#la2020

LA2020 recently published the first of two reports detailing their opinion on Los Angeles's future, and they found some major, seriously bothersome problems. One of them in particular, happens to be the exact reason I was motivated to create CityGrows.

We have missed opportunities to properly engage community groups who could be sources of ideas and support. Take Neighborhood Councils —intended to be links between government and communities. The City lacks a coherent strategy for including Neighborhood Councils in discussions about projects that impact their neighborhoods and could nurture development, induce job growth and better the lives of people in the area. Neighborhood Councils, established to increase community input, sit in a sort of never-never land, their resources cut and mission not clearly defined. This is but one example of LA’s inability to balance legitimate community input while special interests and nimbyism reign. The result is nothing gets done and, often, the greater good suffers.