There has been a lot of discussion of Senate Bill 50, a bill proposed in December and modified in March. This bill is a followup to the earlier SB 827 proposed by Scott Wiener. It is an amendment to existing law that allows developers a package of incentives if they provide affordable housing. It is targeted to transit-rich and job-rich areas of the city.

“SB50 will replace single-family homes with 7-8 story buildings on RESIDENTIAL streets 1/2 mile from Metro Stations, and 1/4 mile from busy bus stops. This goes way above and beyond Transit-Oriented Communities and has the potential to wipe out a significant portion of our beloved communities including most of Leimert Park.” –local activist Caeli Lynch

In April, the city of LA came out against the bill.
CurbedLA: “LA takes a stand against SB 50”

Additional Reading:

• City Council file #19-0002-S38
• Senate Bill 50
• Summary of SB50
• Livable California (Analysis)
• New York Times: “A Bold, Divisive Plan to Wean Californians From Cars”

This ground-breaking new report from LAHSA identifies institutional racism, discrimination and unconscious bias as key drivers of homelessness.

Black People and Homelessness (LAHSA Report)

“This report is a critical first step to address the collective failings of systems and institutions that—de facto and de jure—have been designed to deliver the painful disparities that affect so many of our brothers and sisters.  Hard work lies ahead to counter this tragic inheritance. If our region is to prosper, it is not only a moral imperative, it is an absolute economic imperative that all who call Los Angeles home are able to attain their full measure of dignity and self-worth.” –Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services has published new regulations for sidewalk vending, effective January 1, 2019. See the full text here.

The guest speaker at our meeting on February 16, 2019 was Imagine LA, a non-profit organization that helps break the cycle of homelessness by partnering volunteer mentors with people who have been homeless. They are looking for volunteers, mentors, partners, and sponsors.

The latest meeting of the Cherrywood/Leimert Block Club included a lively discussion of SB-827 Planning and zoning: transit-rich housing bonus. That bill will have a big impact on Leimert Park and surrounding areas, and neighbors are concerned that developers will be able to apply for exemption from local development requirements if the project is within a 1/2 mile radius of a major transit stop. It’s worth reading the details of the proposed bill. There’s a good summary in this Curbed LA article.

Meanwhile this issue will figure prominently in the upcoming special election on April 3. That election is being held to replace California State Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas in District 54, who resigned late last year due to health problems. His successor will vote on this bill. Voter turnout is essential!

Here are the candidates – call or email them to ask what their position on SB-827 is:

• Glen Ratcliff (Republican) Small business owner
• Tepring Michelle Piquado (Democratic) Neuroscientist/Educator
• Sydney Kamlager (Democratic) Trustee, Los Angeles CCD
• Grayson Pangilinan (Democratic) Technology Account Executive