Justin Massey, candidate for Hermosa Beach City Council, currently works as an environmental attorney. But while in law school, he worked at a legal aid office in Eugene, Ore.
His time there left him with an abiding sense of perspective, one that he says will shape his view of the issues that would confront him in a four-year term.
“Every week, I would walk out of that office and think how fortunate I was to have the problems I had,” Massey said.
Massey sees ending up in Hermosa Beach as part of a continuing streak of good fortune. He grew up in San Clemente, enjoying the beach-town vibe, but says that Hermosa offers an eclectic charm that is shaped by its proximity to Los Angeles.
“We are a small town on the doorstep of a metropolis,” Massey is fond of saying.
Preserving what draws people to Hermosa, while readying it for the future, is the balance that Massey is attempting to strike in his campaign.
Massey was deeply involved in the campaign against Measure O, which would have permitted oil extraction in the city. His dedication, knowledge and strategic thinking made him an important asset to the campaign, said Dr. Michael Collins, a psychologist and Hermosa resident.
“I was the activist, and I would bounce ideas off him,” Collins said. “He would shape them, and show me when to reach across the aisle.”
With the defeat of Measure O, Massey has turned his attention to cityscape. He argues that many of the basic amenities provided by city government, such as streets and parks, are in a state of disrepair. He also wants to add upper-level office tenants in downtown Hermosa, which he says will improve the character of the area without boosting density.
“Bringing things up to par doesn’t mean changing the culture of Hermosa,” Massey said. “We can retain that eccentric charm.”
Massey insists that his plans will both improve quality of life and raise revenue. He advocates installing solar-panels on the roofs of city facilities, and upgrading the city’s vehicle fleet to electric to save money on energy costs.
Massey’s plans for upgrades have led some to criticize him for a lack of specificity. In an Oct. 8 letter to the Easy Reader, former council member Howard Fishman questioned the finances behind some of Massey’s plans, and said that the council needed people with “proven experience” instead of “amateurs.”
But supporters insist that Massey will bring a unifying spirit to a city council that has struggled with inaction.
“I think he’ll strike a good balance,” said Hermosa-resident Rick Learned, a former head of the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. “I think he’s got the demeanor to compromise and resolve.”
Collins agreed, indicating that Massey could act as a bridge between long-time residents and more-recent transplants. He recalled a gathering at the Hermosa home of a friend. The house had been built long ago, and had a plain, beach-house vibe. But it had recently been redone, with modern improvements in energy efficiency.
“Justin’s like that house,” Collins said. “He a great combination of old and new.”ER
