A Maker or Breaker of Community?

A section of eastern Van Nuys was recently renamed Valley Glen, ending a years-long debate on a matter that has been called both unifying and divisive.

City Councilman Mike Feuer granted the change--an informal designation marked mainly by blue signs--to recognize the efforts of residents to improve their neighborhood north and west of Valley College. But some longtime Van Nuys residents criticized the name-change movement, saying residents should pull together to improve the quality of life throughout the community.

KARIMA A. HAYNES asked two community leaders whether renaming neighborhoods promotes unity or causes division.

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PEER GHENT, President, Valley Glen Neighborhood Assn.

By itself, the renaming of a community promotes neither unity nor divisiveness. Community unity requires the time and energy of its members to identify issues of common concern and then to work together to address these issues. Over time, the community learns it can make a difference. As this message reaches its members, unity is achieved.

Our efforts for community improvement in Valley Glen began over six years ago with the establishment of a Neighborhood Watch program. The Neighborhood Watch network of block captains tackled crime and safety issues and provided a forum for communication on broader community issues. Recognizing that many community issues were outside of the scope of Neighborhood Watch, we decided to form a separate neighborhood association to address them. Significantly, we are not a homeowners or residents association. We are seeking to bring together all constituents of our neighborhood--homeowners, renters, businesses, educational institutions, police and municipal government.

As we achieved some success and realized we had created something special, we decided to seek formal recognition of our community through a formal name change. Interestingly, the process of gaining a consensus became a unifying force. We met more of our neighbors, learned their concerns and became stronger in our collective resolve to take more responsibility for our destiny.

We have carved out a manageable area that we can get our arms around and make a real impact on improved quality of life. . . . We hope to be an example for the surrounding neighborhoods of Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Valley Village and Sherman Oaks and have pledged to work with them in any way we can to improve the quality of life throughout the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.

Nothing we have done in seeking a name change was intended to be divisive. We have not abandoned Van Nuys and the other surrounding communities. Our belief is that by making our community stronger, we are better neighbors and we are contributing to the improvement of the entire area.

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DON SCHULTZ, President, Van Nuys Homeowners Assn.

Tearing away from Van Nuys does nothing for unity. Most of us in the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn. and the local Chamber of Commerce are trying hard to spruce up the [community’s] image. It’s awful to see the City Council feeding into the name-change frenzy, letting anyone who cleans up a neighborhood [apply for it to] become its own community. Instead of tearing away, everyone should work together to make the whole community better.

As an association, we get involved in quality-of-life issues. We testify before county and city boards. We testify at liquor license hearings against the granting of licenses for small markets and new bars. We think we have enough already. We are fighting for quality of life in Van Nuys as a whole.

The association and the chamber support the city’s Business Improvement District initiative that is being implemented throughout the city. The program provides money to clean up blighted areas.

We must work together to clean up the community so we can be proud of it. Find out what you can do to make your community better. This is why the homeowners and chamber don’t target one neighborhood. Our neighborhood is Van Nuys.

You have got to spread out and make the whole community better; then there won’t be any reason to turn away. It gives Van Nuys a worse name when one section wants to change its name to be a little more prestigious. Nothing really has changed except their perception.