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"Yes on HLA" didn't materialize overnight, but we love where they ended up.

Writer's picture: ELYELY

the Yes on HLA campaign logo
Streets for All's campaign logo (courtesy of Streets for All)

"Yes on HLA" (the campaign run by Los Angeles' (LA) Streets for All) was a successful campaign that ran in 2024 and 2025 to force the City of LA to include its updated mobility policies when repaving roads. Run as a ballot measure in California's ballot-heavy electoral culture, their efforts resulted in a win percentage of nearly 2/3 of the vote cast in the March 2024 election.


Why are we interested?

Streets for All's unconventional, direct, and targeted billboard messaging struck us as the successful implementation of a well-crafted, strategic campaign plan. We have seen far too many advocacy campaigns that either can't or won't target their messages as narrowly as possible and they usually wind up watered down, ineffective, and forgettable. Not so in the "Yes on HLA" campaign.


Who is involved?

Streets for All is a non-profit organization that operates in the Los Angeles area. Of note, it accepts 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and PAC donations, enabling the organization to pay for campaign expenses. While you see this strategy frequently in the environmental advocacy field, it isn't as common in the transportation and mobility worlds.


Streets for All's 5-year accomplishments
Streets for All 5-year Accomplishments (image courtesy of Streets for All)

In the five years that Streets for All has operated, it boasts an impressive list of accomplishments that range from sponsoring legislation, getting advocates elected to office, and running a successful ballot measure, among others.


It's no surprise then that the "Yes on HLA" campaign built an impressive coalition of local, state, and national groups. This included more than 50 environmental, transportation, labor, and business organizations and involved hundreds of volunteers. Studies suggest that in localized races, endorsements can play an outsized role in influencing public opinion.





What change are they seeking?

Overall, the goal of the "Yes on HLA" ballot measure campaign was to force the hand of the City of LA and tie the mobility upgrades contained in their Mobility Plan 2035 to the city's repaving schedule. A seemingly simple request that advocates found to be surprisingly difficult to implement. Enter the "Yes on HLA" campaign.


Why is "Yes on HLA" special?

This campaign did many things well, but the tactic that other campaigns should absolutely steal involves the messaging and placement of its billboard advertising. Using crash data sourced from the LAPD public traffic accident database, the LA County Public Health Department, and the Governors Highway Safety Association, Streets for All pinpointed which intersections were both dangerous and not yet upgraded.


A billboard that reads, "In 2022, more pedestrians died on Vermont Ave than in the State of Vermont".
A billboard advocating for the Yes on HLA ballot measure. (Photo courtesy of Streets For All)

After identifying these intersections, the "Yes on HLA" campaign purchased billboard advertising both throughout the city and specifically at those targeted intersections. And while some criticized it for ruffling feathers, it got (and held) people's attention. The strategically located billboards are what we consider sticky because they follow the six SUCCES principles outlined in the book Made to Stick. Yes on HLA's message was simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, and used stories.


What questions do we have?

We have no questions. 13/10, would steal this tactic in a heartbeat.


What's next for this campaign?

Now that the HLA ballot measure has passed and is the law, the City of LA has to figure out how to overcome the challenges it faced earlier and implement the law. Given how involved Streets for All was in running this campaign, there's little doubt that they will be monitoring it closely.


What do you think? Have you seen other campaigns use this a tactic this successfully? Comment HERE.


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