About CES
CES is a grassroots multi-racial, multi-ethnic community-based organization empowering low and moderate income people to win economic and social justice in Los Angeles since 1973.
CES’ first organizing campaigns focused on transportation, utilities, affordable food, and employment issues. These campaigns successfully held back bus fare and utility rate increases, lowered milk prices and fought for the rights of the unemployed.
As rents skyrocketed during the mid-1970s, tenants' rights, rent control and preserving affordable housing became CES’ priorities.
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES)'s mission is to assist working, low-income people throughout the greater Los Angeles area, and surrounding counties, in working together to empower themselves to impact the decision-making processes that affect their day-to-day lives.
Our Vision
CES works to empower tenants living in private and HUD-subsidized housing to fight to preserve quality and safe affordable housing.
Our Team
Staff
Larry Gross
Executive Director
Larry Gross is the Executive Director of the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES). He has been with CES since its inception in 1973. Larry is currently the President of the Los Angeles Board of Animal Services Commissioners. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed him to the Commission in February 2014. He has served on numerous City of LA housing related committees. Larry is the elected California Democratic Party (CDP) Region 12 Director and is a CDP Executive Board Member, as well as a board member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. He was a California Public Utilities Commission appointee to its Low-Income Oversight Board (LIOB) from 2012 to 2020 and was a member of the Board of Directors of the ACLU/Southern California, from 2012 to 2016. Larry also serves on the Board of the statewide tenants’ rights organization, Tenants Together.
Slum Housing/Healthy Homes Tenant Organizing
Carlos Aguilar
Director of Organizing and Tenant/Healthy Homes carlos.aguilar@cesinaction.org
Carlos Aguilar is the Director of Organizing for the Coalition for Economic Survival where he works with staff to ensure they have the support and tools necessary to advocate for the right of all tenants to have safe, healthy and affordable housing. He works on program management and implementation for Eviction Prevention Programs as well as Healthy Housing Initiatives and Anti-Slum Housing work as well as working with staff on tenant education and empowerment. He has over fifteen years of experience as a community and labor organizer. He is bilingual English Spanish. Mr. Aguilar is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received a BA in Political Science with a Minor in Business Administration.
Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP) Tenant Outreach
Victor Amaya
REAP Tenant Outreach victor.amaya@cesinaction.org
Victor Amaya provides tenant outreach services under CES’ Rent Escrow Account Program with the LA Housing Department. He previously served as a housing outreach assistant for the LA Center for Law and Justice. He has over 10 years of experience doing healthy housing outreach work in the community, he is bilingual, English/Spanish and is a certified Lead Renovator by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
West Hollywood Tenant Outreach
Eugene Maysky
Tenant Outreach eugene.maysky@cesinaction.org
Eugene Maysky concentrates on assisting and organizing renters in the City of West Hollywood with an extra focus on the city’s large Russian population. Eugene is bilingual, English/Russian. He also serves as a member and elected chair of the West Hollywood Russian-Speaking Advisory Board. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Eugene's background is in journalism, radio and television broadcasting and syndication. He grew up on the air working as a host, writer and producer of radio and TV shows in Russia and Europe. For 9 years he worked as a host, write and producer of the MTV Radio franchise working on highly popular syndicated radio shows.
Tenants' Rights Legal Clinic
Wendell Jones
Clinic Counselor
Wendell Jones helped found three Tenant Action Center (TAC) renter’s clinics with the National Lawyers Guild in 1971. He worked in the Venice office for seven years before coming to staff and coordinate the in-person CES Tenants Rights’ Clinic prior to the pandemic. He raised thousands of dollars for AIDS activism and was active in Act Up. He continues to counsel tenants at both the Wednesday and Saturday CES Tenants Rights’ Clinic.
Greta Ponce de Léon
Tenants' Rights Outreach Organizer
Greta Ponce de Leon transitioned from a tenant activist to managing the Saturday CES Tenant Rights Clinic when it was held in-person. Over the past few years her dedication to tenant issues led her to provide additional support to CES and is currently working with staff as an Outreach Specialist for Stay Housed LA, Lead Hazard Remediation Program and other community engagement efforts. She is bilingual English/Spanish.