After hundreds of community meetings in the span of a decade, I’m thrilled to say we now have a long-range vision for future growth in Southeast Los Angeles. In fact, this strategic plan will help us to write the next chapter of our story of community pride and identity.
The City Council recently adopted the Southeast LA Community Plan—a blueprint that will guide responsible development in my District, as well as parts of Council Districts 8, 14 and 15. It was important to me that the plan adequately meets the growing needs of our current residents, while supporting a strong jobs-housing balance and promoting long-lasting economic development opportunities.
Updating the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan, which is one of 35 community plans in the City, is vital because our plan helps to shape the future of our diverse neighborhoods. Since this is a major milestone that directly impacts my constituents, here are some notable highlights that I would like to share with you.
The Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan:
- Encourages denser, larger projects that offer our residents a place to live, work and play along major bus stops and light-rail stations;
- Puts emphasis on developing areas like the Washington Boulevard corridor to capitalize on local transit and bring growth to the Northern portion of the plan area;
- Integrates strategic measures to revitalize major commercial corridors such as Vermont, Broadway, Figueroa and Slauson;
- Promotes economic vitality and employment opportunities;
- Incentivizes the construction of affordable housing and encourages mixed-income housing near transit station areas and throughout the District;
- Preserves and minimizes overcrowding in residential areas, as well as culturally and historically significant places;
- Addresses residential-industrial land-use conflicts;
- Ensures new projects are of high-quality design;
- Calls for developers to include community benefits, such as publicly accessible plazas, parks and neighborhood serving uses within their projects.
The Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan also prohibits the overconcentration of businesses such as liquor stores, motels, smoke shops, payday lenders and drive-through restaurants. Conversely, it seeks to attract businesses that provide a benefit to residents like full service grocery stores, banks and credit unions, sit-down restaurants and health clubs.
I’m especially pleased to say our faith-based institutions, schools, nonprofits, neighborhood councils, local residents and business owners, and other stakeholders, have all contributed to the public meetings held to reach consensus on what has truly been a meticulous and highly-engaging process.
I live and grew up in this area, and I care deeply about making sure that our community has a fighting chance to thrive and flourish. Adopting the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan is another step in the right direction for a more prosperous NEW 9th. And I look forward to continuing to work with our community as we set the tone for a sustainable Southeast LA for generations to come.
If you have any questions about this matter or any other local issue in the Ninth District, please call my Constituent Service Center at (323) 846-2651.
