Citizens' Oversight Committee

The Citizens’ Oversight Committee, or COC, is an independent public body that helps ensure LACAHSA’s work is carried out with transparency, accountability, and public trust. The Committee provides oversight on how Measure A funds are planned, reviewed, and monitored in support of LACAHSA’s mission.

The Committee includes 11 voting members and 1 non-voting youth member, with seats designed to reflect a range of expertise and lived experience relevant to LACAHSA’s work. Members bring perspectives from housing finance, affordable housing development, tenant advocacy, fair housing, labor, community development, and communities directly impacted by housing insecurity and homelessness.

Committee Composition

The Committee is structured to bring together technical expertise, community perspective, and lived experience to support strong public oversight of LACAHSA’s work.

Meet the COC Members

Bolivar Vilchez

Inspector General and Government Oversight Executive

Bio

Bolivar Vilchez is a seasoned government oversight executive with more than 25 years of experience leading audits, investigations, ethics, and compliance functions across the U.S. Department of Defense and allied institutions. He currently serves as Inspector General in San Diego, where he oversees enterprise-level legal compliance, ethics, and audit programs across multi-location operations with budgets exceeding $1.2 billion. Over the course of his career, he has led large multidisciplinary teams, directed hundreds of investigations, and helped strengthen accountability, transparency, and regulatory compliance in some of the federal government’s most complex operating environments. His expertise includes enterprise risk management, performance auditing, whistleblower and misconduct investigations, and advising senior leadership on legal and ethical risk. Bolivar holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maryland and has completed advanced executive and Inspector General training, including Harvard Senior Executive Fellow and multiple Certified Inspector General credentials.

As LACAHSA’s Inspector General, his background in building risk-based review frameworks, strengthening internal controls, and advancing transparent governance helps position LACAHSA to operate with rigor, credibility, and public trust as it carries out its affordable housing investments and oversight functions.

Zerita Jones

Chair of Citizen’s Oversight Committee & Person with Lived Homelessness Experience (5+ years)

Bio

Zerita Jones is a longtime housing justice advocate and community organizer with more than 45 years of experience advancing tenant rights, anti-displacement efforts, and equitable housing solutions. She serves on the LACAHSA Board as the Housing Justice Organizer representative and as the Citizen Oversight Committee Chair, helping guide oversight and accountability for the agency’s affordable housing investments. She also serves as Executive Director of the Jefferson Exposition Park West Adams Community Land Trust and as Board Vice-Chairperson of Liberty Community Land Trust

Ted Chandler

Housing Finance Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Ted Chandler is the Senior Managing Director for Strategic Initiatives at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT), where he brings over 30 years of experience in housing finance and community development. His expertise spans multifamily housing investment, bond issuance, and community investment. Ted has held leadership roles at Fannie Mae and the Boston Redevelopment Authority, overseeing operations and financial strategies that have supported affordable housing development across the nation. At HIT, he has been instrumental in managing investments that drive affordable housing production and preservation. Ted holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A. from Harvard University.

Dr. Nohel C. Corral

Affordable Housing Development Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Dr. Nohel C. Corral, Affordable Housing Development Expert (5+ years)
Dr. Nohel Corral is the Executive Vice President of Student Services at Long Beach City College, where he leads efforts to improve student success by addressing housing stability and access to support services. With over 18 years of leadership experience in higher education, Dr. Corral’s expertise includes developing programs that support housing security for students and communities, especially those most vulnerable to housing instability. His work extends to policy development and advocacy for equitable housing solutions for students. Dr. Corral holds a Doctorate in Education from Kansas State University, a Master's in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach, and a Bachelors in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara.

Lisa Gooden

Senior/Disability Housing Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Lisa Gooden combines 30 years of commercial real estate law with a deep commitment to disability advocacy. Since 2020, she has leveraged her legal expertise to advocate for affordable housing solutions for seniors and individuals with disabilities. As the Past President, Board Member, and Housing Subcommittee Co-Chair for the Disability Community Resources Center (DCRC) she not only served the needs of its senior and the disabled members but facilitated one of DCRC’s goals that its proposed office redevelopment with affordable housing project meet the needs of these unique populations. Since 2018 she’s promoted the need for safe and appropriate community based residential placement for children and young adults with dual diagnoses of moderate to severe autism and severe behaviors. A dedicated advocate for families affected by profound autism, she draws on personal experience to bridge the gap in safe, community-based residential placements. Lisa holds a BA from the City University of New York, Queens College, and a JD from New York University School of Law.

Jesús Hermosillo

Low/Moderate-Income Tenant
(5+ years)

Bio

Jesús Hermosillo is an experienced organizer across Los Angeles. He has worked on numerous campaigns to secure workers’ rights and expand labor organizing. Jesus currently works at the California Nurses Association in Glendale, where he supports campaigns for patient safety, adequate nurse staffing, and single-payer, universal healthcare. Jesus holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Development from UCLA and a Master of Urban Planning also from UCLA.

Diana Amparo Jiménez

Community Land Trust/Development Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Diana Amparo Jiménez is an expert in community land trust development and affordable housing advocacy. Currently working as a Program Officer at the Weingart Foundation, Diana has focused on increasing housing production and preservation through innovative financing models and community-led development strategies. She has worked with public and private sector partners to support multifamily housing projects and ensure that they align with community needs. Diana has helped establish policies that support affordable housing and equitable land use in Southern California. She holds a Bachelor of Science. in Policy, Planning, and Development from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

Benjamin Kurzius

Housing Construction Management
Expert

Bio

Benjamin Kurzius is the Vice President Resynidcation Project Manager at April Housing, where he has overseen several large-scale affordable housing preservation and development projects. His expertise includes managing all aspects of housing construction, from securing financing to ensuring timely project completion. Benjamin works closely with developers, architects, and contractors to bring affordable housing projects to life while maintaining a focus on sustainability and cost efficiency. His work has directly contributed to expanding affordable housing options in Los Angeles and beyond. Ben holds a Bachelors of Arts in Geography (Urban Systems) from McGill University, and a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Miami.

Gabriel Leavell

Housing Finance Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Gabriel Leavell is the Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Vibe Video. Gabriel leads the company’s product and growth strategy, using data-driven insights and cross-functional leadership to deliver solutions that meet customer needs and support long-term organizational goals. With more than a decade of experience in housing finance and real estate portfolio management, Gabriel has a track record of securing venture capital and managing complex financial portfolios. His expertise is crucial in developing financial strategies that maximize affordable housing growth and sustainability. Gabriel holds a Bachelor of Business Management from the University of Washington.

Fernando Ochoa

Tenant Rights Organizer/Advocate
(5+ years)

Bio

Fernando Ochoa is the Political Director for Sheet Metal Workers (SMART) Local 105 and a tenant rights advocate advancing housing justice, with lived experience with housing insecurity. Fernando has worked with several Los Angeles–based nonprofit organizations, focusing on advancing policies that prevent eviction and displacement. He has advocated to ensure tenants have a meaningful voice in housing decisions and has lobbied for stronger affordable housing laws through coalition building at the state and local level. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Cal State Long Beach and a Master of Public Policy from UCLA.

Melody Osuna

Fair Housing Legal Expert
(5+ years)

Bio

Melody Osuna is a seasoned fair housing attorney with extensive experience in tenant rights, eviction prevention, and homelessness prevention. She previously worked as an attorney for the Public Interest Law Project in Long Beach, where she represented low-income tenants facing eviction and displacement. Melody specializes in the legal aspects of fair housing and tenant protections, ensuring that housing policies and laws are enforced to safeguard vulnerable communities. Her work continues to focus on increasing housing access through legal advocacy and policy reform. Melody holds a bachelor of Arts in Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and a JD from Loyola Law School.

Melanie Robledo

Housing Stability and Reentry
Programs

Bio

Melanie Robledo is a housing expert with over 10+ years of experience in program development, technical assistance, and cross-sector partnership building. She currently serves as a Senior Program Manager at Impact Justice, where she leads the design and expansion of innovative housing initiatives that increase access to stable housing for formerly incarcerated individuals. Melanie has worked with government agencies, community-based organizations, and policymakers to develop scalable solutions that strengthen housing stability and system coordination.

Melanie has launched and led national initiatives, including the National Reentry Housing Incubator, which distributed over $2.2 million in funding and supported organizations across more than 30 states. Her expertise spans grant management, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building strategies that drive measurable outcomes in housing access and reentry success. She holds an Associate of Arts in Addiction Studies from Cuesta College and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Human Services at California State University, San Bernardino.

Elena Juarez Rosas

Youth Seat

Bio

Elena Juarez Rosas is a youth advocate and community organizer focused on addressing youth homelessness across Los Angeles County. She serves as Advocacy Lead with YYA SPA 1 and as a Youth Consultant for Direct Cash Transfers as Prevention at Point Source Youth, where she helps shape youth-centered programs, engagement strategies, and supportive interventions. Elena has partnered with service providers, government agencies, and community stakeholders to advance equitable solutions that reflect the needs and experiences of young people.

Drawing from both her professional and lived experience, Elena contributes to advocacy, program development, public speaking, and community outreach, with a strong commitment to systems change and youth leadership. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and is passionate about ensuring young people have a voice in the policies and programs that affect their lives.

Meeting Schedule

The Citizens’ Oversight Committee meets at least quarterly, with additional meetings as needed during key review periods, including the annual expenditure plan process.

Questions?

We look forward to hearing from you.