By Alex Ventura
The Community Redevelopment of Los Angeles (CRA) has targeted sections of Atwater Village to declare blighted and make part of their new Northeast Los Angeles redevelopment zone. The Atwater Village Neighborhood Council has passed a motion to oppose the CRA. The motion states the position of the Neighborhood Council as opposed to the CRA in their community and to send a letter to their councilman, Eric Garcetti. The letter asks Councilman Eric Garcetti to use his position to direct the CRA to abide by the wishes of his constituency and remove Atwater Village from the CRA survey zone.
Eric Garcetti called a meeting with the Community of Atwater Village and at that meeting received letters from every community organization in Atwater Village. The Chamber of commerce of Atwater Village, FAV or Friends of Atwater Village, and AVRA the Atwater Village Residents Association, all oppose the CRA in Atwater Village and request the same from Eric Garcetti. At the meeting The Councilman suggested that the community keep an open mind and suggested that we rely on his experience with the CRA, as he believed the CRA “could” do good work in this community. Only one person at the meeting was directly for the CRA. A hand full of people wanted to see some plans but were very wary, most were opposed, as the CRA has a scandalous track record and furthermore is attempting to declare blighted one of the best and most up-and-coming communities in Los Angeles, with a low crime rate, healthy mixture if businesses, residences and wonderful schools.
As budget deficits and fiscal short falls rain supreme across the economic landscape and municipalities and governmental agencies big and small tighten their belts and cut off services for taxpayers across the county. One agency has the might and wherewithal to stay afloat and thrive. The Community Redevelopment Agency, The CRA of Los Angeles has the funds and resources to move mountains and government. For those who have never heard of this agency (and I’m betting its almost every one), let their words tell you who they are:
“The CRA/LA was established by the Los Angeles City Council (City Council) in 1948 for the purpose of eliminating blight and promoting economic revitalization within designated project areas of the City of Los Angeles (City). As a quasi-governmental entity established pursuant to the Community Redevelopment Law of California as codified in the State of California Health and Safety Code, CRA/LA has no legislative authority. A Board of commissioners (CRA/LA Board) appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council oversees CRA/LA. Under the “Oversight Ordinance” adopted in 1991, nearly every action of CRA/LA is subject to City Council review and/or approval.”
The CRA is Los Angeles’s main economic development agency. It answers to no one except The City Council. This agency has 32 economic development areas that span the city. It generates revenue for itself by selling bond debt to the tune of some 2 billion dollars to date. This bond dept is typically called revenue in their parlance but in reality it is debt. Dept that no voter has voted for and very few except the City council The CRA and Wall street are aware of. The CRA continuously and aggressively expands it project areas because the debt it sells is backed by the tax increment revenue that is derived from the redevelopment Zones it operates in. This tax revenue does not go to the city to pay for Police or fire dept or filling pot holes, this revenue does got to developers who work with the CRA and get land deals that boggle the mind and defy logic. This tax revenue goes to service the bond debt and generous salaries of the employees of the CRA The top paid being those appointed by the Mayor and of the 300 people the CRA employs the top 88 have salaries over $100,000. This tax revenue takes 100’s of million of tax dollars a year out of the coffers of city government and puts it into the hands of the CRA an organization with a terrible record of misuse, and abuse.
In The Community Redevelopment Agency/ Los Angeles newest targeted blight zone; The 100 year old neighborhood of Atwater Village has asked its City Councilman to remove it from the zone that the CRA is intending to declare blighted and develop. A meeting was held with the city councilman and community organizations and concerned stake holders. Where a bold and affirmative response was expected by Councilman Eric Garcetii at bests what was received was an impotent call to reset the dialogue in our community and a call to go back to square one on the issue. Eric Garcetti seems to think that more outreach is needed before he takes action. Despite the letters of opposition that represent the whole community, 3 public community meetings that were held, 500 flyers and 3000 newsletters that were distributed, Online forums and blogs that were and are engaged on the issue and articles that have been written in local new papers. And Garcetti feels that this is not enough.
Councilmember Eric Garcetti should do what his constituency asks him to do. Or perhaps he can’t. The CRA of Los Angeles may just have more pull in this city than any one community.
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Alex Ventura is a North Atwater Village homeowner, resident and an active community volunteer. He currently serves as on the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council (AVNC) Board and is Chair of the AVNC Land Use Committee. Click here for complete bio.
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