SECTION FOUR: Land for Public Use and Housing
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There is a real shortage of available land for use as community centers, parks, sites for farmers' markets, and for "sweat equity" and other types of affordable housing. The following actions and recommendations of the Senate Task Force speak to this need. These proposals again focus on empowering the community the individual residents and their local organizations. Recommendation/ Action #12
State and local governments are major land owners. In many instances, the property they own may no longer be needed or may not be appropriate for the use for which it was originally acquired. Unfortunately, e3dsting laws governing the identification and disposal of surplus public property do not encourage alternate uses for public lands. For example, state agencies are reluctant to report property as surplus, and the disposal process for lands that are identified is very time-consuming and cumbersome. As an initial step, the Senate Special Task Force has asked General Services to report immediately on the current status of publicly-owned property within the affected area, including land owned by federal and local agencies. To address the longer-term issues, there are a number of legislative options. Last session, one of the Task Force members (Senator Thompson) was carrying legislation in his capacity as Chairman of the Senate Housing Committee, SB 1653, which would require state agencies to proactively identify surplus property that could be used for needed housing in high-cost areas such as Los Angeles. The Senate Task Force supports such legislation and will introduce provisions requiring the Department of General Services to conduct a pilot project in South Central Los Angeles to inventory all properties that comes into public ownership - whether state, local or federal - through surplus, tax foreclosure, or major building code violations. Additional legislation would be required to modify the current surplus property disposition procedure to authorize the transfer of identified surplus property to, for instance, a local community development corporation. The Senate Task Force win be initiating a review of this process, and we urge the city and county of Los Angeles to begin a similar review. Recommendation/ Action #13
A proven means to garner widespread public acceptance and support for community development is to directly involve the affected community in the planning and implementation of the rebuilding process. Many communities have established a nonprofit community development corporation (CDC), with board members drawn from residents and business leaders in the community, staffed by professionals with expertise in planning, financing, development, and community participation and outreach. Representatives of the Senate Task Force are engaged in discussions with local community representatives to determine whether an existing organization in the riot-tom area would be suitable for an expanded role, operating as a nonprofit CDC with a broader role than that envisioned by the Los Angeles Community Reinvestment Committee (described above). If the Task Force cannot identify such an appropriate existing body, members will work with local elected officials to create a New Los Angeles Community Development Corporation. Sources of financing for the corporation could include:
The corporation could also be authorized to function as an infrastructure financing district, with a portion of the tax increment generated in the project area going to the corporation to finance development. The nonprofit development corporation could be empowered to undertake community development activities, such as the following: Limited-eguity housing cooperatives, co-housing, and mixed-use housing/commercial developments. On larger infill sites (such as burned-out mini-malls) or publicly-owned sites, the corporation could develop tenant-managed ownership housing. Limited-equity co-ops provide ownership, help cross-subsidize low-income tenants, and limit the increase in equity to keep the housing affordable. Co-housing provides individual units with a small kitchen, with a community workspace for joint meals, laundry, child care, etc. Shared facilities reduces the overall development cost. These projects could include small shops along the ground floor street frontage for small business owners who live in the complex, increasing the number of employers who live in the community. As a more traditional alternative, one-story mini-malls and shopping centers could be redeveloped as two- or three-story mixed-use projects, with shops and community facilities on the ground floor, and rental housing and owned units above. This could be done in partnership with a nonproflt housing corporation. The modestly higher density would increase the overall value of the project, attracting investment, and the new housing would provide greater security for the shopping areas from residents. Pocket parks, community gardens and farmers market. As an interim use for vacant lots, the corporation could develop low-cost pocket parks or community gardens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced, that it will make available up to $2.75 million in matching grants for urban garden projects. Peter Ueberroth's Rebuild L.A. may provide some of the local match. A local CDC might also help to provide matching funds. Gardens may be especially welcome in communities with high immigrant populations, since many have a background in rural farming. The parks and gardens have several benefits: (1) they increase community pride and sense of place; (2) they provide recreation opportunities, open space; (3) they provide lowcost food; and (4) they become a positive focus for community organizing. Pocket parks and community gardens could be developed as a partnership between government (conservation corps and similar types of workers), business (small grants, inkind materials), labor (to operate large equipment, help oversee construction of play equipment, etc.), civic associations (garden clubs, etc.), local schools and the local community. Youth could especially be targeted to help put the parks and gardens together. Funding could come from local park funds, state park bond money, and private donations. A centrally-located park or community center could be used for a weekly farmers market. This could bring in fresh produce from surrounding areas, at lower cost than supermarkets, and also provide a low-cost venue for local produce from community gardens and a place to sell handicrafts, etc. The California Department of Agriculture has a program to certify and help establish farmers markets. If successful, the market could possibly evolve into a discount food buyers co-op, with bulk foods bought at wholesale by members of the co-op. Recommendation/ Action #14
The planning profession has come to recognize that rigid zoning and building codes can often impede the development of functionally integrated communities. Traditional planning. by separating commercial and residential uses, restricting density, and otherwise constraining development, can have adverse and unintended affects. For example, rigid separation of housing, shopping, and employment fosters dependence on the automobile. Density restrictions can create wasteful land use patterns and reduce the potential ridership for transit. Nick Patsaouras, a member of the L.A. County Transit Commission, emphasized these and related points at the Task Force hearing on June 19th. Commissioner Patsaouras mourned the loss of pedestrian-oriented environments in our cities and the barriers to human interaction we have created. The Senate Special Task Force encourages local officials to consider revising their zoning codes to encourage mixed-use housing and commercial developments, and to put greater effort into rejecting city architecture and building codes that reduce human interaction. The Task Force urges the governor to direct the Office of Planning and Research and/or the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide technical assistance to local agencies in reviewing and amending their codes. |
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New Inititatives for a New Los Angeles