Rebuild L.A. Achievements

For some time, The Times has tried to denigrate the achievements of Rebuild L.A. As RLA continues its efforts to attract private investment to Los Angeles’ low-income communities, The Times has taken every opportunity to feature naysayers who have not offered any constructive programs to help the rebuilding process. RLA’s mission is straightforward: bringing business opportunities into economically depressed areas. RLA’s efforts can be complemented by other programs with different objectives. Our challenge is to get the professional critics off the sidelines and involved with RLA or one of the other programs.

I was especially taken aback by your editorial “L.A. One Year Ago Today: City’s Future, or Its Past?” (April 29). The editorial seemed skeptical of RLA’s claim of $500 million in new investment and the creation of several thousand jobs in Los Angeles last year. As an RLA board member and as someone who has negotiated many of these new business ventures, I can assure you that RLA’s claims are neither imaginary nor fictitious.

I cannot understand how The Times presents every negative accusation, but fails to mention such projects as Toyota Motor Co.’s partnership with the Urban League to open a $3-million Los Angeles Urban League Automotive Training Center. The center will train approximately 100 students a year in automotive technology. The Times prominently featured a report conducted by RLA Urban Planning Task Force Chair Dan Garcia. Yet the Garcia report was based on only scattered information and completely ignored the most comprehensive evidence available: Of the 1,120 sites that suffered damage in the civil unrest, 549 buildings have been completely rebuilt and 104 buildings are currently under construction.

Examples of other RLA-generated commitments that The Times has neglected to adequately cover include:

* An announcement by Chief Auto Parts, which will be opening 15 new stores in the Los Angeles inner city during the next four years. This is in addition to the 28 stores Chief rebuilt, repaired and resupplied following last year’s unrest.

* Chevron underwrote a new 19,000-square-foot training facility in South-Central Los Angeles, managed by Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America.

* American Savings Bank set aside $1 million for repair and reconstruction of buildings and residences damaged in the unrest.

* Nissan established an endowment to create employment opportunities and economic development in South-Central L.A.

The editorial also said that the RLA team needed direction from an “activist” mayor. Who do you think created Rebuild L.A.? Who appointed Peter Ueberroth to head this organization? I have been involved in practically every RLA project and announcement. How much more active would you like me to be?

I created RLA to attract private investment into riot-scarred communities. One year after the disturbances, we can point to $500 million in investments and more than 5,000 jobs created in South-Central and other inner-city communities. Compared to other cities which have suffered cataclysmic devastation from a social upheaval, Los Angeles has made remarkable strides.

I will continue to defend the integrity of RLA, especially when you discount its valuable contributions. Unless The Times recognizes the importance of RLA’s efforts, you do a disservice to this community, and to the thousands of volunteers and positive contributions by local, national and international corporations which play active roles in our rebuilding efforts.

MAYOR TOM BRADLEY

Los Angeles