SAN FERNANDO VALLEY : Group Cites Problems Shared With Riot Area
Fearing that the San Fernando Valley may be ignored in the post-riot Rebuild L.A. effort, leaders of a group of community-based organizations have joined to make sure the area’s social and structural problems are not overlooked.
Organizers of the movement say they recognize that most of the damage during the rioting occurred in South Los Angeles. But they said the northeast Valley has similar problems of poverty and disaffection that contributed to the rioting.
“My feeling is, all the elements that existed downtown exist here, but a lot of people out here acted affirmatively to prevent destruction,” said Corinne Sanchez, director of El Proyecto del Barrio, a private nonprofit health care and job training agency in Arleta.
She said that just because there was no serious damage here does not mean the valley doesn’t have the same needs as South Los Angeles.
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