MyFigueroa could bring bike lanes to Figueroa near South LA

April 11, 2014 By Leave a Comment


MyFigueroa-ARN

L.A. cyclists, drivers and pedestrians are reacting to the L.A. City Council’s MyFigueroa project, an initiative to create more bike lanes, cycle tracks and pedestrian walkways on Figueroa Street from Exposition Park through Downtown L.A.

“If you’re adding more bike lanes … You’re just going to increase the congestion,” said Christina Ramsey, an L.A. native who drives on Figueroa every day.

“I can potentially get somewhere faster for less money and breathe in fresh air while doing so,” said Asha Anderson, a college student who bikes near Adams Boulevard and in downtown L.A.

One in ten households in L.A. does not have a car, according to the L.A. County Bicycle Coalition. The group is pushing for city planners and politicians to change the way they look at transportation in the city as a whole.

Learn more in an audio story from Annenberg Radio News:

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Demonstrators arrested in downtown anti-Wall Street protests

October 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Listen to an audio story by Annenberg Radio News

imageTen anti-Wall Street protesters were arrested downtown Thursday afternoon after entering a Bank of America. They were a small part of Re-fund California, a coalition that marched to protest bank policies. They were joined by demonstrators from Occupy LA, who’ve been camping outside City Hall since this weekend.

The march started with a rally at California Plaza, then snaked its way through the skyscrapers and food plazas in the financial heart of LA.

The marchers stopped at the intersection of 7th and Figueroa streets, in front of both a Bank of America branch and a Chase Bank office in the Ernst and Young plaza.

The marchers were young and old; black, white, Hispanic, Asian; students, grandparents, homeowners, young families. All were upset with the irresponsibility of financial organizations.

Barbara Gustafson joined the protest after she saw a lack of cooperation from banks.

“It’s game playing and you don’t get the same person to talk to,” she said. “They don’t want to work with you because it behooves them to foreclose. I am not an activist by nature. I’ve been forced to do this.”

A police spokesperson estimated that 1,000 people turned up for the protest, which mirrors the Occupy LA protests of the last week.

James McDade works in the financial services industry, but said he supports the protesters.

“It’s democracy at work,” he said. “People have the right to express their opposition to ideas, and I think it’s great.”

The march was a coalition of groups including ACCE, the SEIU, and various faith-based groups.

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The push to make downtown L.A. a real city center

November 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment


imagePhoto courtesy of Todd Jones Photography.

Downtown Los Angeles has long suffered an identity crisis. Bustling and noisy during the day but a ghost town at night, this “city center” is far from being the center of the L.A. Tourists flock to Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beach. Few stray downtown for a day of sightseeing.

But AEG, the company who owns and operates the Staples Center and LA Live!, wants to change that. The latest push for downtown rejuvenation includes a proposal for a $725 million NFL stadium, and an expansion of the Staples Center. The big idea? Bring crowds downtown and keep them there. AEG’s Tim Leiweke says the company hopes to see completion of the NFL stadium in time for the 2016 Super Bowl.

Angelenos who live and work downtown have already witnessed a dramatic change in the past few years, as the city pays more attention to downtown and its potential for tourism and entertainment revenue. The first push saw the addition of LA Live! and the Marriott Hotel. So how do they feel about this second wave of development?

Listen to downtowners talk about a potential NFL stadium:

Greg Johnson, who is homeless and living on the streets downtown, says development means pushing out the homeless population and making way “for the rich.”

“All they’re doing is building for the rich,” said Johnson. “We can’t go to the stadium. We’ve got no money. We probably can’t even get a job there.”

The demographic shift has been dramatic in the last few years, according to Johnson. While the homeless population has swelled with African Americans, the new lofts and apartments downtown are being filled with White and Asian residents.

“They say, ‘taking back L.A.’,” said Johnson. “I never knew it was missing.”

However, Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row, says that companies like AEG can have a positive impact on the problem of homelessness in Los Angeles.

“The first push actually brought a lot of attention to the fact that Skid Row exists,” said Bales. “This latest push probably could have the same effect. It brings more attention, but it also sounds like it could bring more jobs to the area.”

AEG has donated between $10,000 and $15,000 to Union Rescue Mission, according to Bales, and also occasionally offers sports tickets to residents of the homeless shelters. In 2006, Leiweke announced a gift of $250,000 to the Midnight Mission.

Making a difference will require more effort from the business community, said Bales, including a dedication to creating more permanent housing for the homeless population. But above all, says Bales, Los Angeles must experience a “change of heart” about homelessness.

“The biggest piece missing in solving the situation of homelessness in L.A. has been the business community,” said Bales. “That’s one of the reasons why we are the capital of homelessness. The City of Angels is the capital of homelessness. How embarrassing is that?”

Listen to the full interview with Union Rescue Mission CEO Andy Bales here:

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