Zoé Performs Outdoors--John Anson Theater

¿Who says LUF is pura cosa seria? For those fans of excellent indie, peep the always kick ass Zoé at the outdoor Anson. Muy nice. It's great seeing these bands getting space at this particular venue. I saw Nortec Collective perform here as well for the LA Film Festival two months ago & it was off the rails!! No doubt, Zoé will bring that same vibe to the hills of hollywood.


14.Septiembre.2007 / Zoé en Los Angeles
Venue: John Anson Ford Amphitheater
Ciudad: Los Angeles, California
Info: Zoe with Los Abandoned at Ford Amphitheatre

Fourh Street Bike Ride

The 4th Street Bike Ride (A potential Bike Boulevard)

The Fourth Street Bicycle Ride with Councilman Tom Labonge was very inspirational. Right when you think it is impossible to create a sustainable transportation system in car-crazy LA, this bike ride gives you hope for the future.

I started the evening after work at Union Station by hopping on the Purple Line, bicycle in tow. I rode the train to the Wilshire/Vermont Station. From this station I rode my bike a few short blocks to Shatto Park on Fourth Street near Vermont.

After a few remarks from Councilman Labonge on the importance of bike riding to solve LA’s congestion problem, 25 to 30 cyclists set off on a six-mile bike ride along Fourth Street. The nice ocean breeze cooled down the asphalt and made it a very pleasant ride. We rode over the gentle rolling hills of Mid-City LA.

Our bicycle police escorts made us feel very safe on the otherwise dangerous streets of LA. I would have never done this bike ride otherwise! They helped us ride through the many Mid-City streets without stopping and made it easy cross busy streets like Vermont, Western and Highland.

The pace of the group allowed us to talk to each and make new friends. Someone even brought music for the ride. For a few seconds it was great to reclaim Fourth Street as a pleasant temporary open space.

By a stroke of luck of pure, much-welcomed luck the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has not molested Fourth Street by removing parkways to widen it. Fourth Street is narrow and comfortable by LA standards and is a treasure trove of urban history, architecture, and diversity. The street changes from straight to nice gentle curves resembling the street of a nice Mid-Western historic suburb. The landscape along Fourth Street improves drastically from a landscape-poor street to a nice tree-lined street. Biking through the narrow streets of Hancock Park reminded me of riding on the bike boulevards of Palo Alto.

Lining Fourth Street in Mid-City are Gothic, Spanish and other eclectic multi-family buildings built in the 1920’s , with a new few stucco boxes thrown in for good measure. The dense neighborhoods house many Latinos and Asians. Many of these residents were gathered in green spots in the front or side yards, parkways or on their balconies, out enjoying the cool breezes. These dense neighborhoods of Mid-City then gave way to single-family homes in Hancock Park.

We rode along until we reached Park LaBrea and made a quick pitstop at the Fire Station on Third Street. From here we rode back and stopped at 31 Flavors ice cream shop, in Larchmont Village, for some free ice cream cones. By than it was dark and we proceed back to Shatto Park. As a cyclist I realize how important it is to have lighted bike paths, because in the dark it hard to spot the pot holes!

Fourth Street has the potential to become the City’s first bike boulevard. This bike route is a great east-west linkage in Mid-City, that can connect downtown with places like the Grove trendy Westside places.

The bike ride made me realize what a great biking city LA could become with the proper infrastructure investment. The bike movement in this city has been dominated by athletic males who can out smart cars, and feel we do not need bike lanes, paths or boulevards. For a vast majority of Angelenos, however riding a bike in this city is seen as a death wish. People act so surprise when I tell them I bike to work through downtown streets. I always reassure them that I bike very slowly on sidewalks making eye contact with every car driver on my way to work. It’s not worth getting hit by a car. Downtown needs bike boulevards!

As a transportation planner it is important to understand the geography of LA, how people move through it and what the mobility trends are.

Because this bike ride was a success, Councilman Tom Labonge will be hosting a bike ride on the last Thursday of the month. I will keep the team updated on this rides.

For more information, contact Carolyn Ramsay at (213)473-2340 or Carolyn.ramsay@lacity.org.

pe.com article from Lys Mendez

Lys Mendez [lysmendez@hotmail.com] has sent you a story from pe.com.
(Page at: http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwestarea/stories/PE_News_Local_S_sbikes22.3e6e4a9.html)

An opportunity for a suburban city to plan ahead may be lost to, again, revolve around the car.
======================================================================

Planned bike lanes causing problems for Temecula
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 21, 2007
By CLAUDIA BUSTAMANTEThe Press-Enterprise

TEMECULA - A small item on the city's master plan to promote quality of life has caused more consequences than intended.

Adding bike lanes to Meadows Parkway would force hundreds of cars off the street and into nearby residential areas, especially near Temecula Middle School, prompting school officials, parents and neighbors to question the move.

When the road is striped for bikes, cars cannot park or stop at any time. That would affect traffic and parking at three of the district's schools -- Rancho Elementary, Vintage Hills Elementary and Temecula Middle. Officials say the street is too narrow for both parking and bike lanes.

(PHOTO:

Story continues below

)

Members of the Temecula City Council and the Temecula Valley Unified School District board met Tuesday at the middle school to discuss the situation and possible solutions.

The committee reached no decision but asked staff from both sides to continue working on ideas.

"I would love to see both, but I doubt it would happen," said parent May Lora, whose children attend Vintage Hills, Temecula Middle and Temecula Valley High.

Bike lanes have been planned for Meadows Parkway since 1993, when the city adopted its master plan. However, officials wanted to wait for development to arrive on both sides of the road before striping them, City Manager Shawn Nelson said.

School Trustee Barbara Tooker said officials should consider the growth the city has since experienced.

Temecula Middle School, on Meadows Parkway, is the district's largest middle school with about 1,300 students. Built in 1990, the campus doesn't have enough parking for its staff, let alone parents ferrying their children to and from school.

The school district already has decided to convert some grassy areas on campus into additional staff parking, but is still unsure how to address the traffic flow without affecting student safety or nearby residences.

Principal Rob Sousa said no access to Meadows Parkway could cause some parents to park illegally or let their children out at unsafe places. Also, students could dart into traffic.

"I am concerned that having no parking will cause people to make poor decisions," Sousa said.

Traffic from parents who use Meadows Parkway already spills onto side streets.

"In the morning, sometimes we can't get in and out of our driveways," said Gene Chalkley, who lives on Camino Alagon along the west side of Temecula Middle School.

Chalkley said the problem isn't just caused by school parents, but continues at night and on weekends when the campus converts to a city park.

"If you take Meadows away, that's going to make a bad situation impossible," he said.

Parent Carol Buck, who lives in Temecula Valley Wine Country, said parents could ignore the bike lanes.

"I think parents are still going to park there and hope they won't get a ticket," she said.

Bill Bibb, who lives on Calle Marquis near the school, said he rides his bike almost daily and sees the dangers.

"Clearly, there has to be a solution to this problem, but I don't think we should do it at the cost of either side," he said. "Bikes are going to be there and so are parents."

Councilwoman Maryann Edwards agreed.

"It's a school and it's a neighborhood," she said. "The two have to coexist."

Reach Claudia Bustamante at 951-375-3740 or cbustamante@PE.com

LAtino Urban Forum Site Redux

¡Saaaaaz! LAtino Urban Forum's website is up n' going again. Newly (and constantly updated) material ranging from stories to digital media...non-stop. Newly added features & sections that accommodate for podcasting (video etc.) and other visual forms of communication. We're planners, urban designers, architects...what else did u expect? We just ain't gonna "discuss," "analyze" or "rant" about things, we're going to create & visualize them. Bookmark and check often, shoot subscribe to the RSS feeds or whatever else is in there. Blast James on your earphone set, "what you listening to sunn? That new that new LUF Digital Panel dunn! its blaazzzin"

Saz

Latino Urban Forum

Vigil for Arellano/cry for justice on steps of federal building

About 150 supporters of Elvira Arellano attended a vigil and press conference late afternoon yesterday in front of the federal building on Los Angeles Street downtown. Reacting angrily to the arrest and deportation of Arellano on Sunday – the undocumented-immigrant-turned-activist who had been harbored at a church sanctuary for about a year in Chicago – the group vowed to continue the fight for justice in the form of green cards to the 12 million undocumented immigrants in the US.

(Attending the vigil along with immigrant-rights and social-justice groups CHIRLA and CLUE was Bienestar, a gay Latino health-services organization, which took the opportunity to both show support for the deported Arellano as well as to call for justice another, lesser-known Arellano, a yet unluckier victim of immigration authorities: Victoria Arellano, a transgender woman who died last month for lack of medical attention in a detention center while awaiting deportation. An AIDS patient, the 23-year-old’s desperate appeals for access to her confiscated medications was denied throughout the months she was held and only received medical care once it was too late. You can read about her wrongful death and the scandalous conditions of US immigration detention centers at http://www.bibdaily.com/pdfs/Denied%20Medication2.pdf. A rally protesting her death is planned next week on Monday at the same place, 300 North Los Angeles Street.)

Arellano and her 8-year-old son, who was born in the US, were on a speaking tour across the country calling for such immigration reform. Though she and supporting activists say they always knew she could end up arrested and deported, they were probably betting the Bush Administration would back off in recognition of the symbolic power of Arellano’s actions. But it looks like the strategy backfired, for the Bushies are desperate to look tough after a string of recent defeats: losing control of Congress, failure in Iraq, failure to reform immigration law, etc.

Or maybe the strategy didn’t fail. Even though Arellano didn’t get very far, the event may serve to galvanize pro-immigrant supporters and church leaders to energize the fledgling sanctuary movement and push more strongly for fair immigration reform.

Perhaps one way Arellano could continue to fight for immigrants in the US while living south of the border would be if immigrant-rights groups north of the border provide her with financial support while she presses the Mexican government to take up the immigrants’ cause. This is an issue Mexicans of every political stripe would support. Yet in his meeting this past weekend with Mexico’s NAFTA partners (the US and Canada), President Calderon’s priorities hardly included bettering the lot of poor Mexicans – north or south of the border. Instead, the conservative leaders of the three countries discussed further liberalization of their economies, which benefit their corporate supporters at the expense of the poor. Free trade is to blame for deteriorating quality of life and social security in all three countries through the loss of well-paying jobs in the US and Canada and by overwhelming Mexico’s farmers with cheap (subsidized) agricultural products that run them off the land and, ultimately, out of the country. A Mexican president concerned about the poor would defy US pressure to maintain laissez-faire policies and would begin to more-fairly redistribute the country’s vast wealth, reducing poor Mexicans’ need to emigrate. Or… he would demand that free trade in North America took after that in the European Union, where all factors of production, including labor, are able to freely cross borders.

Icy, spicy, cool

This story was sent to you by: lys mendez

The LA Times went crazy over the Pinkberry yogurt wars on the Westside, and it seems like they recently discovered the iced wonders that Latinos have enjoyed in the barrio for decades.

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Icy, spicy, cool
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Handmade

By Betty Hallock

August 22 2007

SUMMERTIME is paleta time. These Mexican ice pops -- chock-full of chunks of fresh fruit and available in a hypnotizing array of colors and clear, not-too-sweet flavors -- conjure images of hot afternoons in the park, time spent on a bench under a shady tree, clear blue skies dotted with red, white and green balloons.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-paletas22aug22,0,4238103.story?coll=la-home-middleright

Visit latimes.com at http://www.latimes.com

Sunset Junction

Sad but true Sunset Junction is no longer what it used to be. I have been going since the early nineties. The people, prices and place has changed. Back then it was $3 dollars and the crowd was very diverse. The diversity made it interesting. Families, gays, straights all doing their own thing. Today its generic hippster! It look very boring. This time around I did not bother to go inside. I guess I will have to find some where else to hang out.

James Rojas

Treepeople--11th Hour 2nd Showing

Nate commented earlier about the screening of the film "11th Hour," which will also be showing at the Arclight in Hollywood. You can also probably get it before then in front of el Mercado del Valley en Pacoima. Here's the link from Tri Peepol's volunteer e-mail.



Tri pipol Link

Wednesday, Aug. 22
7:30 p.m.
$11 admission
Arclight Cinema

Website Almost there

Between personal life, school, work, activism, and photography....its Almost there! Just working out some server/domain issues. ANyhow, check out the screenshot of the newly Added Places section. In this section we will showcase interesting destination points a la Latino urbanism in SoCal. You won't find the future Downtown LA Earth Cafe or the new hipster bar, but you will find a guide to the Murals on Broadway. Peep it.

LUF Blogger at LAist

LUF Blogger Lys has been invited to post over at the mega-popular L.A. centric site LAist!

Her first two posts feature an interview with "Departures" creator Juan Devis, and an announcement about El Vez's recent performance this past Saturday... (Hopefully, she'll not forget about the blogito.)

Sunset Junction no longer welcomes the poor

The Sunset Junction Street Fair seems to have officially departed from its original mission of bringing together and improving relations between the working-class Latino families and the gay men and women coexisting in Silverlake.

In a sad and ironic twist, the increasingly famous annual two-day event - which was held this weekend for the 27th time - had an admissions fee of $15 per person and turned away anyone who couldn't come up with the money, explaining why so extremely few families with children could be seen making their way through the multitudes. In the past, donations were asked for at the entrance but not required, allowing poorer (as well as stingier) folks to get in, though they still had pay inflated prices for a drink or a bite to eat once inside. This year, the crowd appeared to be mostly white, often gay, and between ages 22 and 50.

The event appeared to be well attended despite the entrance fee, reflecting its rising popularity among people in other neighborhoods who are willing to drive in to have a good time. But perhaps it also reflects another, sadder truth: poor Latino families have already been priced out not only of the fair, but of Silverlake and, increasingly, the city.

The 11th Hour

The 11th Hour opens in L.A. today (and New York). Last night, a pre-screening was held, followed by a "panel discussion" featuring FOLAR executive director Shelly Backlar and an air quality guy I can't remember the name of, MC'd by a guy from 97.1's Free FM. I got my free ticket because I receive updates from F.O.L.A.R. I assume that's probably where James received his invitation as well; he was a couple rows behind me and said hello as a friend and I made our way to a couple of the last remaining seats in the moments before the film started.

It's a pretty good movie. I could have done with a little less of Leo and his voice over (DeCaprio produced the film). But he honestly didn't over do it, and as my friend also argued, he'll probably help attract more people to watch this kind of necessary viewing that tends to get overlooked. It features a number of experts, and a couple of my personal favorites, including Wes Jackson of The Land Institute, and William McDonough, author of a great book, Cradle to Cradle, and others from a variety of disciplines, backgrounds, and traditions. (I actually observed one guy pumping a fist when Andy Lipkis, of Tree People, made an appeance--which I found a little amusing). I was especially glad to see the documentary get hopeful at the end. I find the gloom and doom approach to be a little ridiculous and harping in most instances. But things are in dire straits, and the movie does a good job of detailing our realities comprehensively, while the healthy stock of hope helps make it easier to confront the issues we need to.

I found the "panel discussion" at the end to be a little disappointing. Too many people shouting out their own PSAs about their own organizations (LUF refrained from doing so, thankfully), with too few really thoughtful questions posed to the panelists. The almost best one, to me, was when a woman asked, What's the most daunting challenge of the panelists' work, excluding finding resources? Backlar responded that the toughest challenge is focusing on what can be done, and what should be done by FOLAR in particular, out of the whole host of good options and work that needs to be done. Tellingly, the air quality guy said the toughest challenge is resources, resources, resources. Which leads me to what I think would have been the best question asked last night if I had been able to articulate it and pose it in time:

When non-profits have to compete with each other for resources, from constituent citizens and government and foundation grants, how are they not to get caught up in the ends game of securing money and growth?

Collaboration seems to be key. But collaboration is tough, especially considering that our systems and institutions seem to design our organizations to compete wth each other to each other's death...

11th Hour's companion action site is at 11thhouraction.com.

Community street fair in BH on August 18

Organized by Unión de Vecinos, Boyle Heights's first community street fair to feature entirely local merchants and organizations will take place tomorrow at Fickett and Cesar Chavez. Unlike other fairs around here, such as the one on the Sixth Street bridge, it is almost entirely the very señoras living in the neighborhood who are getting together to make this happen. Sweeping and scrubbing sidewalks, and picking up trash, setting up shop and cooking at home the food to be sold there... they're making the event possible.

An essential part of the event will be several educational workshops on various themes, such as tenants' rights, how to fight an eviction, how to get health and housing codes enforced and other issues faced by local residents.

Unión de Vecinos as as association of residents in BH that includes both landlords and tenants seeking to improve the quality of life in the community. A branch of the group is the Sindicato de Inquilinos, which is a tenants' union.

Anyway, it'll be worth checking out.

URGENT: Elephant Hill Update & Alert

Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert * Action Alert

Huizar Pushes Back Against Surprise Action to Approve Elephant Hill Building Permits

August 17, 2007

On Wednesday, August 15th, Councilmember Jose Huizar submitted a motion (below) under Charter Section 245 that would assert City Council jurisdiction over the surprise vote by the Board of Public Works (BPW) on August 8^th to approve the building permits for Tract 35022 on Elephant Hill. Councilmember Huizar's motion will come before City Council at 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 11, 2007.

The Board of Public Works (BPW) acted on recommendations by the Bureau of Engineering. Bureau staff testified that, because the June 20^th Council motion requiring a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for Tract 35022 did not specifically address the building permit issue, it was OK for the BPW to approve it. Complicating matters, on July 26^th developer Monterey Hills Investors filed a lawsuit against the City Council's SEIR action.

In order for Huizar's motion to pass and the Council to gain authority over the BPW action, a two thirds (2/3) vote by the full Council is required. This means there must be 10 votes in favor of this motion. Please take action today to ensure that reason and environmental justice prevail over the developer's onerous tactics and insider politics. Together we can continue to make a difference!

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Write, email or call Councilmember Huizar thanking him for introducing this motion and his continued leadership to ensure environmental protections for the residents of El Sereno.

· Jose Huizar (CD 14) Jessica.WethingtonMcLean@lacity.org or 213-473-7014; Address: 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.

2. Write or email City Councilmembers asking them to support Huizar's motion to assert authority over the BPW building permit approval for Tract 35022 and uphold their vote for an SEIR for this project. The mailing address for all Councilmembers: 200 N. Spring St. , Los Angeles , CA 90012 . Email addresses follow:

· Ed Reyes (CD 1) – jill.sourial@lacity.org

· Wendy Gruel (CD 2) – dale.thrush@lacity.org

· Dennis Zine (CD 3) - jonathan.brand@lacity.org

· Tom LaBonge (CD 4) – renee.weitzer@lacity.org

· Tony Cardenas (CD 6) – vanessa.soto@lacity.org

· Richard Alarcon (CD 7) – jose.sigala@lacity.org

· Bernard Parks (CD 8) – delara.rodriquez@lacity.org

· Jan Perry (CD 9) – greg.fischer@lacity.org

· Herb Wesson (CD 10) – andrew.westall@lacity.org

· Bill Rosenthal (CD 11) - grieg.asher@lacity.org

· Eric Garcetti (CD 13) – sam.siegel@lacity.org

· Janice Hahn (CD 15) - frank.hong@lacity.org

3. Attend the City Council meeting where Councilmember Huizar's motion will be heard at 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 11, in Council Chambers, Room 340, City Hall., 200 S. Spring Street (enter on Main).

For more information contact: saveelephanthills@yahoo.com.

* * * * * * *

MOTION -Submitted August 15, 2007

On November 28, 2006, the City Council referred a Motion (Huizar-Hahn) to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee that requested, among other things: (1) That the Planning Department, Building and Safety and the Bureau of Engineering, with the assistance of the City Attorney, to prepare a report, to determine whether the most recent grading plans and designs for the Pueblo Subdivision, evaluated against the previous Environmental Impact Report No. 172-85 (SUB)(REC), and its associated Statement of Overriding Considerations, trigger the need for a subsequent or supplemental Environmental Impact Report; (2) Whether new information of substantial importance related to the hydrology of the hillside triggers the need for a subsequent or supplemental Environmental Impact Report; (3) Whether all feasible mitigation measures, in light of substantial changes to the project and new information, have been incorporated into the Pueblo Subdivision Project; and (4) Whether any other circumstances exist that would merit conducting further environmental review under t he California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including CEQA Guidelines (Sections 15162-15164).

The Motion further requested that no discretionary, ministerial action or approval be granted for the Pueblo Subdivision Project, or any portion thereof, by the Planning Department, Building and Safety and the Bureau of Engineering, until the above-described report is presented to the City Council.

On June 20, 2007, the City Council took the following two actions regarding this matter:
(1) "Received and Filed" the report of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee that was submitted without recommendation; and (2) Adopted a Verbal Motion (Huizar-Zine) relative to whether a further Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required for the Pueblo Subdivision Project, to "require that a supplemental EIR be completed for this Project."

On August 8, 2007, the Board of Public Works adopted a recommendation of the City Engineer to: (1) Complete the remaining ministerial actions of issuing a B-Permit for work specified in the conditions for both Tract (No. 35022) and Parcel (No. AA-205-0849-PMLA) maps; (2) Process the Resolution of Acceptance for the dedication of land for the Pullman Street realignment adopted by the City Council on September 28, 2005; (3) Accept the final parcel map for recordation; and (4) Issue all other ministerial permits associated with the development of the Pueblo Avenue Subdivision (Elephant Hill).

The action of the Board to issue the B-Permits and take the other described actions is inconsistent with the City Council directive that supplemental environmental review be conducted on this project before it proceeds.

I THEREFORE MOVE the City Council take the necessary steps to assert jurisdiction over the August 8, 2007, action of the Board of Public Works in adopting a report of the City Engineer recommendation to (1) Complete the remaining ministerial actions of issuing a B-Permit for work specified in the conditions for both Tract (No. 35022) and Parcel (No. AA-205-0849-PMLA) maps; (2) Process the Resolution of Acceptance for the dedication of land for the Pullman Street realignment adopted by the City Council on September 28, 2005; (3) Accept the final parcel map for recordation; and (4) Issue all other ministerial permits associated with the development of the Pueblo Avenue Subdivision (Elephant Hill).

I FURTHER MOVE that upon assertion of jurisdiction by the City Council, that this matter be referred to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee.

PRESENTED BY Councilmember Jose Huizar

SECONDED BY Councilmember Tom LaBonge

Affordable Housing Article--San Fernando Sun

For all the folks interested in affordable housing, but then again who shouldn't be!? There's a couple of stories on affordable housing, testimonials, stats in this week's edition. Imma start living online soon enough, the rent is cheaper here anyway. Personalized addresses, saz!
Um, the link won't post, weak. ok no such thing as free rent, cut n' paste it homies.

http://sanfernandosun.com

(EDIT: since Cowboy Galactico didn't know how, I snuck and in hyperlinked it for ustedes... and here's a link to one of the specific articles he mentioned: "Housing Remains at Crisis Stage in Los Angeles County" - Nate)

Northeast Los Angeles Planning Session

Councilman Jose Huizar's second community-based planning discussion in Eagle Rock on Tuesday focused on the future of smart growth in Los Angeles.

The panelists included: Mike Woo, city planning commissioner; Emily Gabel-Luddy of the Urban Design Studio with the city; Woodie Tescher with EIP Associates; William Fain with Johnson Fain, who all spoke about the virtues of creating transit-based development around the city.

Several noteworthy points were brought up in the discussion: If we laid out every space dedicated to parking in Los Angeles, it would cover 81 percent of the city. The average Los Angeles car carries 1.2 people per ride. Only four percent of the city is dedicated to open space, compared to 17 percent for New York City. Repeatedly, the panelist discussed the ills that we already know plague the city - that we are too car-centered, that cities weren't designed to encourage pedestrian use, and that our auto-centered culture is no longer sustainable.

I was disappointed at the lack of diversity among the audience and panelists, especially in a council district such as Huizar's, considering that these sessions are meant to make planning issues accessible to the community. I submitted several questions on the impact of so-called "smart growth" on the gentrification of our communities and it was barely discussed or properly answered. However, the awareness that issues of density, land use, how we move around, and the creation of liveable communities was actively discussed. Although no exact vision for how it will all come together was articulated, the discussion seems to be moving along and involving the various agencies with a stake in community development.

Huizar will hold two more sessions:
Economic Development - Encouraging Small Business
Wed., Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
El Sereno Senior Center, 4818 Klamath Place

Historic Preservation - A Link to Revitalization
Tues., Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
Center for the Arts in Eagle Rock, 2225 Colorado Blvd.

"Southland home sales hit 12-year low"

This story highlighted a few things for me:

1) People consider low-income neighborhoods as "entry-level" homes, meaning they have no interest in settling there and starting a community.

2) The housing market is a reflection of the destabilization of the lower and middle class, who can lose all the have very quickly because of the lack of a safety net.

3) An economy based on housing speculation is unsustainable.

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Southland home sales hit 12-year low
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Even most creditworthy borrowers are feeling the crunch.

By Annette Haddad
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

August 15 2007

Would-be home buyers in Southern California continued to sit on the sidelines last month, driving down home sales to their slowest pace in 12 years and pushing down prices in the region's less-expensive neighborhoods, data released Tuesday showed.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-fi-homes15aug15,1,3968915.story?coll=la-headlines-california

Visit latimes.com at http://www.latimes.com

NYTimes.com: "Cybermural: The Web as the Wall"

Boyle Heights makes it to the New York Times. An interesting story on the intersections of art, gentrification, changing urban landscapes and Latino urbanism.

ARTS / ART & DESIGN | August 12, 2007
Art: Cybermural: The Web as the Wall
By CAROL KINO
An online travelogue strongly suggests a new twist on the Los Angeles muralism of the 1970s...

the LUF bomb

About to drop the LUF bomb within the next 2 days. Newly Designed & formatted and CONSTANTLY updated website. Too many "urbanist"/downtown LA & "me" driven blogs/site are monopolizing urban space discussion on Los Angeles. its time.


-victor

Weekly Calendar

Latino Urban Forum

Meetings, activities and events that promote our mission as of August 13, 2007

1. Cornfields State Park Meeting

2. Global Warming Forum

3. Discussion: smart growth • urban design • transit development

4. Parking Day LA Lecture

5. City Housing Element

6. LA Architects in China and the Far East

7. Discussion: economic development • encouraging small business

8. Parking Day LA

9. Discussion: historic preservation • a link to revitalization

10. 2008 APA State Conference Brainstorming

11. Conference: California Walks

12. Conference: APA State Conference, San Jose

13. Conference: Walk 21

14. ART: Landscaping America : Beyond the Japanese Garden ,"

15. Article LA Times Downtown LA

Introductory Transportation Planning Class!

Regional Land Use & Transportation Planning, Transit Planning and Operations Class. Projects to be discussed include: SCAG Regional Transportation Plan, Playa Vista TDM program, Pasadena Mobility Element, Universal Studios Master Plan and many others. Pat Gibson is a transportation planner and excellent instructor! This is a great introductory course on transportation and land use. I have taken this very informative class. Register on line at East Los Angeles College . For more details contact Pat Gibson at (310) 458-9916

Class meets on Wednesdays from Sept. 5. 2007 to Dec. 12, 2007 at Metro Headquarters. Time: 6:00 to 9:00.

Informational session Thursday, Aug. 16 @ noon at Metro Union Station Room!

James Rojas

Visit www.latinourbanforum.org or Myspace.com/ LatinoUrbanForum

And especially, the Blogito!
___________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____

Tuesday August 14, 2007 @ 7:00 p.m.

Please join California State Parks and Hargreaves Associates for a community meeting about the next phase of work for the park.

Location: St. Peter's Italiana Church
1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _______

Thursday, August 16, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Global Warming Forum

Congresswoman Hilda Solis will be hosting a Global Warming Forum.

The purpose of the event is to discuss local challenges and opportunities facing Los Angeles County as a result of climate change. To be addressed are: 1) pressures on local resources, 2) initiatives underway in Greater Los Angeles to protect communities against these impacts and 3) economic opportunities associated with actions to become more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Location: California State University , Los Angeles
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ________

Friday, August 17, 2007 @ Noon
Park(ing) Day Los Angeles Lecture

September 21, 2007.

Come join the at Farmlab Public Salon and learn about what is Park(ing) Day, and how to get involved.

Based on a successful event started by the ReBAR Group and the Trust for Public Land in San Francisco , on Park(ing) day, local folks reclaim public space by creating temporary parks in parking spaces throughout the city. Caravans of bicyclists deliver sod, potted trees, benches and chairs. Pedestrians stop and relax on their way through the city.

Park(ing) Day creates a dialog about cities, creativity, lack of open space, and how much real estate we give over to our cars. Salon will include showing the ReBAR group's 16-minute Parking Day documentary

http://farmlab.org/2007/06/farmlab-pubic-salon-parking-day-friday.html

Location: Farmlab

Near Cornfields
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 @ 7 pm

SMART GROWTH • URBAN DESIGN • TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT

Panelist: William Fain, FAIA, Johnson Fain Architects, Emily Gabel-Luddy, Urban Design Studio, City of Los Angeles, Woodie Tescher, EIP Associates, a Division of PBS&J, Mike Woo, Los Angeles City Planning Commission

Location: Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles , CA 90041

____________ _________ _________ _________ _______

LA City is updating its Housing Element. Please attend if you are interested in shaping the Housing Element. Contact Naomi Guth (info at the bottom) for further information.

Housing Preservation
Thursday, August 16th
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Location TBD

Housing Preservation
Thursday, August 23rd
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Location TBD

Naomi Guth
City Planning Department
City of Los Angeles
200 N. Spring St., Room 721
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 978-1363 (direct)
Fax: (213) 978-4656
Email: Naomi.Guth@lacity. org

Wednesday, August 29, 7PM-9:30PM
LA Architects in China and the Far East

AIA/ Los Angeles Urban Design Committee

In August we have the rare pleasure of a presentation by FOUR premiere LA architects presenting recent work in China and Korea . After a brief presentation by the four participants, there will be a moderated discussion focusing on challenges and opportunities for architecture and urban design in the Far East , and the varying design philosophies of the panelists.
Presenters/Panelist s
Robert Shaffer, AIA, Associate Principal, Johnson Fain will present several recent projects in China including Central Business District in Beijing
James Mary O'Connor, AIA, Principal Moore Ruble Yudell will present ChunSenBiAn master planning project in Chongquing, China
Herb Nadel, FAIA, Chairman and CEO, Nadel Architects will present Hunan Urban Village, Seoul, Korea

Robert Jernigan, AIA, Principal / Managing Director, Gensler will present Shanghai Pudong Development Bank

RSVP by Tuesday, August 28 to stephanie_reich@ longbeach. gov

Location: AIA/LA Offices

Wiltern Building

3870 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 800

___________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____

Friday September 21, 2007

Parking Day LA

Imagine turning a metered parking space into a park. In 2005 a small group out of San Francisco called Rebar, did just that. Rebar opened eyes worldwide with their comment on the lack of quality open space in American cities. Their goal was to reclaim parking spaces and streets for people to rest, relax and play while:

· Promoting a critical dialogue among artists, designers, activists, residents, corporations, and government regarding the need for urban open space and the way in which streets are currently used.

· Energizing civic life by questioning basic assumptions about urban space while offering provocative and meaningful alternatives.

· Connecting artists, designers, and activists with ways to permanently reclaim the street for people.

Here in Los Angeles , a diverse group of committed professionals have been inspired by this idea and have come together to bring Park[ing] Day to Los Angeles on September 21, 2007. In the spirit of Rebar's goals, our mission is to reclaim public space over-occupied by parking spaces for parks and people.

Will your parking space be transformed into a park on September 21st?

Contact 213.622.5980 or info@parkingdayla. com

www.rebargroup. org
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

New Meeting date: 2008 American Planning Association State Conference

The 2008 APA State Conference will be held in Hollywood next year. A volunteer committee has been formed to help plan the conference. Many of us have volunteered to organize workshops on Cultural Planning Issues in LA and the state. We want to develop a strong cultural planning agenda that can address issues and as well as highlight stellar projects that provide innovated solutions to land use problems in communities of color. Please contact James Rojas

Location: 725 S. Spring Street #12
LA, CA. 90014

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 @ 7 pm

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • ENCOURAGING SMALL BUSINESS Panelist: Richard Benbow, Community Development Department, Jack Keyser, L.A. County Economic Development Corporation, James Rodriguez, CB Richard Ellis, Retail Brokerage Services, and Kent Smith, Fashion District Business Improvement District

Location: El Sereno Senior Center
4818 Klamath Place

Los Angeles, CA 90032
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Wednesday, September 25, 2007 @ 7pm

HISTORIC PRESERVATION • A LINK TO REVITALIZATION TUES.

Panelist: Richard Barron, Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission, Ken Bernstein, Office of Historic Resources, City of Los Angeles, Linda Dishman, Los Angeles Conservancy, Peyton Hall, FAIA, Historic Resources Group, and Michael Olecki, S. Carthay Historic Preservation Overlay Zone Board

Location: Center for the Arts
Eagle Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Audubon Film Fridays—our free, summer film series under the stars. Our film series begins on Friday, August 3rd with the feature film Hoot!, about the adventures of a group of teens who fight to protect a population of endangered owls in Florida .

We will start each Film Friday at 7 p.m. with a bird walk; the films start at 8 p.m. All films are family friendly and nature themed—the full line up is found below and in the attached flyer. Some films will be shown in English with Spanish subtitles; others will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. Seating is limited so please arrive early. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Limited parking is available in the Center's parking lot; there is plenty of street parking and we have plenty of space for bicycles. Again, admission to Film Friday is free.

Aug. 17: Happy Feet (Spanish w/English subtitles)

Sept. 7: Winged Migration (English w/Spanish subtitles)

Sept. 21: Eyewitness: Bird (English w/Spanish subtitles); Ocean Oasis (Spanish w/English subtitles)

Oct. 5: The Life of Birds – 2 episodes (English)

With your help, Audubon Film Fridays will become a summer tradition at the Audubon Center . What better way to enjoy a hot summer evening than watching nature-themed movies outdoors with family, friends and neighbors in our courtyard??
___________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ________

"Landscaping America : Beyond the Japanese Garden ,"

June 17-Oct 21, 2007

This exhibition explores the history of Japanese American gardens and gardeners. The exhibit runs from. The opening day of the exhibit will be on Father's Day. We'll have live music and BBQ food vendors on the plaza.

Location: Japanese American National Museum

368 East First Street .
LA, CA.
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ________

Conferences

September 11-14, 2007

APBP Professional Development Seminar in Davis , CA -

Theme: "Walking and Bicycling – The Next Generation"

Registration rates GO UP after July 31 http://www.walkbike california. org/register. htm

Reserve lodging by August 11 or consider camping

Check out the PDS sessions at www.apbp.org and the Walk/Bike California program at http://www.walkbike california. org/schedule. htm.

This is the first time APBP has partnered with a state bike/ped conference. Is your state next?

Walk21 Toronto – October 1-4, 2007

Register by July 31 for the early bird rate http://www.toronto. ca/walk21/ registration. htm

View the program and conference update news at http://www.toronto. ca/walk21/ index.htm

APBP served on the program planning team. Walk21 Toronto 2007 will bring together hundreds of delegates from around the world, will feature over 100 different presentations, numerous social and networking events, a poster session, walkshops, community events, and more. You're invited to Canada 's largest and most multicultural city for this exciting event!
___________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Jobs

ORGANIZATION:

Youth Arts & Education Program, Department of Cultural Affairs

JOB TITLE:

Administrative / Program Assistant

LOCATION:

Department headquarters, downtown Los Angeles

HOURS:
24 hours per week (3 days per week)

APPLY BY:
August 22, 2007, 5:00 p.m.

The Youth Arts and Education Program of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs seeks a part-time ADMINISTRATIVE / PROGRAM ASSISTANT to provide administrative support and assistance in coordinating special projects such as exhibitions, citywide youth programs, outreach initiatives, grant program, education publications, and other related services. This position will provide on-going support for general office functions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Schedule, plan, and coordinate meetings
Assist in coordinating outreach projects and education programs
Manage communications by phone, fax and email
Respond to calls/mailings
Prepare and distribute material by mail or email
Maintain program databases and manage files
Research using internet and/or traditional method(s)
Draft, edit, and process correspondence and other documents such as agendas and reports
Maintain files and update mailing list
Organize, edit and manage printed materials
Present informational workshops on programs to the public
Provide support to staff and volunteers as directed
Perform other related duties as assigned
Serve allied City offices and the public in the areas of youth arts, arts education, the arts, and cultural programming
Represent Youth Arts and Education Program at external events, meetings, or related activities as assigned

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS:
Must be punctual and detail oriented.
Self-motivated individual with highly developed organizational and communication skills.
Excellent oral and interpersonal communication skills.
Excellent writing skills an absolute must.
Strong proficiency working on PC, including Microsoft Word and Excel.
Strong research skills.
Ability to multi-task in a busy office.
Must have previous experience coordinating program and office experience.
Demonstrated ability to handle complex projects.
Must be able to take direction (directives) well.
Must be able to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects at once.
Must have patience; demonstrate creative thinking; and be resourceful.
Knowledge of Los Angeles arts and non profits desired.
At least two years demonstrated experience working in an office.

The above statements are intended to describe the general
nature and level of work performed in this position; they do not purport to describe all functions of the position. Other duties may be assigned and the essential functions of the position may change or be changed as necessary.

APPLY:
Before applying, please visit our website at www.culturela. org to get a sense of the organization and the Youth Arts and Education Program. Submit cover letter, resume, and three references via EMAIL ONLY to the Youth Arts and Education Program at elizabeth.morin@lacity.org

This position is administrative adn serves the youth of Los Angeles through the arts, local history, and education.

No phone calls please.

Articles:

Good signs downtown, but vision still lacking
Steve Lopez

August 12, 2007

The ghost town is gone.

When I leave my office in the early evening, the downtown Los Angeles of years past is but a memory. People who live in transformed, long-abandoned buildings and trendy new towers are on foot, heading here and there and nowhere in particular.

The new and much-celebrated Ralphs, whose disciples are no less reverential than those who flock to Harrod's in London , has international wine tastings where no one drinks out of a brown paper sack. And I think it's generally a good sign that there are now more dogs than humans urinating on downtown sidewalks.

I like much of what I see. And with all this commerce and more to come, the potential benefits to the rest of the city (from shared tax revenue) and to the whole region (from new attractions around Staples Center and on Grand Avenue ) are huge.

But there's just as much potential for disaster. Pardon me for popping a few party balloons, but somebody has to.

In typical L.A. fashion, mega-developments and the redrawing of the skyline are underway with little in the way of long-term vision or planning. It's the same old let's-try-this- and-see-what- happens approach, with developers in the driver's seat.

Although public officials and the media spun last week's downtown zoning changes as a boon for desperately needed affordable housing, there is in fact no requirement that a single such unit be built -- there are merely incentives that developers may or may not choose to take advantage of.

As usual, the impact on traffic was not a consideration in any of this. Nor is anyone admitting that downtown will scare most people away until there's a commitment to build, and scatter across the region, enough supportive housing to clean up skid row once and for all.

And then there's the greenery problem.

Why do dogs do their business on sidewalks? Because there's nowhere else for them to go. Where are the pocket parks? Where are the benches for people to sit with a cup of coffee and a newspaper and watch the world go by?

Rather than do something about it, the geniuses at City Hall have just given developers the right to reduce the space between buildings and to squeeze up even closer to sidewalks.

"Everybody is talking about the need for more parks," said Ian Barnard, a downtown resident and an English professor at Cal State Northridge.

Actually, there's the Fashion Institute park, but that's small. And there's Pershing Square , but that is possibly the worst excuse for a city park in the entire Western Hemisphere . It's a sun-blasted wasteland and public embarrassment, and if it were up to me, I'd have the bulldozers out there tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a planned park at 1st and Spring was ditched for a new police administration building, and the civic mall redesign is a few years away and a little too far from much of the new downtown residential development.

How many people are going to hear the downtown buzz, make the move and then clear out a year later when they discover there's so little outdoor space in the heart of a city with the kind of weather that makes a person want to be outside?

Robert Harris, a downtown resident and a professor of architectural landscape at USC, argues that sidewalks constitute the greatest expanse of open space in downtown Los Angeles . Rather than squeeze them, he'd like to see them dressed up with benches and public art.

Beth Steckler of Livable Places would like to see little nooks and alcoves of downtown turned into miniature parks. To spur creativity, her public policy nonprofit is sponsoring a Sept. 21 campaign to convert areas as small as parking spaces into mini-parks (more information is at www.Parkingdayla. com).

It wouldn't take much imagination to convert dozens of downtown alleys into al fresco hangouts, but according to downtown developer Tom Gilmore, there's a reason only a few such places exist.

"The bureaucratic lead time to pedestrianize the alleys is a day shy of infinity," Gilmore said, adding that the city could easily streamline the hurdles.

"The city can get caught up in big plans and forget how much can be accomplished with little things. Look at all the little tiny 5,000-square- foot parking lots. The city could be buying those up and building parks, because those are the ones that people love -- the small neighborhood park that's built on a smaller scale."

Madeline Janis of the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy says the city should offer developers a menu of community-enhanceme nt options. If the downtown real estate market is so hot that builders want to bust density or height limits, they should be required to convert alleys, or add green space, or improve transit access, or offer a percentage of affordable housing units so people can walk to all the new jobs that might be created in the new downtown.

Imagine if all of those amenities were in place along with a new civic mall park.

Bill Witte, the Related Cos. chief who's in charge of that project, told me he plans to lobby the state for enough additional funding, on top of the budgeted $50 million in local funds, so there's a chance to build one of the great public spaces of the world.

I'll believe it when I see it, but let's say it happens. Let's say you can take the Red Line in from the Valley -- or Metrolink from Claremont -- and have an early dinner on a downtown sidewalk paved with Spanish tiles.

Then you take a shuttle -- I'd have them running on five-minute intervals -- to the new civic mall to watch a band from the Colburn School in the new outdoor amphitheater, or catch a movie under the stars, or watch opera in the park.

Maybe you go to a Lakers game or see a theatrical production in a rebuilt grand theater on Broadway, and then wander over to a re-imagined Pershing Square for a nightcap.

No, I'm not holding my breath.

But this is not farfetched, pie-in-the-sky stuff. With enough imagination, and a little leadership, it's a city center that could exist.

steve.lopez@ latimes.com

Urban Eats:

Farmer Markets in the Hood!

Tianguis: South Central Farmers Market.

Support Community Sustainable Agriculture (C.S.A.)

Music, high quality produce,

www.southcentralfarmers.com

Date: First Sunday of every month (May 6th)

Time: 10:00 am. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: 41st and Alameda

PROYECTO JARDIN COMMUNITY GARDEN

Location: 1718 Bridge Street, Boyle Heights LA 90033
(In between State and Boyle behind White Memorial Medical Center )

To post events, activities or meetings that promote planning, cultural or dialogue contact James Rojas at 213 892-0918 or email Latinourbanforum@ yahoo.com Please submit post in a word document.

good discussions on gentrification...

over at El Chavo and El Chavo's recommendation, Sickly Season...

Gail Goldberg visits Boyle Heights!

Keeping her promise to engage the residents of Boyle Heights in our neighborhood’s planning process, Planning Director Gayle Goldberg appeared last Saturday (August 4) at a community forum organized by Unión de Vecinos (UV) and the East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC). Over a hundred people showed up for the Spanish-language event at the Puente Learning Center on Boyle Ave, welcoming Ms. Goldberg with a slide show depicting life and art in the barrio, small mementos presented by children, and a brief explanation of both organizations’ efforts to secure affordable housing here and make other quality-of-life improvements. For her part, Ms. Goldberg’s opening remarks included acknowledgement of the acute housing shortage we are experiencing east of the Los Angeles River, a crisis that has sent many working-class families to relocate to Ontario, San Bernardino and other Inland Empire cities even while their jobs and hearts remain in Boyle Heights.

Unsurprisingly, the questions, concerns and visions for the future of Boyle Heights expressed by the attendees—overwhelmingly middle-aged señoras, most of whom were wearing either UV’s black-and-orange tee shirts or ELACC’s dark green tees—mainly revolved around the need for building more (affordable) housing, which would effectively require increasing the neighborhood’s density. Other points raised, however, included the need for more parks and other public spaces, improving public transit, economic development, better enforcement of housing codes and tenant protections, and improving street and sidewalk maintenance—all issues pertinent to the well-being of families growing up here and areas in which we are severely lacking.

One question for Ms. Goldberg was put forth by a young man wearing a name tag reading “Jesús” (strikingly handsome, he!) who said he was a tenant in Boyle Heights’s huge Wyvernwood Garden Apartments, one of the largest private housing tracts in the country with 1175 units and about six thousand residents. Wyvernwood’s owners, said Jesús, are planning to convert the complex into high-end condos and rentals as their way to “rescue the community from blight.” But all his neighbors know, he said, that the landlord’s plans would only push them out of area and, ultimately, the city, because the new housing would be too expensive for them. Most of Wyvernwood’s residents, like most people in Boyle Heights, earn fairly low wages. Aside from their banishment, Jesús pointed out, the city would be losing precious rental housing stock governed by the rent-stabilization ordinance that only covers structures built before 1978.

The forum was a success, if you consider the importance of providing local residents—largely immigrants and with little or no tradition of civic participation—the opportunity to speak to high-level policymaking officials in this city. On the other hand, while immigrant mothers and grandmothers were present, the men of Boyle Heights were conspicuously absent, as were Chicanos and young people to quite an extent. Also, as a couple of organizers noted afterwards, there is still a need to cultivate leadership in the community and encouraging participants to articulate their own ideas: More than a few of the women who took the microphone to speak to Ms. Goldberg read off a piece of paper words that appeared to have been written by someone else in English and translated for them into Spanish.

Weekly Calendar

I've been slacking a little on getting these up here. But will post soon the two I missed for archiving purposes. These CD14 Planning sessions look particularly interesting to me...
-Nate

Latino Urban Forum

Meetings, activities and events that promote our mission as of August 6, 2007

1. Urban Design Exercise

2. Malibu Public Beach Safari

3. Urban Planning Discussion Series for CD14

4. LA RIVER: River Improvement Overlay ( RIO ) Meeting

5. Cornfields State Park Meeting

6. LA City Housing Element

7. 2008 APA State Conference Brainstorming

8. Conference: California Walks

9. Conference: Walk 21

10. ART: Landscaping America : Beyond the Japanese Garden

"REWORKING and RETHINKING the LINEAR CITY"

Help create a 100-foot by 3-inch linear city along the walls of Galley 727!

Come join us for an interactive city-building extravaganza in which we will push the boundaries of what a linear city might look like and how it might function. Model-builder James Rojas will supply the building materials; urban designer Simon Pastucha will provide the design expertise; DJ John Kamp will provide the soundscapes for your new urban landscapes. For further information contact James at (626) 437-4446

Bring your imagination.

Date: Thursday, August 9, 2007

Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Location: Gallery 727

727 S. Spring Street
LA, CA 90014

Visit www.latinourbanforu m.org, Myspace.com/LatinoUrbanForum, and the blogito

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _____

August 11-12th, 2007

The Los Angeles Urban Rangers announce:

"MALIBU PUBLIC BEACHES" SAFARIS

Tired of Zuma and Surfrider? Want to find and use the other beaches in Malibu? The twenty miles that are lined with private development? The "Malibu Public Beaches" safaris will show you how to find, park, walk, picnic, and sunbathe on a Malibu beach. Each 3 1/2-hour safari visits two or three beaches and explores natural history, jurisdiction, and the identification of public and private property. Skills-enhancing activities include a public-private boundary hike, an accessway hunt, sign watching, and a public easement potluck. We will offer two safaris in west Malibu and two in east Malibu:

** West Malibu beaches - SUN Aug 12 (1:30-5pm)
** East Malibu beaches - SAT Aug 11 (1:30-5pm)

Safaris are free, but space is limited. To sign up, please email info@laurbanrangers.org with tour date, name, and # of people. For further information on the safaris and the Los Angeles Urban Rangers, visit laurbanrangers.org.

A "Malibu Public Beaches" guide will be downloadable from our website in early August.

_____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

Saturday, August 11, 2007

River Overlay Improvement Meeting

The Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan (LARRMP) was adopted on May 2007 by the Los Angeles City Council largely from the efforts of Councilman Ed Reyes and support from eastside residents and organizations. Many of us worked hard making sure the interest of our communities were being heard and incorporated through outreach. The following are meeting dates and locations involving the Eastside:

Location: Council District 14

Boyle Heights Office

2130 E. First Street Suite 202

LA ,CA 90033

_____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____

Tuesday August 14, 2007

Please join California State Parks and Hargreaves Associates for a community meeting about the next phase of work for the Cornfields State Park.

Location: St. Peter's Italiana Church

1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____

PLANNING PANEL DISCUSSION SERIES

Councilmember Jose Huizar will be hosting a series of four planning-related panel discussions for the community in August and September. The panel discussions will lead up to planning charettes which will kick off this fall in El Sereno, Eagle Rock and Highland Park.

Each panel discussion forum will include presentations and the participation of well-respected subject matter experts from the public and private sectors, as well as time for Q&A. Councilmember Huizar is hosting the summer series with a special focus on the communities of Northeast Los Angeles CD14, but all are welcome! Anyone in the City of Los Angeles interested in planning and economic development will not want to miss this broad and informative summer series!

Wednesday, August 8, 2007 @ 7 pm
PLANNING 101
• How It Really Works In L.A. & How The City Can "Do Real Planning"
Panelists: Jane Blumenfeld, Dept. of City Planning, City of Los Angeles
• David Gay, Dept. of City Planning, City of Los Angeles
• Bill Roschen, AIA, Los Angeles City Planning Commission

Location: El Sereno Senior Center 4818 Klamath Place Los Angeles, CA 90032

Wednesday, August 15, 2007 @ 7 pm
SMART GROWTH • URBAN DESIGN • TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT

Panelists: William Fain, FAIA, Johnson Fain Architects
Emily Gabel-Luddy, Urban Design Studio, City of Los Angeles
Woodie Tescher, EIP Associates, a Division of PBS&J
Mike Woo, Los Angeles City Planning Commission

Location: Center for the Arts
Eagle Rock: 2225 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90041

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 @ 7 pm

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • ENCOURAGING SMALL BUSINESS
Panelists: Richard Benbow, Community Development Department
Jack Keyser, L.A. County Economic Development Corporation
James Rodriguez, CB Richard Ellis, Retail Brokerage Services
Kent Smith, Fashion District Business Improvement District

Location: El Sereno Senior Center
4818 Klamath Place, Los Angeles, CA 90032

Wednesday, September 25, 2007 @ 7pm


HISTORIC PRESERVATION • A LINK TO REVITALIZATION TUES.

Panelists: Richard Barron, Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission
Ken Bernstein, Office of Historic Resources, City of Los Angeles
Linda Dishman, Los Angeles Conservancy
Peyton Hall, FAIA, Historic Resources Group
Michael Olecki, S. Carthay Historic Preservation Overlay Zone Board

Location: Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles , CA 90041

____________ _________ _________ _________ _______

LA City is updating its Housing Element. Please attend if you are interested in shaping the Housing Element. Contact Naomi Guth (info at the bottom) for further information.

Housing Preservation

Thursday, August 16th

2:00 - 4:00 pm

Location TBD

Week of Monday, August 20th - Friday, August 24th:

Housing Preservation

Thursday, August 23rd

2:00 - 4:00 pm

Location TBD

Naomi Guth

City Planning Department

City of Los Angeles

200 N. Spring St., Room 721

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tel: (213) 978-1363 (direct)

Fax: (213) 978-4656

Email: Naomi.Guth@lacity.org

New Meeting date: Thursday, July 26, 2007 @ 7:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m.

______________________________________________________________

2008 American Planning Association State Conference

The 2008 APA State Conference will be held in Hollywood next year. A volunteer committee has been formed to help plan the conference. Many of us have volunteered to organize workshops on Cultural Planning Issues in LA and the state. We want to develop a strong cultural planning agenda that can address issues and as well as highlight stellar projects that provide innovated solutions to land use problems in communities of color. Please contact James Rojas.

Location: 725 S. Spring Street #12
LA, CA. 90014

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _

Audubon Film Fridays—our free, summer film series under the stars. Our film series begins on Friday, August 3rd with the feature film Hoot!, about the adventures of a group of teens who fight to protect a population of endangered owls in Florida.

We will start each Film Friday at 7 p.m. with a bird walk; the films start at 8 p.m. All films are family friendly and nature themed—the full line up is found below and in the attached flyer. Some films will be shown in English with Spanish subtitles; others will be shown in Spanish with English subtitles. Seating is limited so please arrive early. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Limited parking is available in the Center's parking lot; there is plenty of street parking and we have plenty of space for bicycles. Again, admission to Film Friday is free.

Aug. 3: Hoot! (English w/Spanish subtitles)

Aug. 17: Happy Feet (Spanish w/English subtitles)

Sept. 7: Winged Migration (English w/Spanish subtitles)

Sept. 21: Eyewitness: Bird (English w/Spanish subtitles); Ocean Oasis (Spanish w/English subtitles)

Oct. 5: The Life of Birds – 2 episodes (English)

With your help, Audubon Film Fridays will become a summer tradition at the Audubon Center . What better way to enjoy a hot summer evening than watching nature-themed movies outdoors with family, friends and neighbors in our courtyard??

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ________

"Landscaping America : Beyond the Japanese Garden"

June 17-Oct 21, 2007

This exhibition explores the history of Japanese American gardens and gardeners. The exhibit runs from. The opening day of the exhibit will be on Father's Day. We'll have live music and BBQ food vendors on the plaza.

Location: Japanese American National Museum

368 East First Street

LA, CA

____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ________

Conferences

September 11-14, 2007

APBP Professional Development Seminar in Davis , CA -

Theme: "Walking and Bicycling – The Next Generation"

Registration rates GO UP after July 31
http://www.walkbikecalifornia.org/register.htm

Reserve lodging by August 11 or consider camping.

Check out the PDS sessions at www.apbp.org and the Walk/Bike California program at http://www.walkbikecalifornia.org/schedule.htm.

This is the first time APBP has partnered with a state bike/ped conference. Is your state next?

Walk21 Toronto – October 1-4, 2007

Register by July 31 for the early bird rate http://www.toronto. ca/walk21/registration.htm

View the program and conference update news at http://www.toronto. ca/walk21/index.htm

APBP served on the program planning team. Walk21 Toronto 2007 will bring together hundreds of delegates from around the world, will feature over 100 different presentations, numerous social and networking events, a poster session, walkshops, community events, and more. You're invited to Canada 's largest and most multicultural city for this exciting event!

_____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Articles:

Urban Eats:

Farmer Markets in the Hood!

Tianguis: South Central Farmers Market

Support Community Sustainable Agriculture (C.S.A.)

Music, high quality produce, www.southcentralfar mers.com

Date: First Sunday of every month (May 6th)

Time: 10:00 am. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: 41st and Alameda

PROYECTO JARDIN COMMUNITY GARDEN

Location: 1718 Bridge Street, Boyle Heights LA 90033
(In between State and Boyle behind White Memorial Medical Center)

To post events, activities or meetings that promote planning, cultural or dialogue contact James Rojas at 213-892-0918 or email Latinourbanforum@yahoo.com . Please submit post in a word document.