L.A. Community Redevelopment: ‘Powerful, Unexamined Agency’

Without the process called “tax-increment financing,” none of the very fine buildings we can be proud of would exist.

Would our friends who are so critical of the CRA be content to sit idly by and watch our downtown deteriorate? Lifting the cap is vital if we are to accomplish any of the social services mentioned in the column.

I believe it is commendable that Mayor Bradley proposes half of the money for low- and moderate-income housing and after-school day-care programs. Can’t we realize that if the cap isn’t lifted, none of this will occur? With the issue of “housing the homeless,” I am pleased to announce that we, the Skid Row Development Corp., were doing it before it became fashionable. We see 130 homeless people at Transition House every day being socialized with many success stories.

The CRA is a key participant. Another 138 men and women are given beds in the Temporary Emergency Shelter, funded entirely by the CRA. The agency financed 17 beautiful units of low-income housing for SRDC. Agency funds have been used in over 100,000 square feet of attractive commercial/light industrial space to generate income to help finance T-House. During the past five years, over 1,100 job placements have been made to “graduates” of Transition House.

I genuinely agree with CRA critics and Councilman Ernani Bernardi that more needs to be done. We at the Skid Row Development Corp. are just beginning to scratch the surface. Our long-range plans at SRDC include a board-and-care facility for those so emotionally disturbed that they cannot live in independent living situations. We are prepared to do more transitional housing because it works and we would like to see additional permanent low-income housing. Our plans also include another commercial/light industrial center like the Renaissance Building to generate income to assist with the more noble things we do.

It is important to note that we desperately need the CRA’s traditional resources in order to accomplish this.

MARTHA BROWN HICKS

President

Skid Row Development Corp.

Los Angeles