( A resident sent the following note to this editor, who had also observed that no questions were shown on the screen during the July 9 Townhall on a “Resilient Building Authority” and only two questions were asked and answered. Those questions seemed to be “spoonfed” and included “What are Soft Seconds?” and “How will this support legacy buildings to return?”)
I attended the Zoom, having read through the ‘Blue Ribbon’ Report which the basis for SB549. I resubmitted the following three questions, then repeatedly asked in the Q&A chat for Horvath to answer, which she studiously did not do:
- Why didn’t the Committee include our elected official, Traci Park, our local leaders, members of the PPCC, local business leaders, HOA reps or other Palisades residents who are personally invested in the rebuild of our community but instead was comprised of outsiders and unrelated representatives (except a Heal the Bay rep, who was a Highlands resident and whose home is still standing). Why were our people left out, and instead the Committee included special interest reps such as a Tribal Indian Council member, other city reps, private consultants who would probably later be hired for the rebuild process, and other outsiders?
- Please explain the meaning and intent of Section L-1 which calls for “increased density”?
- Section L-3 calls for funding and building low income “housing for day workers and their families” – where? Why? For how long and who do you intend to move in there after the work is done? Shouldn’t the funds go to helping our own community members rebuild and return?
These questions were repeatedly ignored while Horvath and her Committee championed their vision to create a re-imagined Palisades with better economic diversity. While they added that our community would have ‘authority’ and input, they gave no specifics how our Palisades leaders, residents and businesses would be able to exert any authority over their plans if this goes forward. She also avoided straight answers to others’ questions about rushing ‘land grabs’ from our fire victims struggling to secure funding to rebuild. It sure seems to me, as a worried, returning, resident that Horvath and SB 549 do not represent our community’s best interests and our hopes to rebuild our community.
Two other residents pointed out that one of the people speaking during the townhall, Ceclia Estalano, has consulting company, Estalano Advisors (EA), which is also tied into ULA funding. ‘EA is serving as the Interim Inspector General for the United to House LA (ULA) Citizen Oversight Committee (COC) (click here) – a body created to oversee and monitor the ULA ballot measure which intended to create a sustainable funding stream dedicated to affordable housing production and homelessness prevention.
Disingenuous? Straight up fraud in my opinion
Masquerading as for “neighborhood “ when you are
Advocating for large public institutions for complete Land grabs
This must be stopped. At the voting booth
By dumping Horvath !
A Tribal Indian Council member ?
Referring to homeless issues, my husband and I were 50 year residents in the alphabets and are working on rebuilding. We were recently made aware of an additional fee of over $23. per sq foot for “the homeless”. Ironically, we are technically homeless and in our 80’s. If this is correct, it will certainly impact our ability to build and furnish a small home. Is this, in fact, an actual additional cost to rebuild in the Palisades? We’re trying to find out if there’s anyone we can talk to in order to contest it.
I believe State Senator Scott Wiener is responsible for this high density bill. He tried to pass this same or a very similar bill in the past. It really scares people that a large apartment building or other multi-unit housing unit could be built in their residential neighborhoods and even next door to our homes. This would likely change the culture and unity of our town, adding much more traffic on our streets forever. They’ll call us NIMBY but what happened to the American dream of owning a home? What about our limited emergency escape routes? I don’t know what we can do to prevent it from passing but we must do everything in our power to stop this sneaky power grab!
Where is the Coastal Commission in all of this. They had/hopefully still have sway for most of PacPal as not appropriate for density and other issues.
Yes Bruce et al…
We have to stop this. Can the PPCC stop this???? Where is Traci Park when we need her? Traci, can you hear us?
Help.
The scariest words of all “ we are the government and we are here to help”… this egregious overreach must be stopped..
PPCC and Traci Park, we need you to Stop this now.
I also attended the Zoom and felt that this was more of a confusing orchestrated presentation than the layout of a proposal. As I’ve been writing since the DWP Zoom on July 1 (a holiday week!) when I first caught wind of this, it is a solution in search of a problem. If you haven’t done so already, sign and send the letter of opposition at https://actionnetwork.org/letters/our-land-our-voice-stop-the-land-grab?source=direct_link& and forward it to everyone you know in zip 90272. Call Supervisor Horvath’s office and members of the Assembly to voice your opinion. Voting in the Assembly tomorrow, July 16 at 1:30pm
Amusing (if your sense of humor is as warped as mine). In a quick review of the legislation cited by Estalano, it appears that this is the 1+ percent “Mansion Sales Tax” (Measure ULA) imposed on L.A. real estate sales valued at over $5 million. The tax that has raised around $60 million so far, all of which remains banked.
Note that the real victims of this are not home sellers, but owners of any real estate sold for over $5 million. Any, e.g., commercial, office, industrial, etc. In reality, all.
These are the people behind this farce, led by Comrade — oops, Supervisor Horvath.
Why do the governments of Sacramento and Los Angeles support this bill?
Because it establishes yet another layer of regulation.
And who is responsible for administering those regulations?
Primarily, union members.
Who is authorized to build on the newly regulated lots?
Union contractors—exclusively.
It is deeply concerning that voters continue to support policies like these, which reflect a lack of long-term perspective.
The State of California is currently facing a $34 billion budget deficit, while the City of Los Angeles is confronting a shortfall of $1 billion.
In the film The Graduate, a character famously tells the young man, “I’ve got one word for you.” That word was “plastics.”
Today, the word might very well be “unions.”
This continues to the ever growing government that cost more and more every day.
Lindsay Horvath is spouting the Leftist Socialist agenda that the mayor spouts. Who cares what the people of Palisades want? Just more bla bla bla from a politician that is full of it!!!
Did Caruso invest millions in his Village to have the Palisades transformed into low income housing? Would they be his potential customers to shop or eat in the Village? I assume he has enough clout in the city to tamp down this bill.
Regarding the comment from Penny Perez and other interested Palisadians:
“Single-family homes with significant additions or replacements may require a covenant stating that the owner must pay the Linkage Fee if the home is sold within three years of the building permit being issued. This covenant expires after three years if no sale occurs, but remains in effect upon sale until the fee is paid and a Notice of Termination is recorded by the City.”
If you are not planning to sell your home within three years, you may consider filing this form:
https://www.ladbs.org/docs/default-source/forms/plan-check-2017/linkage_fee_affidavit_6_26_2018.pdf?sfvrsn=482efa53_12
After the covenant is recorded with the City, you will need to apply for a refund of the fees…if paid.
Forms like the “Covenant and Agreement Regarding the Payment of Linkage Fees to the City of Los Angeles” can be found on the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) website. For questions regarding AHLF implementation, the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) suggests emailing hcidla.ahlf@lacity.org. For project-specific inquiries, visiting a LADBS office in person is recommended.
(I am a concerned neighbor and recommend contacting LADBS for details)