The 51-mile LA River area in Los Angeles is slated for a makeover, with approved plans for the southern portion promising new parks, bridges, and greenery. As is the case in many revitalization efforts, community advocates and city officials are concerned that long-term residents will be displaced as a result of the new investments. Los Angeles Supervisors Hilda Solis (D) and Janice Hahn (D) last week introduced a motion approved by the Board of Supervisors that will would dedicate $41 million in state funds with a high priority for the development of affordable homes to allow residents to remain in their preferred neighborhoods through expanded subsidized housing options.
Recent studies show that 64% of households living near the lower LA River are considered low-income, 93% identify as non-white, and more than 2,000 homeless people live along the river. The lower LA River is only a 19-mile segment of the waterway, and a full revitalization for the rest of the area along the river and nearby neighborhoods is planned for 2020.
For more information, contact Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing Policy Director Frank Martinez at: [email protected]