 A monthly newsletter published by United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles. UN4LA's mission is to bring communities together to plan for a sustainable future. Growth must be shaped by community engagement, not developer dollars. Contact UN4LA CORONAVIRUS IMPACTS L.A. As the pandemic deepens across the globe, and cities across the US are taking measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, Angelenos are dealing with a new reality. In the City of LA, Mayor Garcetti has ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses, but this raises the question of what is essential. In this article, Curbed asks if construction work is essential, and looks at responses from developers, unions, and government agencies across the country. How Essential Is Construction During the Coronavirus Pandemic? As LA businesses close down, workers have been laid off or let go, putting thousands of renters in a tight spot. The LA Times reports on actions taken by Mayor Garcetti to temporarily stop evictions and freeze rents. Tenants Get Help as LA Freezes Rent Hikes for Thousands of Apartments over Coronavirus Legacy businesses are those restaurants, shops and service providers that have a long-standing presence in our communities. The LA Conservancy has suggestions for ways you can support your favorite local business during this difficult time. Support Legacy Businesses CORRUPTION PROSECUTIONS IN L.A. While the pandemic has been dominating the headlines, there have been important new developments in the Department of Justice's investigation into corruption in the City of LA. Earlier this month former LA City Councilmember Mitch Englander was charged with obstructing an investigation into illegal activities. Late last week he agreed to plead guilty to one count of falsifying facts. Ex-Los Angeles City Councilman Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Charge Also this month, real estate appraiser Justin Kim agreed to plead guilty to delivering hundreds of thousands of dollars to an LA City Councilmember in exchange for help with moving a project forward. Fundraiser to Plead Guilty to Delivering Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to Bribe Member of Los Angeles City Council GET OUT OF THE HOUSE: TAKE A (VIRTUAL) TOUR OF L.A. No doubt many Angelenos are tired of being cooped up in their homes. Even if it isn't safe to go roaming around the city right now, you can still take of virtual tour of LA County. The LA Conservancy will show you some of LA's most famous landmarks, along with many others you've never even heard of. Explore Los Angeles County
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 A monthly newsletter published by United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles. UN4LA's mission is to bring communities together to plan for a sustainable future. Growth must be shaped by community engagement, not developer dollars. Contact UN4LA CITY OF L.A. CONSIDERS EMINENT DOMAIN TO PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING Councilmember Gil Cedillo has proposed a radical way to keep rental costs down: Invoke eminent domain. Cedillo's proposal is intended to help the low-income households of Chinatown's Hillside Villa Apartments, now that their affordability covenants have expired and they're faced with massive rent increases. Predictably, the plan has been embraced by tenant advocacy groups and condemned by property owners. This story from the Downtown News offers more details. Cedillo Proposes Acquiring Chinatown's Hillside Villa COMMENT PERIOD FOR SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM E.I.R. EXTENDED In response to requests from a number of groups, the City of LA has extended the period for public comment on the Sidewalk Repair Program Draft Environmental Impact Report (SRP DEIR) to April 24, 2020. The SRP is expected to remove more than 12,000 street trees over 30 years. While the City claims that the Program's negative impacts can be mitigated to a level where they're not significant, a number of tree advocates disagree. If you'd like to offer your comments on DEIR, click on the link below. Sidewalk Repair Program Draft Environmental Impact Report GROUPS APPEAL APPROVAL OF OAK SAVANNA PROJECT The controversial Oak Savanna project has been the subject of a bitter struggle for more than a decade. Harridge Development proposes the construction of 19 single-family homes up to 36 feet in height along a scenic stretch of Mulholland Drive that currently contains oak woodlands. Each home would include a two-car garage, and the site would also have 38 covered parking spaces for residents. The City’s recent approval of the project drew a number of appeals from both individuals and groups, including the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Appellants are concerned about a range of issues, including loss of protected trees and loss of habitat. It’s also important to mention that the project site is designated by the City of LA as a very high fire severity zone. The South Valley Area Planning Commission will be hearing appeals later this month. Details below. South Valley Area Planning Commission March 12, 2020, After 4:30 pm Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center 6262 Van Nuys Blvd., 1st Floor Conference Room Van Nuys, CA 91401 March 12, 2020 Hearing Notice If you can’t attend but would like to comment on the project, Comments can be sent to Jivar Afshar, Planning Assistant Be sure to include the case number in the subject line. Case No. ZA-2007-1255-ZAD-1A and VTT-67505-1A WHEN IS METRO GOING TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER? Construction of Metro's Crenshaw Light Rail Line was supposed to have been completed last year. Then Metro said it would open in Spring of this year. Now they've pushed the completion date back again, saying that work will be finished in Summer/Fall 2020. If it was just this one project, the agency could be forgiven, but extended delays have become the norm for Metro. The Regional Connector in Downtown was originally supposed to open this year, then it was 2021, and now Metro is projecting completion in 2022. And in spite of last year's extended delays in finishing upgrades on the A Line (formerly the Blue Line), problems started occurring within days after the reopening. On February 22 one of the cars actually went off the tracks. Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars because they were told they would get a better transit system. And this is what we end up with? Crenshaw Line Opening Could be Delayed L.A. Metro’s Downtown Subway Project May Not Open Until Mid-2022 A-Line Train Derails in Downtown Long Beach A WOMAN'S PLACE: UNION STATION AND CHINATOWN This month the Los Angeles Conservancy is offering walking tours that explore the linked histories of Union Station and Chinatown, while also highlighting the role women played in shaping those histories. The tours take place on Thursday nights at 6:00 pm. Click on the link for details. A Woman's Place: Union Station and Chinatown |
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