JUST SAYIN’-I have been a strong proponent of mixed/multi-use facilities for years. The concept is so forward-thinking, so progressive, it is a wonder it has not caught on everywhere by now!
If you are old enough and come from back East or down South, you may remember that people often lived above their businesses—the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. People could walk the boulevards and shop for their every need—the demand for cars or buses or trolleys was negligible. Schools and work and entertainment were nearby. People spent a Sunday strolling along the walkways or picnicking in parks where they could play a friendly game of baseball, play checkers, or listen to free concerts.
As downtown areas became overly crowded, those who could afford it moved out to the newly created suburbs—thus, the so-called “bedroom communities” came into being. The downtown districts were virtually deserted except for commercial/industrial use and space relegated to the poor.
Now, however, our suburbs are also beginning to witness the aches and pains of overcrowding, partly due to a lack of foresight in city planning.
In this day of growing populations and less usable land, it seems apparent that we need to think differently about housing and business developments compared to what, in recent decades, we have come to expect.
When Los Angeles had an active Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), places like Sylmar were in the forefront for considering multi-use facilities to revitalize their downtown areas and provide safer communities. Such places would join hospitable open spaces for families with first-class affordable housing and easy-access to shops, entertainment establishments, restaurants, among other attractions.
Currently Sylmar’s neighbor, the City of San Fernando has approved a similar concept. Just recently, the City Council passed a motion to address redesigning the abandoned J. C. Penney building which was constructed in 1920 (while maintaining its historical façade)with 101 apartment units above mostly new commercial properties below.
Just about every issue has been considered: There will be a 24-hour security system with 46 cameras, an on-site manager, energy-efficient units, modern designs—all of which are particularly intended to attract young people who, after finishing school, are just starting out for life on their own. Seniors as well will find this housing perfect for their latter years. By contract, the small units will permit no more than two occupants and overnight visitor stays limited to no more than 14 days a year. Because there will be parking spaces for every unit as well as visitor parking, downtown traffic will not be appreciably affected.
There is an additional requirement that no more than 1/3 of the applicant’s salary be spent on the reasonable $850 monthly rent. This formula, incidentally, is further justification for raising the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour. At that rate, a worker would earn about $32,000 a year and would, therefore, qualify to rent in this development. This would also mean that after rent and other expenses, there would be enough discretionary money that could be spent within their neighborhood and might very well ultimately lead tenants to opt for home ownership in that same community at some point in the future.
Perhaps the best part of this is that the City and its taxpayers will not be responsible for a dime. Bonds will be floated through the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) and handled through CitiBank. There will absolutely not be any fiduciary responsibility taken on by any entity other than the developer, Aszkenazy Development, Inc. Thus, should there be a default, the developer will be responsible in the whole. Balancing income loss and income gain for the City, the scale will weigh more heavily on behalf of the City. I believe this development can serve as a prototype for other localities.
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Yes, there has been some vocal opposition to this plan. Some were concerned that it would be a Section 8 project, but the facts prove this assertion to be totally untrue. People should keep in mind that affordable housing must not be equated with housing for the poorest of the poor, for those who depend entirely on government assistance, for the chronically unemployed, for the criminal element. Remember, in order to qualify to live in this development in the first place, criteria would mandate salaries that would place tenants no lower than the low end of the middle class stratum.
Misinformation, which many people have received, is always a problem—thus a level of resistance. Change is frequently perceived as a threat; people feel fearful and insecure; the comfort level is rattled, but I believe answers to citizen concerns were satisfactorily and more- than-adequately offered at the Council Meeting that heard both sides of the agenda item.
In general, the business community (including the Chamber of Commerce) welcomes such developments which can, in turn, precipitate overall growth and would add not only to the number of potential patrons but would also attract even more commercial enterprises. It is a win-win for all!
The City of Burbank (and Glendale) is a prime example of how this program works to everyone’s satisfaction. On any Friday or Saturday evening, for instance, you will see throngs of people quietly walking along the promenade (where no vehicular traffic is allowed), listening to live music and people-watching. A major movie theatre is a draw but so is the myriad of restaurants, dessert shops, and boutiques. Ample parking in protected structures is free. Shops around the corner are also beneficiaries of this development. Above the stores are fabulous apartments or condos with balconies overlooking the pedestrians below (and double-paned windows keep extraneous noise out).
The creation and maintenance of mixed/multi-use facilities is the wave of the future. We must embrace this concept and pursue it in new and redeveloped projects in our own areas. If executed correctly, this idea has so much promise!
Just sayin’.
(Rosemary Jenkins is a Democratic activist and chair of the Northeast Valley Green Alliance. Jenkins has written A Quick-and=Easy Reference to Correct Grammar and Composition, Leticia in Her Wedding Dress and Other Poems, and Vignettes for Understanding Literary and Related Concepts. She also writes for CityWatch.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 12 Issue 88
Pub: Oct 31, 2014
