UN4LA News - August 2022
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.
PROPOSED WILDLIFE ORDINANCE SPARKS DEBATE
With two of LA’s mountain lions having been killed by cars this year, and coyotes becoming an increasing presence in suburban neighborhoods, it’s clear that we’re seeing growing conflicts between humans and animals. Acting on a motion by Councilmember Paul Koretz, LA City Planning has been working on a Draft Wildlife Ordinance which would be implemented across the Santa Monica Mountains in order to limit impacts to wildlife and their habitats.
At a virtual hearing on July 13, speakers expressed strong opinions both for and against. The Ordinance is supported by a number of environmental groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, the California Native Plants Society and Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife, who argue that action is necessary to protect threatened species and to achieve the City’s goals with regard to climate change and resilience. Numerous speakers echoed those views at the hearing. There was also strong opposition from some residents of the affected area, who say that the Ordinance will hurt property values, and assert that aspects of the plan are not backed by science. Follow the link below to learn more.
A recording of the hearing is also available on-line.
Wildlife Ordinance Public Hearing
ANGER ERUPTS OVER ONGOING FAILURES AT L.A. ANIMAL SERVICES
While LA’s wild animals are struggling to survive as their habitat is erased, domestic animals aren’t faring much better. Outrage has erupted over ongoing problems at the shelters maintained by LA Animal Services. An LA Times article airing complaints by volunteers and a former staff member got the attention of LA City Councilmembers, and a special meeting of the Personnel, Audits, and Animal Welfare Committee was called.
Unfortunately, the only elected official who attended the July 19 meeting was Councilmember Paul Koretz, and some observers wonder what was actually accomplished. Koretz allowed 45 minutes of public testimony, but many speakers complained that the City was already aware of the problems and that nothing was being done. Some speakers said they had repeatedly reported unacceptable conditions to the Board of Animal Services, which took no action. Problems cited at the shelters included dogs being left in cages for weeks or months, cages not being cleaned, water bowls with algae, and ongoing staff shortages.
Here's the Times article that finally got the Council’s attention, and below is the link to the recording of the special committee meeting.
‘It’s Inhumane’: Dogs at LA Animal Shelters Go Weeks or Months without Being Walked
Personnel, Audits, and Animal Welfare Committee, July 19 Special Meeting
CANDIDATES VIE TO BE INGLEWOOD’S NEXT MAYOR
The race for mayor of Inglewood is on, and eight candidates have put their names forward. The office is currently held by Mayor James T. Butts, who is hoping to be elected for a fourth term. Butts has presided over a period of strong growth in Inglewood, highlighted by the construction of SoFi Stadium, but he has also been controversial, and critics have raised numerous questions about possible violations of the law during his term in office.
UN4LA reached out to all the candidates to learn their views on the issues. Only three had responded in time for this newsletter, but we’ll publish updates as we receive further responses.
Fredrisha Dixon sees corruption as one of the biggest problems facing Inglewood today. A recent law school graduate, legal advocate, and community organizer, Dixon also sees gentrification and housing insecurity as major challenges, along with lack of mental health and social services resources. If elected, she says she’ll work to address these problems, acting as an advocate for both residents and small businesses. She would also like to create term limits in Inglewood, which she believes would help rein in corruption.
Erick Holly is the past President/CEO of the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce and also Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development. He’s currently Fleet Manager for Motev, LLC, a sustainable energy Black Car Company. Holly states that Inglewood’s biggest challenge is the current deficit, which he believes must be acted on immediately. Beyond that, there are three other focal points he’d like to address: small and mid-sized businesses that have been left behind; making vocational school an option for those students who won’t be going to college; he also wants cadets to become police officers in Inglewood.
Angelique Johnson also believes that corruption is a major issue. Johnson is the CEO and Founder of Angelique On The Links, and also Executive Director of the Maggie Hathaway Foundation. She believes it’s crucial to bring transparency and accountability to Inglewood’s City Hall. To increase public engagement, she would go back to holding City Council meetings at 6:00 pm, instead of the current practice of having the meetings at 2:00 pm. Asked about her top priority for Inglewood, she says, “Reclaiming Our City!”
HOW TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN L.A.?
Everybody agrees that we need more affordable housing in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the funding streams that used to exist to build affordable units have gone away. Money from the Federal government has pretty much dried up, and while there’s a sizable chunk of money dedicated to housing in the State budget this year, it’s unlikely that Sacramento will be so generous in years to come.
So how do we create a reliable funding stream for affordable housing? A lot of folks have been asking this question, and a few different answers have been proposed. At the State level, Sen. Sydney Kamlager has come up with SB 679, which would create the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA), which would be authorized to raise new revenue through mechanisms like a parcel tax, a gross receipts business license tax, or the issuance of bonds. The bill stalled last year, but now it seems to be picking up momentum and supporters. However, business interests are opposed, saying that the agency would add new layers of bureaucracy and result in additional taxes that would make housing more expensive. It should be noted that LACAHSA would not replace or consolidate any existing housing agencies, but would be an addition to those that exist.
Meanwhile, other folks are proposing different solutions at the local level. In the City of LA, a broad coalition has gathered thousands of signatures to put a measure on the November ballot that would impose a tax on properties that sell for $5 million or more. Backers of the United to House LA initiative claim it could raise up to $800 million for housing annually. And in Santa Monica, Mayor Sue Himmelrich has been pushing to get a similar initiative on the ballot in that city. The Funding for Homelessness Prevention, Affordable Housing, and Schools Ballot Measure would establish a local property transfer tax, which would charge 5% on sales of properties worth $8 million or more. Backers claim it would raise $50 million annually, with the first $10 million going to schools and the remainder going to fund affordable housing and rental subsidies. Local business leaders have echoed the criticisms of SB 679, saying that these measures would create additional bureaucracy and new taxes.
SB-679 Los Angeles County: Affordable Housing
LA Homelessness Initiative Supporters Say They Have the Signatures to Qualify for Ballot
Santa Monica: Signatures Indicate Mayor’s Property Tax Measure Likely Headed to Ballot
CITY RELEASES E.I.R. FOR BOYLE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY PLAN
The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Boyle Heights Community Plan Update has been released. The City of LA is required by law to analyze the impacts of the Plan, and the DEIR deals with a range of issues, including air quality, water quality, public services and greenhouse gas emissions. Interested parties have until 5:00 pm on September 26, 2022, to review the document and submit comments. Below are links to the DEIR and to the web page for the Community Plan Update.
Boyle Heights Community Plan Update Draft EIR
Boyle Heights Community Plan Update Web Page
TELEVISION CITY 2050 E.I.R. RELEASED
Television City is an LA icon. Located at the corner of Beverly and Fairfax, this classic of mid-century modern architecture was designed by William Pereira, Charles Luckman and Gin Wong. In 2018 the City of LA designated the site a historic cultural monument. Now owner Hackman Capital Partners has proposed a plan which would allow for the continuation of existing uses, while permitting a maximum of 1,874,000 square feet of new development, including sound stages, production support, office space, and retail uses.
The LA Conservancy and others in the preservation community have raised concerns about the effects the proposed project could have on this important historic resource. The recently published Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) analyzes the project’s potential impacts. No doubt the document will be closely scrutinized by the preservation community to see if it adequately assesses impacts to the structure’s architectural integrity and its value as a historic resource. Comments on the DEIR must be submitted by 4:00 pm on Monday, August 29, 2022. You can view the document by following the link below.
WE COULD BE HOUSING HOMELESS PEOPLE AT THE HOTEL CECIL
There are many older hotels in Downtown LA that are currently used for low-income housing, but the Hotel Cecil is not one of them. For the past several years the building has been largely vacant, while thousands of people are living on the street. Councilmember Kevin de León recently made a motion which would direct City departments to report back on using the hotel as a temporary shelter, but it’s hard to say if it will go anywhere, since the City has been trying for years to create some kind of affordable housing at the Cecil with no success.
Kim Cooper, of Esotouric, has been digging into this mess, and recently came up with a post that asks the question….
What the Hell Is Happening at the Hotel Cecil?
GROUPS FILE SUIT OVER E.I.R. FOR L.A. RIVER MASTER PLAN
The debate over the future of the LA River took a new turn in July, as environmental groups filed suit against LA County for what they allege is a flawed analysis of the LA River Master Plan. LA Waterkeeper and the Center for Biological Diversity say that the Environmental Impact Report for the Master Plan provides few details about some of the projects described in the Plan, and fails to disclose impacts to disadvantaged communities located near the river. When the County approved the Master Plan in June, it was harshly criticized by a number of groups, with many saying they had been invited to participate in the process, only to have their input ignored.
Environmental Groups Allege LA River Master Plan Was Approved without Proper Review
