Bradley Proposes Housing Department

Mayor Tom Bradley on Wednesday proposed creating a housing department that will be charged with tackling the “acute need” for affordable housing in Los Angeles.

He said the department, to be overseen by a seven-member commission, “will give strong direction to the development of a citywide housing policy targeted to those most in need,” low-income families who typically make less than $20,000 a year.

The announcement won immediate support from housing experts and many City Council members. Council President John Ferraro and members Gloria Molina, Michael Woo and Robert Farrell predicted that the plan would be approved.

“We are going to wash out all the old problems that have kept us from addressing the housing crisis,” said Molina, noting that Los Angeles is years behind other big cities in adopting affordable housing programs. Woo called the plan “a breath of fresh air.”