6460.