Joan House Aims for Council Return

Former member Joan House has been off Malibu's top governing body since 2004, but she never disappeared. House, who announced on Monday that she will seek an unprecedented fourth term on the council, has been on the since 2006 and has remained involved in city issues. She recently headed the city's 20th anniversary celebration committee.

She and her husband Ken bought a piece of Malibu property in 1970, and moved to the city five years later. She became involved in the cityhood movement, and unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the first council in 1990. This was the only election House lost.

House was voted into office in 1992. She was re-elected in 1996 and 2000, both times being the top vote-getter. House is one of three people to serve three terms on the council and the only person to serve 12 consecutive years.

House spoke to Malibu Patch on Tuesday for a brief interview. She talked about why she wants to get back on the council and addressed the issue of whether she is violating the spirit of the city's term limits law, which restricts council members to two terms. Only terms since 2000 count, so she is legally allowed to serve four more years.

Malibu Patch: Why are you running?

Joan House: Malibu is my home, and I've always believed in public service. It's sort of engrained in me to be actively involved in any community I happen to live. I was in the Peace Corps. I taught at an Indian reservation. I taught at a continuation school.

Patch: Is there any particular thing that made you say, "I've got to get back on the council?"

House: I felt that there were some things before I left I'd like to see happen, and the opportunity is now that I can do it.

I would very much like to see a teen center in Malibu. I'd like the Michael Landon building at  to be raised because it has limited use, and have it become a nice teen center. I'd also like to see if we could find a shuttle to reduce our carbon imprint and allow kids, seniors and whomever to ride a shuttle to get around Malibu, so parents don't have to get in their cars and everybody would have a safe ride to access different parts of the city. 

The other thing is we've always been invited by outside agencies to meet with them. I would like to see where we invite people and have the agenda in the city of Malibu because we have so many public agencies, private agencies—everybody has a say. But I'd like to get them in a room in Malibu and have an agenda and work with them, and see if we can expand our public relations.

I have a lot of other things. I have really thought about this.

Patch: When you left the council in 2004, did you believe that was it or did you always have in mind that you'd get back into it?

House: I was flexible. All my grandkids were very tiny, and I wanted to see them before they started school. When your grandkids start school, they have a different life and they're not as open to grandparents. They don't have the time. You go and see them when they're 1, 2, 3 and 4, they're standing at the gate pounding for you to get in and play with them. When I left, I thought I can spend a lot more time with the grandchildren, which Ken and I have done. And now, they're all in school. Time passes.

It was never a finale. I always had it as an open door.

Patch: Obviously, it's legal for you to run for another term, but some people have said that you're violating the spirit of the term limits law. How do you respond to that?

House: I think we'll let the people decide in the election.

Patch: Are you philosophically opposed to term limits?

House: I do believe that people have the opportunity to vote people out of office. It's very difficult because sometimes you term good people out and sometimes you term bad people out. Philosophically, I would rather have the opportunity to vote a person in or out.

[This interview has been edited and condensed.]

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