Skid Row Housing
The article, “City’s Commitment to Skid Row Housing Falters” (Metro, July 21), implies that the action taken by the Community Redevelopment Agency to encourage an evaluation of the agency’s policy in the Central City East area is an indication that the agency is retreating from its 10-year commitment to provide affordable housing in Skid Row. This is not the case and I would like to set the record straight.
The study panel from the nationally respected Urban Land Institute is being sponsored by the mayor’s office, the CRA and the Select Committee for Housing and Social Services for Skid Row Residents to address a multitude of issues facing the preservation of housing in the diverse Central City East. The conclusions this panel will draw will serve as guidelines for a more effective and appropriate public policy. In other words, the panel is there to help us do a better job.
In reality, the results of the agency’s commitment to making Skid Row a more livable community is the “clearest indication yet” of the agency’s board of commissioners intent. Since 1981, the agency has spent or committed close to $40 million to rehabilitate single-room occupancy units, provide shelter beds, and to assist in the operation of shelter facilities in the Skid Row area. This alone has provided 2,815 beds or dwellings for Skid Row residents.
Moreover, the activities are continuing. Just last month, the board approved a $5.5-million seismic safety loan program to bring privately owned residential hotels and apartment buildings up to earthquake safety standards and a $6.5-million rehabilitation loan program to the Single Room Occupancy Housing Corporation to rehabilitate 684 units of housing under its control.
The budget for the current fiscal year earmarks an additional $4 million for other housing rehabilitation and shelter assistance activities in Central City East. In addition, we are aggressively marketing the seismic safety loan program to encourage property owners to join in our efforts to save close to 2,000 units.
The results of the study conducted by the ULI panel may very well indicate that adjustments may be necessary to our program in Central City East. Remember, the policies and strategies for this neighborhood were formulated as early as 1976 and they have not evolved to reflect the explosive changes that have occurred. Homelessness was not a national crisis in 1976. Drug dealing was not rampant on city streets. There was no Seismic Safety Ordinance to fuel today’s housing crunch.
Ultimately, the mayor and the City Council will make the decisions on how to adapt our policies to address these issues. The Skid Row community is a volatile and complex neighborhood in which there are various and competing interests. Following Mayor Tom Bradley’s lead, the agency board of commissioners remains committed to making it a safer, more livable community. And that means we will continue to provide decent housing while considering the needs of all who live and work there.
JIM WOOD
Chairman
Los Angeles CRA
