UN4LA News - January 2023
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.
AS COLORADO RIVER CONTINUES DECLINE, FEDS MAY LIMIT WATER TO CALIFORNIA
Water deliveries from the Colorado River to California, Arizona and Nevada could be curtailed as early as 2023 due to falling levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead. If the three states can't negotiate significant cuts in consumption by January 31, the Federal government has warned that that it will intervene to set regional allocations. Levels at Powell and Mead have fallen to only 25% of capacity, and the Feds have made clear that further declines could result in the cessation of deliveries from the Colorado River.
Earlier this year the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) imposed mandatory reductions in water use due to severe cuts in deliveries from the State Water Project (SWP). Since LA relies heavily on water from both the Colorado River and the SWP, this double crisis could result in significant impacts to the area's water supply.
Federal Officials Say Urgent Action Needed to Protect Shrinking Colorado River Reservoirs
Drought 2022: SoCal is in a Drought Emergency from MWD
MAYOR KAREN BASS TACKLES HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING
Following through on her campaign promises, newly-elected Mayor Karen Bass issued her first Executive Directive with the goal of fast-tracking approvals for affordable housing and shelters. LA City departments are instructed to complete reviews for these projects within 60 days, and also to waive review for projects that don't require zone changes.
One key factor that the directive from Bass doesn't (and can't) address is funding for affordable housing, but the Mayor may be getting some help in this area. Earlier this year the State Legislature approved SB 679, which creates the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA). The Agency's purpose is to increase funding for affordable housing, assist renters and protect existing affordable housing.
Also, in November LA City voters approved Measure ULA which will enact a 4% tax on properties sold for more than $5 million. The revenue will be used to fund affordable housing and tenant assistance programs. However, Measure ULA is facing pushback from groups opposed to the new tax. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles have filed a lawsuit, claiming that the measure violates the California Constitution and the LA City Charter.
Mayor Bass Signs Executive Directive to Accelerate Approvals of Affordable and Temporary Housing
Proposition ULA, Tax on $5 Million House Sales Initiative
SB 679: Los Angeles County, Affordable Housing
Taxpayers and Apartment Owners File Legal Challenge to Measure ULA
WHO IS THE INGLEWOOD TRANSIT CONNECTOR REALLY FOR?
Inglewood has been booming in recent years with the construction of a number of sports and entertainment venues. And traffic has been booming, too, with residents complaining that congestion has become a frequent problem. To address this issue, Mayor James Butts has proposed the Inglewood Transit Connector ITC, a 1.6-mile, three station, elevated Automated Transit System. Estimates put the cost of the project at over $1 billion, and a major portion of that will be public money.
Since a lot of public money will be spent on the ITC, it seems fair to ask who will actually be benefitting from the project. Outside of the few Metro lines that serve the city, Inglewood currently does not appear to have any regularly scheduled public transit. While similarly-sized cities such as Burbank, Compton and Torrance all maintain local bus systems to serve their residents, a look at Inglewood's transportation web page lists only para-transit vans, with numbers to call for taxi coupons and discounts on Metro bus passes.
No doubt some Inglewood residents would use the ITC, but it's clear that the line is being built to bring visitors the city's current and planned sports/entertainment venues. Its stations are aligned with the Forum, SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and the Intuit Dome (currently under construction). It seems odd for a city that provides no regular transit service to its citizens to seek over a billion dollars in public money to bring visitors to privately owned sports/entertainment sites.
At this point Inglewood hasn't even raised half of the money that's needed for the ITC, but that hasn't stopped the city leadership from moving forward. In November the City Council approved $35 million in contracts for the project, and in December the Council considered policies for the appraisal and acquisition of parcels needed to complete it. The LA Wave has more details.
Inglewood Still Seeking Funds for Transit Connector Project
CITY OF L.A. MANDATES NEW HOUSING BE ALL-ELECTRIC
With the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the LA City Council voted on December 7 to require that newly constructed buildings be all-electric. The requirement will apply to projects approved after April 1, 2023, although affordable housing projects get a slightly longer window, extending to June 1, 2023. There are some exceptions. LAist provides the breakdown.
LA Will Require All New Buildings To Be Electric-Only. But Are We Ready?
