Program Targets 3 New Valley Areas for Revival

At a news conference Wednesday in front of a newly completed mural on El Dorado Avenue, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan announced the addition of three San Fernando Valley areas to the city’s Targeted Neighborhood Initiative program.

Pacoima/Lake View Terrace, Van Nuys and Valley Glen will receive $3 million each over four years to spend on improvements proposed by residents.

When the city started the Targeted Neighborhood Initiative program in 1997, four of the 12 neighborhoods awarded grants were in the Valley--in Van Nuys, Canoga Park, North Hollywood and Pacoima.

This week Riordan announced the addition of 14 neighborhoods to the program beginning next year.

The money, which comes from federal block grant funds, may be used for such improvements as street lighting, street beautification, public works projects and home ownership programs, said Claire Bartels, program director.

Wednesday’s news conference was held on El Dorado Avenue, a road that for 80 years was dirt, but was paved with money from a 1997 Targeted Neighborhood Initiative grant.

“I want this to be a city where every community is empowered with the proper resources to make where they live beautiful,” Riordan said to a crowd of about 60 that included community leaders, city officials and students from nearby Telfair Avenue Elementary School.

The crowd gathered in front of a colorful, 66-foot wide by 5 1/2-foot tall mural painted by artist Dolores Guerrero-Torres with the help of local residents and Telfair students.

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The mural, titled “Pacoima Pride,” depicts the area’s history and features Hansen Dam, the Chumash who used to live in the area, American and Mexican flags and Pacoima’s first woman postmaster.

Riordan said it was symbolic of the community’s hard work over the years to improve the area.

The Pacoima/Lake View Terrace target area is near the Pacoima neighborhood designated in 1997 along Van Nuys Boulevard in the program’s first round.

Work on that phase is due to be completed by March. It includes paving streets and sidewalks, planting trees and installing bus shelters and other amenities.

The new target area, a stretch along Osborne Street between the Golden State Freeway and Foothill Boulevard, has a mix of small commercial strips and older residential neighborhoods.

The second focus area in Van Nuys will be bordered by Sherman Way, Woodman Avenue, Vanowen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard.

The Valley Glen area is immediately adjacent, bordered by Victory Boulevard, Woodman Avenue, Raymer Street and Coldwater Canyon Avenue.

Meetings will be organized next year so residents can make suggestions for neighborhood improvements.

“This program has helped us revive our community,” said activist Isaac Arias, a 49-year resident of Pacoima who attended Wednesday’s event. “We’ve taken care of trash, graffiti, and we’ve paved streets. It’s making people proud to live here.”

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Improvement Areas

Targeted Neighborhood Initiative sites:

Source: City of Los Angeles