On October 15th, the Downtown Los Angeles Residents Association (DTLA RA), DTLA Proud, Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association (LARABA), and South Park Neighborhood Association (SPNA) put the needs and concerns of downtown Los Angeles residents at the forefront of the upcoming mayoral election as they welcomed both incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman for a non-partisan conversation to discuss these concerns.
As DTLA residents listened intently, each candidate took their turn sitting in front of the majestic faux coastal redwood erected in the middle of the Clifton’s atrium to answer the same questions, moderated by DTLA RA co-founder Cassy Horton. The questions were submitted by residents in the audience; the answers could possibly determine whose name residents would select on their ballots.
The conversation was entirely about downtown with particular emphasis on a few issues: drug use and dealing on downtown streets, how to positively impact businesses and the economy, and what their views are on supporting the L.A. Convention Center’s renovation that is already underway.
On drug use and dealing, Raman referred to drug use and dealing as a public safety crisis and said the LAPD should enforce regulations and deal with dealers, while pointing out that arrests for drug use often result in release of the perpetrators just a few hours later. She said a constant presence from services and multiple forms of intervention would be required to get people off the streets and to ultimately result in a long-term solution. She pointed to her own district’s record of reducing homelessness.
Mayor Bass stated that the LAPD should enforce the law and that she wanted to “see more of what happened last week,” in reference to the federal raid of Skid Row that occurred on October 9th and resulted in the arrest of 12 drug dealers. She pointed to the need for more housing and stated that there is currently not enough drug treatment available. She also said that the county has been lax in providing opportunities for drug treatment over the years.
On businesses and the economy, Mayor Bass said there is currently a downtown task force that residents are a part of and a business task force that are looking into bringing in the private sector, along with residents, to recruit major businesses to return to the area. She discussed the recent launch of “Vacant to Vibrant” and how it would further incentivize businesses to come to downtown. She pointed to the need for adaptive reuse, which would convert empty office space into housing. She concluded by saying the completion of the Convention Center expansion in 2029 will “fundamentally change downtown,” She added that there are currently 18 organizations, interested in booking a convention here who are waiting for completion of the improvements. This would represent a potential revenue of $340 million for the area.
Raman began by acknowledging that business vacancy rates in DTLA are high and that the city needs to do more to ensure that housing can be built again, while pointing out that she didn’t notice any “cranes in the sky” which are a telltale sign of new construction. She believes an economic plan and a reformed tax structure are needed to recruit new businesses while diversifying the economy, and that currently no one at City Hall is assigned to doing that specific work.
On their support of the Convention Center, Raman said, “We’re in it, the project is moving forward” and assured the audience that she would see that it would be completed on time and on budget. She pointed to her widely known original skepticism of the project due to the projection that the project would divert $100 million out of the general fund “over the next 30 years” and later pointed out that the final cost could potentially be impacted by the current high interest rate. Now, she said, she wants to assure the project is more successful than projected, would partner with the Tourism Bureau, would work on making sure the city wouldn’t stand in the way of planned investment projects, and that the project would not be delayed by LADWP.
Mayor Bass said the project is on time, on budget and that jobs are already being generated. She also proudly stated that some of the workforce was a result of Second-Chance hiring, consisting of people who were previously incarcerated and working in specific trades. She called this a true redemption story.
You can watch and hear the entire conversation here.
By Rosemary Orellana