Red Tape Nightmare

I howled with envy at the Nov. 21 My House/My Life article, (“On Top of the World” by Judith Dancoff). I also have been working with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Revitalization Program--for over seven years. I still don’t even have plans!

First, the city and the architect (the one they sent me) didn’t jive and there was a lot of mutual finger pointing. Then my project got reassigned and I met with a new architect.

Then the city’s method of paying engineers and architects had apparently made enough trouble that both a soils engineer and the new architect wanted documented assurance of payment before they would proceed. That was at least 18 months ago. I’ve made at least 70 phone calls in this time to “nag” in as friendly a way as possible.

Staples Center went up in 18 months. Dancoff’s project happened in a reasonable amount of time. I’m guessing that because my project involves the complexity of foundation work, there’s a lot of avoidance going on.

Like Dancoff, I also will be putting in a big amount of my own funds (money I don’t really have), and I still can’t make any headway! I grant that foundation work is more complicated. But seven years?

I feel protective of the people in my Neighborhood Revitalization Program office. I think they’ve done their best. I don’t know where the real problem is.

Dancoff’s story is the “sublime;” mine is the “ridiculous.” But I still make my three to five phone calls a week in the hopes that something will happen.

KATHY DOWNING

Highland Park