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CCA to Testify at City Planning Commission Hearing on Condo Conversion Issues
On December 14th, CCA will testify at the City Planning Commission regarding a Planning Department report that recommends the Commission approve five proposed ordinances related to condominium conversions and tenant relocation assistance. This report is in response to an August 2006 motion adopted in Council, directing the Housing Department, the Department of City Planning and the City Attorney to consider a number of policies to alleviate the impacts of conversions on tenants.
The five proposed ordinances include creating an annual citywide cap on condominium conversions; increasing relocation payment amounts; requiring payment of relocation assistance to tenants who voluntarily leave a unit proposed for conversion; and increasing the rental housing production fee on conversions from $500 per unit to $1492 per unit. CCA is very concerned that the collective consequence of these and other recent City measures will exacerbate the affordable housing problem in Los Angeles and dissuade critical investment in the City.
CCA Members Meet to Respond to City's Downtown Industrial Land Study
CCA has taken a lead in crafting the business community's response to the Planning/CRA recommendations for Downtown's industrially-zoned land, which the City unveiled in November. The onerous recommendations call for preserving the majority of Downtown's industrially-zoned land for industrial use only and require affordable housing or other public benefits for developments that are permitted to proceed. CCA has been actively voicing the business community's concerns and has formed a subcommittee of CCA's land use and development experts to form an action plan.
The Subcommittee on Industrial Land, chaired by
Kate Bartolo
of the
KOR Group
, will request that
Councilmember Jan Perry
introduce a motion to address the business community's concerns and will revise CCA's white paper on industrial policy. In addition, CCA is hiring a consultant to study the job and other economic impacts of the City's recommendations.
CCA's President & CEO
Carol Schatz
will meet with representatives from VICA, the L.A. Chamber, and LAEDC next week to continue moving towards a unified citywide strategy.
CCA's Arts & Education Committee Discusses Plans for the Broadway Theater District
CCA's Arts & Education Committee discussed two recently introduce motions by
Councilmember Jose Huizar
relating to revitalization plans for the historic Downtown Broadway Theater District. Of major concern is the lack of convenient parking and inviting streetscape in the Theater District. Aided by discussions with CCA member
Michael Delijani
of
Delson Investments Company
, which owns several theaters along Broadway, Councilmember Huizar crafted two motions to facilitate the use of the Pershing Square Parking facility, just a block west of Broadway, to meet the estimated needs of Broadway theaters and the existing retail.
The Committee discussed expanding the motions to address not only Broadway, but the entire area surrounding Pershing Square. They also discussed the viability of creating a theater district in light of competing entertainment venues, such as L.A. Live's Nokia Theater, that will soon open in Downtown. The Committee will continue this discussion in January.
In addition, CCA's Arts & Education Committee will host a "cultural affairs roundtable" in the coming months. The roundtable will provide a forum for leaders of Downtown's cultural institutions to meet and coordinate programs. CCA hopes to create synergy between the different cultural districts in Downtown.
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• CCA's Executive Committee met yesterday at the offices of Herman Miller in Downtown. CCA thanks Jeff Bullied of Herman Miller for graciously hosting this meeting. • CRA's Policy Review Committee met yesterday to establish an agenda for the next six months. The Committee will look at such issues as: project labor agreements, mandated local hiring, housing policies, green urbanism, and community benefit requirements. CCA will be closely monitoring this committee, a subset of the CRA Board that makes recommendations directly to the Board. • CCA's President & CEO Carol Schatz will meet next week with LADOT General Manager, Gloria Jeff. At this meeting, Ms. Schatz will discuss CCA's transportation initiatives, including the Red Car Trolley, as well as bring transportation-related concerns expressed by CCA members to Ms. Jeff's attention. • Please join CCA for our Tahitian Holiday Party on Tuesday, December 12th at Point Moorea in the Wilshire Grand Hotel. This event is not to be missed! For information, please contact Joella Hopkins at jhopkins@ccala.org .
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