Bond Issue to Reinforce Buildings Kept Off Ballot
The Los Angeles City Council’s Redevelopment and Housing Committee Monday rejected placing an $80-million bond issue on the June ballot to fund reinforcement of 501 unreinforced masonry apartment buildings whose owners have not complied with the 1981 seismic safety ordinance.
The committee was considering a report from the Seismic Housing Task Force, which recommended new enforcement techniques along with the $80-million bond issue, with $70 million earmarked for earthquake safety and $10 million for homeless shelters.
Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, one of the plan’s harshest critics, said most landlords already have completed their repairs and the council would be “sending out the wrong message” to offer new low-interest rates to the recalcitrant owners. While enforcement of the nine-year-old law is stepped up, the task force will examine whether the bond measure should be placed on the November ballot.
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