Sustainability Committee 2009 SDAT Proposal

The Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council is the applicant for
this proposal. As an advisory Council to Los Angeles City Hall, the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council represents all downtown stakeholders. The Sustainability Committee is working to develop a
community greening “toolkit” that any stakeholder can use to contribute positively to a greener urban
environment. In response to the downtown neighborhood’s steady revitalization, the Sustainability
Committee wants to identify resources and programs available to the public, develop a program of
outreach and community education, and encourage public participation through the development
of this strategy. Tenants, residents, workers, business owners, and the homeless should be involved
throughout the process. The Sustainability Committee will provide support to the Sustainable Design
Assessment Team (SDAT) process while developing an outreach strategy to facilitate the implementation
of the SDAT plan with public consensus.

The SDAT process will help the growing community of Downtown Los Angeles develop with the benefit
of sustainable practices to ensure the public health of this and future generations. The Neighborhood
Council system is intended to reach the community at the grassroots level and it is supported by the
City Council of Los Angeles. The Mayor, City Council, and State of California have recently launched
several new sustainability programs and there is a need for public outreach and education. How
does our community access these programs and implement their benefits for a cleaner, more livable
city? Substantial clusters of cultural attractions, artists and galleries, and new pockets of residential
development have changed the scope of the issues we face as an urban environment and creative
solutions are necessary to enhance this influx of density.

The SDAT process will provide us with a comprehensive understanding of how to manage the
transformation of our neighborhood and maximize the potential community benefits of this growth.
The SDAT process will provide guidance to the Sustainability Committee and Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council as it facilitates community collaboration and partnership to meet the needs of
stakeholders in a pedestrian-oriented, sustainable urban environment.

Downtown Los Angeles: Community-driven change

Downtown Los AnGeles
Center for Communities by Design 2009 Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) Program Proposal

community-driven change

TABLE OF CONTENTS
click section header to link to page

Community Description

Problem Statement & Issues Analysis

Local Capacity & Resources

Budget & Funding

Educational Partners

Community & Outreach

SDAT Project Timeline

Partnerships & Support

Appendix A: Maps & Photos

Appendix B: Planning

Downtown Los AnGeles
Center for Communities by Design 2009 Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) Program Proposal

community-driven change
Proposal Contact:
Ashley Zarella, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 756 S. Broadway, #1107
Director, Area-Wide Work-Force, Private Sector Los Angeles, CA 9 0 0 1 4
Chair, Sustainability Committee Telephone: 917-974-1891
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, 2008-2010 Email: ashley.zarella@dlanc.com

Downtown Los Angeles is a uniquely diverse community within a 498.3 square mile city.
The City of Los Angeles developed as a multi-center city with nodes of urban activity linked by
suburban development and highways. The population grew around the missions and ranchos
of the past, rail infrastructure, and now highways creating the second largest city in the country
with over 3.8 million people.

Considered the historical center of the city, the Downtown Los Angeles community includes
a multitude of distinct neighborhoods including: Spring Street Financial District, Broadway
Theater and Commercial District, Arts District, Civic Center, El Pueblo, Gallery Row, Fashion
District, Financial District, Toy District, Jewelry District, Bunker Hill, Chinatown, South Park, Old
Bank District, Historic Core, Skid Row, Central City West, and Little Tokyo. The development
of downtown has shifted south and west a few blocks from the original 1781 city center,
Olvera Street, which is between the Civic Center and Chinatown and maintains its pedestrian
orientation.

The mid-century brought a boom of lavish development to Downtown Los Angeles as a center of
agriculture and industrial businesses. The 1970s would follow with high vacancy rates, vagrancy
and crime. Many of the major corporations previously headquartered downtown moved to new
urban nodes within Los Angeles (e.g. Century City). The physical transformation of downtown

community description
was on hold. The middle class residential population soon left too, looking for cheap suburban
housing built throughout the sprawling metropolitan area. Several banks remained downtown,
however, and concentrated in the Bunker Hill area. Other service-oriented businesses began
opening downtown, bringing a new workforce to the neighborhood.

In recent years the downtown Los Angeles neighborhood has seen dramatic changes as a new
and growing residential population has moved in. New construction and the 1999 adaptive
reuse ordinance have brought substantial improvements to existing vacant buildings while
attracting additional services to the neighborhood. Several historic banking headquarters have
been rehabilitated into luxury apartments and new live-work loft spaces attract young creative
professionals. A large influx of artists have converted previously abandoned storefronts and
buildings into gallery space and several new restaurants and small stores have opened in
some districts of the neighborhood. Art Walk, a community-driven program, brings thousands of
people to the streets of the Historic Core the third Thursday of the month as vacant storefronts
are illuminated by art, light and a pedestrian crowd.

In just two years there was a 20% increase in the population of Downtown LA to 28,878
residents (2007). With the number of units under construction, it was anticipated that the
2015 target of 40,000 residents would be met by the end of this year. However, even as
people began moving downtown, the number of jobs has decreased with the outsourcing of
service sector jobs and depleted consumer population. The disproportionate number of jobs
to residents downtown indicates a large commuter population that vacates the city after work
and most weekends. The number of jobs has decreased, with more than 187,000 less jobs
than the 1995 high of 605,000 jobs. With 243,217 of 418,000 jobs downtown, the majority of
employment opportunities are in the public sector (government jobs).1

Adjacent to a pocket of recent development in the Historic Core and Little Tokyo, the Skid Row
SDAT Application

and homeless community faces multiple sociopolitical challenges, including access to services,
affordability of housing, and opportunities for nearby, sustainable, and living wage jobs. With so
Los Angeles Downtown Center Business Improvement District, The Downtown Los Angeles Market Report 2006 Demo-
1
graphic Survey of New Downtown Residents (February 2007), http://www.downtownla.com/pdfs/econ_developments/

DCBID_Report-2005.pdf
click here to return to
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many living on the streets, public health and safety are important and real local concerns. Actual
numbers are difficult to predict. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), on
September 3, 2008 there were approximately 177 women and 712 men sleeping on the few blocks of
Skid Row with thousands more in area shelters. In 2006, the Washington Post reported more
than 6,000 people on the streets of downtown.2 With the recent economic downturn there has
been an influx of people, including families, moving into Skid Row. Here the public streets of an
industrial neighborhood serve as the concrete backdrop to a transient population stuck on the
streets of our nation’s second largest city. Single resident-occupied (SRO) transitional housing
offers some assistance but there is a need to develop options for families and women with
children for whom housing is nearly impossible to find.

On April 27, 2002, the Los Angeles City Council certified the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council per the 1999 city charter revisions. The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
has been working to represent anyone who lives, works, or owns a business in downtown.
The 28-member Board of Directors is elected every two years, representing a range of
stakeholders and works with a $50,000 per annum city-provided budget. Overseen by the
City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), the mission of the
Neighborhood Council is: To unite the diverse communities of Downtown Los Angeles and to
provide an innovative forum for all community stakeholders to contribute to a healthy, vibrant,
and inclusive downtown.

Downtown Los Angeles falls within Council District 9 (Jan Perry) and Council District 11 (Jose
Huizar) with active council offices in the neighborhood. Elected in 1991 and 2005 respectively,
Councilmembers Perry and Huizar have developed great opportunities for sustainability
downtown. Perry has actively supported more parks and open space and has helped made
community-driven initiatives a success. Huizar has championed the Bringing Back Broadway
initiative which plans to restore the highest concentration of historic theaters in the country,
reintroduce the streetcar downtown, and expand sidewalks for a pedestrian-friendly
environment.

There have been substantial revitalization efforts downtown by both the private and public
sector with the launch of major civic projects, master planning and park proposals, and large
entertainment and residential development projects promising to transform the 1970s-1980s
era commercial office tower skyline. For their success, these projects need the support of
both sectors and the existing community. However, significant outreach is necessary to build
consensus and disseminate information about existing programs to all.

These major projects, combined with the organic transformation of districts such as Gallery
Row, have increased construction employment downtown. Workers now have the option of
choosing to live within walking distance from their job. As a center of business, international
trade, entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, technology and education, Downtown’s
transformation is at a critical juncture in its history.

In 2007, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the City Council championed major changes in downtown
area zoning. These changes, along with improvements to building codes, allow for larger,
denser developments downtown. Open space requirements are waived, however, for larger
buildings with 15% low-income units which introduces additional challenges this neighborhood
faces as it prepares for an influx of residents. In light of the massive transformation of our
neighborhood, how do we create an environment that is amenable to the pedestrian lifestyle,
with a healthy balance of green open space to urban density?

The Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council represents
people who live, work, and/or own a business in our neighborhood and have expressed the
desire to develop a community greening strategy. Launched in October 2008, the Sustainability
Committee is now working to plan and execute a “toolkit” that any stakeholder can use to
2 Pomfret, John, “Downtown Los Angeles Gets a $10 Billion Remake” (Washington Post, January 2, 2006)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/01/AR2006010101086.html
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contribute to a greener urban environment. In response to the neighborhood transformation,
the Sustainability Committee wants to identify resources and programs available to the public,
develop a program of outreach and community education, and encourage public participation
throughout the development of this strategy and execution. The entire process will be designed
to include tenants, workers, business owners, and the homeless throughout the process.
The Sustainability Committee will work through partnership and collaboration to enhance
community outreach through other organizations with common goals.

Much of the recent success of Downtown Los Angeles is attributed to the organic nature of its
transformation. Buildings are rehabilitated, people move to live or work here, they then decide
to do everything Downtown, creating new patches of revitalized pedestrian activity. Large
community events, a high concentration of cultural attractions, and the Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council have contributed to our rehabilitation and growth. This grant would
support work already underway while enabling us to focus on the implementation strategies and
recommendations of the Sustainable Design Assessment Team for a more sustainable future
downtown. Although the proposed site area is just the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council area, this proposal and outcomes will be shared with other Neighborhood Council across
Los Angeles to enhance the potential impact this process can bring to our entire City.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Short List of Planning and/or Revitalization Projects (hyperlinks are embedded):

Barker Block 1010 Wilshire Canvas LA
Chapman Flats Exposition Boulevard light rail Judson Lofts
Union Lofts Metro Gold Line Extension LAPD headquarters
Metro 417 CleanTech Manufacturing Ctr. LA River Revitalization
The Great Republic Lofts Pegasus Apartments Civic Center Park
Rowan Lofts The Roosevelt Rainbow Apartments
Bringing Back Broadway LA Live Midnight Mission
MTA Regional Connector Park Fifth Grand Avenue Project
Evo South Colburn School for Performing
Arts
SB1818/SB435 Density Bonus
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
From the February 2007 report by the Los Angeles Downtown Center Business Improvement
District: The Downtown Los Angeles Market Report 2006 Demographic Survey of New
Downtown Residents. A new study is underway to track ongoing demographic changes.
Age: Median age was 31 years with Household size: Slightly more than half Location of Employment: More than
25.6% of Downtown residents between of Downtown households were made half (55.1%) of respondents surveyed
23-29 years of age. up of single persons (50.2%), while said they either work in the Central
Gender: There were slightly more male 42.6% of households were made of two Business District or Greater Downtown
residents (53.5% vs. 46.5% female) in persons and the remaining 7.2% three Los Angeles, followed by 22.4% in
or more persons. Average: 1.6 people Westside Los Angeles (e.g. Hollywood,
Downtown.
per household. Wilshire, Santa Monica) compared to
Ethnicity: Caucasian/whites accounted 24% in 2004.
for 53.2% of the residents. Asian/Pacific Household Income: Median household
islanders were the second largest income for households with at least Employment Sectors: The largest
group at 24.9%, followed by Hispanics/ one income earner was $99,600 in the private-sector employment category in
Latinos at 10.1% and African-American 2006 survey, compared with $96,300 Downtown was professional, scientific
in 2004. and technical services, with a 2005
at 5.3%.
average of 27,242 workers. This sector
Marital Status: More than 60% of Rent vs. Own: The survey revealed that also had one of the highest average
Downtown households were made up 62.6% of the units were rented, while annual wage levels, $94,236, among
30.2% are owned by the residents.
of single persons. Downtown residents.
Some residents (e.g., consultants on
Origins: In 2006, 24.3% moved from temporary assignment) do not pay for Job Function: From the survey, 22.7%
the Greater Westside of the County. their housing. of the residents were in professional,
SDAT Application

The next largest demographic group scientific and technical services. 20.7%
(16.9%) moved from outside California Primary Residence: An overwhelming were in arts and entertainment and
compared to 19.3% in 2004. About majority (89.1%) of respondents 10.6% were employed in educational
13.0% moved from elsewhere to considered Downtown to be their and health services.
primary residence.
Downtown.

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00.1999 Staples Center opens and hosts
four professional sports teams

00.2002 $190M Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels
opens, designed by Rafael Moneo

00.2003 Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed 00.2003 Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority
by Frank Gehry established to manage $3 billion development

11.2004 Los Angeles approves $500M for
waterway compliance with Federal Clean Water Act

09.2005 Construction starts on 5.6 million sq.ft.
L.A. LIVE mixed-use development
09.2005 Historic Downtown LA Retail Project
helps 20 businesses open, 139 find funding

03.2008 Bringing Back Broadway initiative is
launched
06.2008 State of California Assembly authorizes
06.2007 Two tower Park Fifth condo project with
$26.4M in funds for Downtown Civic Park
$10M commitment for Pershing Square improvements
09.2008 CRA/LA releases RFP for
10.2007 Nokia Theater, with 7,100-seat theater,
Cleantech Redevelopment Strategy
opens at L.A. Live
10.2008 Dept. of Parks Recreation approves
10.2007 Arts District building, the Barker Block
funds to renovate Gladys Park in Skid Row
10.2008 CRA/LA approves $5M for
05.2008 Chapman Flats opens as 168 rental units,
Broadway street car revival
adaptive re-use of 1925 bank condo project
11.2008 Staples Center installs photovoltaics on 11.2008 Mayor’s Green Building Program: LEED
nearly 24,000 sq.ft. of roof compliance for developments over 50,000 sq.ft.

00.2009 Angels Flight, world’s shortest railway,
scheduled to reopen after 2001 closure

10.2009 New 500,000 sq.ft. LEED-compliant
LAPD Headquarters to open, by AECOM Design

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The Sustainability Committee seeks to develop a community greening strategy for downtown
and early discussions have identified the need to develop a livable city that offers accessibility
to a clean pedestrian environment and diverse housing for a neighborhood disproportionately
supporting a large, non-residential working population and homeless population. By working
with the community, we want to offer all stakeholders, whether they live, work or own a
business, more sustainable choices for a healthier urban environment. Through education and
empowerment, the Sustainability Committee envisions a future downtown with green open
space, fewer homeless on the streets, and a diversity that allows people to live a pedestrian
lifestyle, within walking distance of their homes, jobs, cultural attractions, schools, and
amenities.

Downtown Los Angeles has evolved steadily in recent years with emergent pockets of vibrant
pedestrian activity. Developers of various sizes opt to restore existing and often historical
buildings or build new towers. Each project spurs another nearby development and a plethora
of businesses and restaurants continue to open to service the new residential population.
Downtown has become a cultural destination with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Disney
Concert Hall, Mark Taper Auditorium, and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) within a
ten block radius (See Appendix A). As more projects are introduced, develop, and then open,

problem statement
issues analysis
the influx of a residential population presents us with new challenges we must address as a
community.

There have been several major initiatives on the behalf of the City of Los Angeles and the State of
California in recent years, introducing new programs, services, and development opportunities
to encourage sustainability in our urban centers. The issues are complex, however, and there
is a great need for public outreach and education to help our neighborhood understand what
is available for all stakeholders. As a community, we should find a comprehensive approach to
sustainability planning, enhance the resources we have with greater efficiency, and establish a
plan for more open space in our neighborhood as it rapidly transforms.
Environmental
C O M M U N I T Y - D R I V E N I N I T I A T I V E S F O R E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y : Downtown’s
revitalization has included the rehabilitation of existing buildings, new construction and street
improvement projects. With revitalization comes the opportunity to commit to a greener
environment in Downtown Los Angeles as a community. Our community should be empowered
to make choices regarding the source of our energy and how efficiently it is used. It will take
the commitment of communities across the region to make city and state regulations effective
but changes must occur at the local level for any regional impact to be made. The Sustainability
Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council is submitting this application
because we hope to identify and develop tools for a public outreach with the professional,
objective guidance of the SDAT team as we plan for a greener community.

Currently there are efforts on the behalf of the private sector to improve energy efficiency.
For instance, The Nokia Theater, Staples Center and LA Live are installing photovoltaics to
SDAT Application

offset energy consumption with solar power. Located in South Park, this downtown arts and
entertainment destination could potentially educate thousands of visitors a year about on-
site power generation and clean energy. This project will provide valuable learnings for other
downtown developments and the market for green power. The Sustainability Committee would

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like to engage the community and inform them of existing services and programs that help
reduce operating costs (less waste), improve community welfare, or enhance existing qualities
of downtown. The SDAT process will help us identify how we might advance our commitment
as a committee to sustainability to our neighborhood at large. We represent a broad range
of stakeholders and hope to increase the number of people involved in the future of our
community as a sustainable urban environment.

Bringing Back Broadway is a plan to preserve historic theaters and buildings along a
major downtown corridor. However, for this proposal to be most successful, the support of
Councilmember Huizar and the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District (HDBID) must
be complimented by local business investment and community engagement. Therefore, the
community need to understand what resources are available to them and how to economically
and practically address sustainability. The community needs tools we can all use to improve
energy efficiency so we can encourage our city leaders to maintain and advance these goals
on a more regional level. By developing a comprehensive community greening strategy, the
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council can foster participation through partnership and
outreach to downtown stakeholders while improving our energy efficiency.

We would like to ask SDAT: How can we design our neighborhood as empty blocks are steadily
filling up to improve our energy demand and avoid potential brownouts? The SDAT process could
help the Sustainability Committee define best practices and community goals while addressing
some of the contributing factors to the urban heat island effect in Downtown Los Angeles.

A I R Q U A L I T Y - A R E G I O N A L / L O C A L P R O B L E M : One approach to reducing
cooling loads is to design buildings suited for natural ventilation. As a community, we need
to develop a strategy for improving air quality downtown. We should address how to reduce
massive cooling loads, minimize the urban heat island effect, and establish an environment
where natural ventilation is a clean option when ventilating a residential or commercial
building.

Most of pockets of vitality and growth downtown are surrounded by blocks of dirty, unfriendly
concrete sidewalks, wide streets to accommodate 4+ lanes of traffic, and nearly vacant
storefronts and buildings. Few trees line the streets of downtown and the lack of shade
exacerbates the urban heat island effect. Downtown temperatures are often 12-15°F warmer
than outlying suburbs, making it uncomfortable to walk around on warmer days. Because of its
location in the Los Angeles Basin, emissions from regional automobile use and smog from the
Los Angeles/Long Beach port creates a major public health problem. Atmospheric inversion
occurs when exhaust is caught in the air. Los Angeles only has 15 inches of rainfall per year
so there is no purge of the pollution and the roads and sidewalks downtown are slick with soot
after even the lightest rain.

The State of California has tried to mitigate air quality concerns through the early passage of
legislation such as the Clean Air Act. In 2006, Assembly Bill 32 (AB32) was passed to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 (a 30% reduction). AB32 supports green-
tech business development and promotes public health. AB32 also links emissions to land use
planning and transportation. As the center of public transit in the region, downtown Los Angeles
has a significant opportunity to reduce sprawl by increasing residential development in its core
to offset development on the urban fringe, changing travel patterns for thousands of people
from a single occupancy vehicle to alternative modes (including by foot). In January 2009, the
Air Resources Board will adopt a plan “indicating how emission reductions will be achieved
from significant sources of GHGs via regulations, market mechanisms and other actions.” A
series of public workshops will follow to share the strategy and explain each proposed measure.
Legislation such as AB32 will provide our community with a larger framework for improving
air quality but many steps still need to happen at the local level to ensure the community
participates.

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The success of these state-mandated initiatives is contingent on a locally-grown cultural shift
towards conservation and efficiency at the neighborhood level. AB32 assumes that, on a per-
capita basis, every man, woman and child in California will have to reduce annual emissions by
4 tons per person by 2020. Until we can shift our behavior on the local level, we will continue to
face the same regional problems as other urban nodes across Los Angeles. The Sustainability
Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council will be assessing the existing
and under-utilized programs available to stakeholders downtown to take action towards a more
sustainable neighborhood and improving air quality. The SDAT report will help us establish
priorities and opportunities to enhance these programs while creating a framework for new
programs to fill the gaps for a comprehensive approach on the community level.
Social
P U B L I C S P A C E : The potential for density downtown with its existing building stock and
open lots supports the vision for a pedestrian-oriented community and neighborhood. To offset
the density of the neighborhood, cool open space is necessary and the community wants
dog parks, green space, and shade. To promote community health and interaction, shared
open space can create connection and social networking for the neighborhood. However, our
primary open space, our streets, are not built or maintained to capture this potential.

One of the challenges of open space in the past has been the very large homeless population of
Downtown Los Angeles. Benches and shade is rare downtown and homeless people congregate
in the few parks of the community or wherever shade can be found during the hottest days of
the year. For security reasons, people are discouraged from loitering in public spaces and there
are few places for community congregation. We need a plan to create shared space that we
can all use and enjoy.

Pershing Square has a history of poor planning and bad design decisions. Years of reworking
and redesign have failed to remedy the park’s poor visibility and connection with the
community. “These days,” reports the LA Times, “the park again seems one step behind the
changing downtown.”3 This park is managed by an organization, however, which is currently
working to develop and host both day and evening programming in support of the growing
residential population. Unfortunately, this park has become the example of poor planning and
management of open space downtown and few alternatives are available.

Quimby fees are collected from developers and are designated for new parks and open space
or existing park maintenance and improvements. Of the millions of dollars collected from
downtown development, there is no new open space to offset the density introduced downtown
by these projects. The City of Los Angeles Parks Recreation Department, in response to a
public outcry, is currently reviewing its ordinances and internal policies to enhance how Quimby
fees are allocated and used as intended. Mandated by the State, there is nearly $12.6 million
in unused Quimby Fees available for parks and open space development downtown.

The increase in density is attributed mainly to the influx of young professionals and the
conversion of industrial and commercial space into creative environments. While some
areas of downtown continue to offer affordable leasing opportunities, the cost of housing is
increasing with the introduction of more luxury condominiums. Some buildings planning to
sell units have recently shifted to rentals to accommodate the changing marketplace and the
economy continues to present better deals for residents with a good income. The Downtown
Central Business Improvement District is currently running a demographic survey to better
understand the changing residential population and identify community interest in bringing
services and stores to the neighborhood. Public consensus continues to appreciate the need
SDAT Application

for parks and opens space and the SDAT team can help us identify how to design a more
sustainable neighborhood as downtown transforms block by block.

There is an additional opportunity for public education about the City of Los Angeles green
DiMassa, Cara Mia, “Another go-around for L.A.’s Pershing Square” (Los Angeles Times, October 31, 2008)
3

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pershing31-2008oct31,0,2100603.story?page=1
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building program (effective 11/01/08) requiring all developments greater than 50,000 square
feet to be LEED-compliant. The public will benefit most from this program if they understand
how it impacts the future of the neighborhood and if it is a practical solution to an environmental
problem. The Green Building Program presents new opportunities for innovation in sustainable
design and how it evolves will have a significant impact on the future of the City of Los Angeles.
Coupled with state regulations, Los Angeles is an incubator developing new techniques and
materials for more energy-efficient buildings and improved air quality. With its rapid development
and physical transformation, Downtown Los Angeles is an incubator for sustainability with an
unique opportunity for the community to adopt sustainable practices and foster a pedestrian-
oriented urban environment.

The concentration of attractions and cultural heritage also makes Downtown Los Angeles a
tourist attraction where visitors can stay in a hotel and walk around the neighborhood. Local
public transit is affordable at 25¢/ride. The DASH connects several of these pedestrian pockets
to centers of government and banking. There are plans to introduce downtown DASH service
in the evening to serve the new residential population. Union Station is a regional transit hub
with easy access to airports, other cities, and inter-urban connections such as bus and light
rail to other nodes and neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. It is time to focus on means
of enhancing the pedestrian experience downtown as it remains accessible to places further
away by a number of transit options.

Downtown Los Angeles needs to transform some of its hardscapes into clean, shady public
spaces. As with any urban center, garbage accumulates and must be managed for good
public health. Around downtown, litter is troublesome and the Business Improvement Districts
(BIDs) and homeless brigades can be seen cleaning some of the streets in the neighborhood.
Non-profit organizations such as Chrysalis have created employment opportunities for the
homeless with their waste management and recycling programs for area buildings. Litter on
the sidewalks make trash receptacles of the storm drains, collecting garbage and flooding
during heavy rainfall (it has only rained 16.4 inches in the past two years).

The Bureau of Sanitation for the City of Los Angeles is developing a multi-year plan for a
citywide zero-waste plan to eliminate 90% of solid waste. The planning process is inclusive
with public workshops hosted around Los Angeles each month. Not only is it important to be
involved in the planning process, our community must learn about the outcomes and what
steps should be taken to improve our urban environment for a more sustainable future. In
order for this plan to work, there must a significant public commitment to changing how we live
and work. How do we reach out to a diverse group of businesses, tenants, property owners,
social service providers, and homeless to encourage compliance with a zero-waste strategy
and accessibility to services? For parks to offset density and enhance public health, we must
maintain our public spaces as clean, shady places throughout our neighborhood. We need the
help of the SDAT process to develop a plan to create accessible open space for all members
of our community. We need a sustainable housing plan to give more people the opportunity to
have regular access to a toilet, bed, and nearby services.
A C C E S S I B I L I T Y T O D I V E R S E , A F F O R D A B L E H O U S I N G : Downtown Los
Angeles has a large homeless population and needs more affordable housing as the cost of
rentals in the area increase. The influx of young, educated professionals presents an opportunity
to harness creative, community-building energy to enhance the neighborhood through social
networking while maintaining affordability. Inevitably, rents will increase in these new pockets
of pedestrian activity. This needs to be balanced with the availability of affordable housing,
services, and sustainable employment opportunities in the neighborhood.

Skid Row is still somewhat removed from the revitalization of downtown although it is adjacent
to the successful Historic Core district. Project 50, for instance, is a County of Los Angeles
program to identify the 50 most at-risk people on the streets of Los Angeles and bring them
into an intensive program to address the plethora of their physical and emotional challenges.
10
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The main facilities of Project 50 are located caddy-corner to Pharmaka and other local galleries
which have seeded the transformation of this area into Gallery Row. At this intersection, the
homeless, residents and businesses interact daily as the nature of these streets change with
the arrival of the new residential population. Local business improvement district security keep
the homeless off the sidewalks of some streets downtown as they are displaced to the blocks
of Skid Row in Central City East. Several hospitals have faced prosecution for illegally dumping
homeless patients on these streets of the neighborhood.

Skid Row is surrounded by facilities providing various social services and temporary housing
options. These facilities offer a variety of options for the homeless and transitional populations.
A recent program by the County Sheriff’s office allows for earlier intervention as convicts are
released to help move those in need into the appropriate programs and services. Community
activists have also succeeded in bringing improvements to the population of Skid Row such
as garbage pick-ups and clean-up crews. Community-based activism recently motivated new
improvements to the only park in Skid Row, Gladys Park, including a new water line for a clean
water fountain and new basketball court which will help the community-organized Skid Row
3-on-3 Basketball League. Additionally, the focus of many of the service providers downtown
has shifted form temporary housing to the creation of permanent housing solutions with in-
house treatments and services.

City Council and the Mayor are working on the city-wide level to address the challenges of
such demographic and income shifts. The Mayor recently announced a five-year, $5 billion
commitment to build 20,000 affordable housing units in the city to help the struggling middle
class. With beautiful existing and even historic buildings, Downtown Los Angeles could potentially
convert dozens of vacant building shells into affordable housing with integrated social services
to help the homeless population address its many challenges including addiction, mental
illness, criminal history, as well as the need for education and job training. It is important that
this and all affordable housing schemes provide for a range of mixed income developments
that include a range of housing affordability, from market rate to workforce housing and very
low income units.

The top-down nature of these programs, however, are less sustainable for the community
which must live with the outcome. Work must be done at the most local level to ensure
the success of these programs. By facilitating a community-driven solution, the Downtown
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council can help foster the necessary public and private partnerships
necessary for success. The neighborhood council can support the SDAT process through
community outreach, feedback, and consensus-building. The most successful public policy
for sustainability will be the result of a didactic process where the community is involved in
the outcome. The SDAT will provide our neighborhood with a report informing us of ways and
means to meet these objectives.

Remediating and reusing existing structures, for instance, provides opportunity for the
neighborhood to address the challenges of changing demographics and respective income
levels. By facilitating the provision of more affordable housing to the most at-risk members
of the community and as a whole, a better-informed Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council will work with community leaders as they develop their strategies and tactics at their
respective level of authority. By introducing more open space, Downtown Los Angeles will be
able to support increased density by offsetting the physical challenges of high-rise living and
work environments with public space that meets the diverse needs of this community.
Economic
SDAT Application

P U B L I C S E R V I C E S : Economic turmoil has made households and businesses concerned
about finances while social service providers on Skid Row prepare for an influx of unemployed
and displaced persons on the streets. How does our mixed-use neighborhood adopt more
energy efficient and sustainable practices in a time when people are concerned about their
financial security? As the City of Los Angeles looks to cut more than $300M-$400M from our 11
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budget this coming year, we must identify key services and programs available through city
departments that our community does not want to lose.

At the first Sustainability Committee meeting this fall, the Bureau of Sanitation presented its
growing list of recycling programs. Many community members expressed concern about the lack
of residential recycling downtown. Some buildings have organized collections to help residents
recycle. However, there is a multi-family recycling program available to everyone in Los Angeles
and anyone, including a tenant, can call to request service. The Bureau of Sanitation offers
garbage assessment services to help businesses cut waste and trash fees and consultation
services for building management to help set-up residential recycling collection centers. These
programs offer substantial opportunity as new buildings open and residents move in. How we
use public services will determine their priority as hard budget decisions must be made. The
SDAT process can help the Sustainability Committee identify the most effective public services
and programs as we address a more pedestrian-friendly, livable downtown.
R E V I T A L I Z A T I O N A C C E S S I B I L I T Y : Downtown’s revitalization has included
the rehabilitation of existing buildings, new construction, and ancillary development. Local
community activist and member of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Brady
Westwater described the situation: “We have to expand the connective tissue of the community,
the green space, to make it truly walkable.”

How do we identify opportunities for greater public participation in greening our neighborhood?
Do we start a green power initiative, for instance, to inform tenants and building owners of their
energy source options? Would a more successful program provide energy efficiency tools for
tenants in a space they do not own? What are the potential costs and how do we evaluate the
benefits on the community level?

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has been certified by the City of Los Angeles
and City Hall is located in our district affording us valuable opportunities to interact with our
City Council and city departments as they develop programming and plans for the future of
our metropolitan area. Downtown Los Angeles includes all levels of government with the large
numbers of public sector employees. The County of Los Angeles is also currently vetting its
update to its General Plan (last updated in 1986) at community outreach meetings throughout
the county. This plan and many others reflect the state, county and city-level commitments
to sustainability. The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council will work with the SDAT
to establish a mechanism for generating a community-level commitment to sustainable
development and practices.

This neighborhood has demonstrated capacity for diversity in growth and opportunity through the
combination of rehabilitating historical buildings, converting building use, and new sustainable
construction. In a neighborhood able to organically support a vibrant pedestrian economy,
surface parking lots are concrete gaps in the urban fabric. The sidewalks are black with residue
even with the help of successful private programs to clean and enhance the streetscapes.
Downtown stakeholders need affordable housing, open space and a comprehensive sustainable
strategy for future neighborhood transformation and enhancement.

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The Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council will serve
as the primary contact for the Sustainable Design Assessment Team. Our committee is new
and the list below includes all of the current committee members and their affiliations but new
members and associations are getting involved as we continue to develop a community greening
strategy. The SDAT Steering Committee will combine members of the Sustainability Committee
with other downtown organizations for the broadest possible community representation.

local capacity resources
Ashley Zarella, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA Gunnar Hand, AICP
Chair, Sustainability Committee Sustainability Committee Member
Affordable Housing Committee Member Planning Land Use Committee Member
Director, Areawide Workforce, Private Sector Director, Areawide Workforce, Public Sector
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
AECOM Design (formerly DMJM Design) Los Angeles County Dept. of Regional Planning
Designer LEED AP Senior Regional Planner
Architect’s Newspaper Architect’s Newspaper
Contributor Contributor
756 S. Broadway, #1107 756 S. Broadway, #1107
Los Angeles, CA 90014 Los Angeles, CA 90014
917-974-1891 816-916-6304
ashley.zarella@dlanc.com gunnar.hand@dlanc.com
Jennifer Regan Winston Hoy
Sustainability Committee Member Sustainability Committee Member
Downtown Resident
AEG Administration
Manager, Sustainability Programs BraveNewBus
www.bravenewbus.org
714 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 301
Founder
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-763-5451 Los Angeles, CA 90014
jregan@aegworldwide.com 727-543-5633
bravenewbus@gmail.com
Heidi Johnson Michael Hoy
Downtown Resident
Green Age Marketing
www.greenagemarketing.com BraveNewBus
Marketing Director www.bravenewbus.org
Founder
Los Angeles, CA
SDAT Application

323-204-7246 Los Angeles, CA 90014
heidi@greenagemarketing.com 818-395-4779
bravenewbus@gmail.com

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Joe Lucas Suzanne Robinson
BuildLACCD United States Green Building Council
www.laccdbuildsgreen.org www.usgbc.org
LA Chapter intern
915 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 810
Los Angeles, CA 90017 Los Angeles, CA
213-996-2234 213-689-9707
joe.lucas@build-laccd.org suzanne.robinson@usgbc-la.org
Jill N. Willis General Jeff
Best Best Krieger, Attorneys at Law Director, Central City East Skid Row Residents
Partner Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
300 South Grand Ave., 25th Floor Issues Solutions
Los Angeles, CA 90071 Community Organzier
213-787-2558 Los Angeles, CA
jill.willis@bbklaw.com issuesandsolutions@yahoo.com
Tanner Blackman Henry Proctor
Planning Land Use Committee Member Director, Homeless
City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Planner Assistant The Art of Cleaning
APA LA (American Planning Association) Company owner
University Liaison Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA 90014 213-392-2286
tannerblackman@yahoo.com henry.proctor@dlanc.com
Ron Crockett Adam Tischer
Fun Zone Reading Club CB Richard Ellis
Huntington Hotel Associate, Brokerage Services
Downtown Urban Redevelopment Team
512 S.Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013
626-676-6919 Los Angeles, CA
ron.crockett@yahoo.com 213-613-3020
adam.tischer@cbre.com
Alex Brideau III Alexander Sexsmith
Los Angeles Housing Department Perkins+Will
City of Los Angeles Designer
Management Analyst 617 W. 7th Street, Suite 1200
Rotary International, Member Los Angeles, CA 90017
213-270-8400
Los Angeles, CA
alexander.sexsmith@perkinswill.com
alika@brideau.net
Andre Krause, LEED AP Ariadne Shaffer
Alternate, Areawide Workforce, Private Sector The Library Inc.
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Bookkeeper
Los Angeles, CA 453 S. Spring Street, Suite 601
310-594-2125 Los Angeles, CA 90013
akrause409@hotmail.com 213-985-4225
ariadne@librarybookkeeping.com
Athenel Ocampo Dorian Dudley
Quatro Design Group Greenscape global (green roofs)
Designer Founder
923 E 3rd Street, Suite 112 Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA 90013 agreener2008@gmail.com
213-625-1995
athenel.ocampo@gmail.com

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Stanley Michaels James Rojas
Director, Resident Civic Center Los Angeles County Metro Transit Authority
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Transportation Planner
Angelus Plaza Latino Urban Forum
255 S. Hill Street Founder
Gallery 727
213-623-4352
727 S. Spring Street
stanleymichaels@hotmail.com
rojasj@metro.net
Jon Toktas Katie Ricketts
Business Director, Downtown Center Heath and Lejeune Inc.
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Sustainability Management
Ardas Cafe P.O. Box 21387
Business Owner Los Angeles, CA 90021
213-614-1909
418 W. 6th Street
katie@soullyorganic.com
jtoktas@gmail.com
Leah Ross Megs Hey
Lawyer
Ciudad
Public Relations Marketing Manager Los Angeles, CA
geemeg@gmail.com
445 Figueroa Street
leah@bordergrill.com
Natalia Aguilar Sonia Prasad
Los Angeles, CA Artist Downtown Resident
kartagraphix@yahoo.com Los Angeles, CA
sonia_prasad@hotmail.com
Veronica Siranosian Ginny-Marie Case
Los Angeles County Dept. of Regional Planning The Robert Group (TRG)
Regional Planner Project Manager, Public Relations
Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA
vsiranosian@planning.lacounty.gov 323-699-9100
ginny@ginnycase.com

SDAT Application

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budget funding
The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council receives $50,000 per year in funding from
the City of Los Angeles and is regulated by DONE (Department of Neighborhood Empowerment).
In its first year, the Sustainability Committee has $1,500 available over three quarters with no
prior commitments for spending. Due to the diversity of the committee and representation of
stakeholders, there is substantial access to in-kind services such as work space, meeting space,
supplies and photocopying, advertising, local transportation, media and communications, and
catering. In addition to the Sustainability Committee, there are several committees which could
provide valuable resources to the SDAT such as the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Planning Land Use Committee, Economic Development Committee, Parks, Recreation Open
Space Committee, Public Health and Safety Committee, Transportation Committee, Affordable
Housing Homeless Committee, and Education Committee. Each of these committees has
additional resources for the provision of the required budget and funding for this proposal.

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has some limitations regulated by DONE
on how money can be collected or transferred and donors do not receive the tax incentives
for their donation. We can, however, organize in-kind donations from the broad-base of the
community which we represent with efficiency and transparency. Fiscal accountability will
be a primary condition for all program costs and will be included in a report on the process
by the Sustainability Committee. Lessons learned will be documented and shared with other
neighborhood councils for future implementation in other urban nodes of Los Angeles.

For the recent Park[ing] Day LA, the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council raised more
than $1,000 in cash and in-kind donations for a block party with only a few weeks of planning.
The Sustainability Committee is confident it will meet its financial obligations in support of the
SDAT funding and program needs.

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educational par tner s
As part of our work, the Sustainability Committee is dedicated to public education and outreach.
In collaboration with the Education Committee, the Sustainability Committee will identify
opportunities for partnerships with local grade schools, high schools, and post-secondary
institutions. There are several local high schools with community service programs and the
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council would be able to make arrangements for their
involvement. City Year, a non-profit organization that gets high school seniors involved in civic
programs, recently approached the neighborhood council for opportunities for involvement.
We hope to develop outreach and public education programs with these schools and their
students in mind as we believe it is valuable to have youth make an informed commitment to
sustainability through service.

Southern California Institute for Architecture (SCI-Arc) is located in the downtown neighborhood
and the Sustainability Committee will establish opportunities to include both graduate and
undergraduate students of architecture in the SDAT process. We have opportunities through our
committee membership to reach out to planning and urban design students at the University
of Southern California and engage them in the process of developing a community greening
strategy. As a committee, we are focused on education as a priority and plan to engage these
institutions, as well as professional organizations such as the AIA and APA (American Planning
Association), throughout the process of developing and implementing the final plan.
SDAT Application

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The Sustainability Committee will develop a communication strategy that reaches the broadest
number of stakeholders. Currently, the Sustainability Committee is supported by a blog but
will soon be replaced with a more functional website to facilitate not only public commentary
but community information, educational and searchable resources, a database of existing
public services to facilitate better practices, as well as a public record of the activities of the
Sustainability Committee and SDAT.

The Sustainability Committee will invite community stakeholders and leaders to be included
on the SDAT Steering Committee which will work as a subcommittee of the Sustainability
Committee. All recommendations by the Sustainability Committee must be approved by the
Board of Directors before any action is taken. The Steering Committee will be given some
flexibility in its decision-making as long as the decision is aligned with Board-approved criteria.
The Steering Committee will work with the Sustainability Committee to develop outreach
strategies, develop a database of contacts, and help recruit local volunteers with relevant
experience in public relations for advisement.

Downtown Los Angeles has a multitude of weblogs that reach a large number of downtown
stakeholders. Some of these blogs cover a variety of Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood
Council events and meetings and a system of coordinated outreach will ensure that they receive

communication outreach
information in a timely manner with full disclosure of our activities as we plan for a more
sustainable downtown. The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council also utilizes local
listservs which are an effective means of announcing meetings, programs, or other activities
around the neighborhood.

In addition to online media, there are several weekly downtown newspapers in addition to the
city-wide Los Angeles Times. The Downtown News and Garment Citizen are two free weeklies
that cover a multitude of issues downtown and are distributed throughout the area. ECO-LA is
a city-wide publication that is specifically targeted to environmentally-conscious Angelinos and
has already volunteered to cover the SDAT process in support of the work of the Sustainability
Committee. (see online: http://downtownsustainability.blogspot.com). The Sustainability
Committee will help develop procedures for press releases and notifications to ensure efficient
communication and a clear message.

The Sustainability Committee will soon elect a public co-chair who will work with Ashley Zarella,
LEED AP, Assoc. AIA and Director, Area-Wide Workforce, Private Sector of the Downtown
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. The Co-Chairs will be members of the Steering Committee
and be considered primary project contacts. The Sustainability Committee will make
recommendations for any additional project spokespersons for final approval by the Downtown
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Board of Directors. The President is the spokesperson for
the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council per the bylaws and should be the primary
contact for matters related to the full council.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

List of Local Media

Online blogdowntown.com, www.angelenic.com, www.laist.com, www.viewfromaloft.com,
SDAT Application

www.lacurbed.com, www.lavoice.com, www.la.streetsblog.com

Downtown News (www.downtownnews.com), Los Angeles Garment Citizen (www.
Print
garmentandcitizen.com), Los Angeles Times (www.latimes.com), Architect’s Newspaper
(www.architectsnewspaper.com) 1
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2008 Sustainability Committee SDAT
November • Submit SDAT Application
• Determine committee objectives and
finalize mission statement
• Presentation from Mayor’s Office on
Green Building Program (K.Kline)
December • Gap assessment to understand • AIA Communities by Design reviews
existing programs/services and applications
needs
• Launch initial website to replace
blog (http://downtownsustainability.
blogspot.com) with resource center,
community feedback, events, and
other topics of interest.
• Identify community partners with
similar goals

SDAT project timeline
January • Gap assessment to continue and
sustainability committee to identify
projects for 2009
• Begin neighborhood survey for
needs assessment
• Presentation by author of The Urban
Homestead on sustainable living in
urban environments
February • Develop outreach strategy and
curriculum for SDAT launch and
project (town hall meetings,
stakeholder-specific meetings,
district-specific, etc.) with criteria for
success and regular evaluation
March • Launch “low-hanging fruit” 2009
programs (e.g. bilingual outreach on
recycling; tree planting initiative)
April • Prepare for SDAT visit and start of
community sustainable plan
• Announce SDAT Steering • SDAT process begins with initial
Committee - to include members of visit by the team. Introductions
Sustainability Committee, partner to community leaders, tours of
organizations and community neighborhood, and report by
leaders Sustainability Committee with
• Town hall meeting to introduce additional learnings and background
community to the SDAT process and information for the successful
encourage participation launch of sustainability planning.
May • Evaluate 2009 programs in month • Major issues to be announced
2; make adjustments per learnings
June • Develop school programs for Fall
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July • Develop additional “low-hanging
fruit” 2009 programs as a precursor
to the community sustainability
“toolkit” for all stakeholders (e.g.
water and energy conservation
techniques, greening the home, and
waste management strategies).
August • In partnership with the Downtown
Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
Education Committee, launch
a secondary school outreach
program to encourage community
activism and awareness about the
environment and making better
• Interim review with SDAT to
choices.
determine if we are on track,
September • Work with students at SCI-Arc and reevaluate goals, and coordinate
USC to develop additional planning progress being made by the team
and design strategies as part of the with upcoming projects for the
“toolkit,” in particular incentives and Sustainability Committee.
recognition for community members
who opt to participate. The toolkit
is intended to give people who live,
work, and own a business downtown
easy, affordable ways to reduce their
carbon footprint and they should be
recognized for participation.
October • Continue community outreach and
education with a comprehensive
communications strategy.
November • Launch 2009 holiday-focused
programs, in partnership with
the Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council Economic
Development Committee, such as
a “buy local” to enhance economic
sustainability by highlighting
downtown (green) retailers, create a
program to replace plastic bag use
downtown, etc.
December • Continue community outreach and
education with a comprehensive
communications strategy.
January • Evaluate 2009 programs and host
meetings for public feedback.
• Develop goals for 2010 based on
community feedback and needs
assessment.
February • Prepare for SDAT report/plan by
including the community in the • SDAT to present strategy for
process, reporting on the work of developing a community greening
the Sustainability Committee, and strategy with recommendations on
recruit volunteers/partners for how to foster a more pedestrian-
the implementation of the SDAT friendly, accessible urban
SDAT Application

recommendations. environment with better energy
efficiency, diverse housing options,
March • Host community meetings to share
and equal access to public
SDAT strategy and learnings, solicit
programs.
feedback and determine next steps
as a neighborhood. 1
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April • Develop a comprehensive
implementation strategy for the
community plan in partnership
with other organization, community
leaders and stakeholders.
• Identify and address potential
challenges with a transitioning
Board of Directors. The
Sustainability Committee public
co-chair will be responsible for
managing the transition through the
end of 2010.
May • Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council elections
(2010-2012)
• Continue with the development of
a comprehensive implementation
strategy for the community
plan in partnership with other
organization, community leaders
and stakeholders.
June • Develop a final communications,
education and outreach strategy
July
for a hard launch of the community
August sustainability plan in the fall.
September • In partnership with the Downtown
Los Angeles Neighborhood
October
Council, its committees, and other
November community partners introduce the
downtown sustainability plan with a
clear list of goals and action items
outlined.
December • Provide report back to AIA
Communities by Design and make
a public presentation on the
experience. This should include
leadership from other neighborhood
councils.

The Sustainability Committee was launched this fall to develop a community greening strategy
for downtown. We are currently working to identify our objectives for the next two years and
the SDAT process will compliment the work currently underway with an even more technical,
professional, and objective perspective. The hope is to develop a “toolkit” for community
stakeholders (tenants, residents, workers, business owners, and the homeless) with resources
and options for healthier, more sustainable choices we can all make on a daily basis. The SDAT
process will enable us to address some of the bigger issues we face downtown by identifying
additional opportunities for collaboration and optimization of existing programs and services.
We hope to share this process and our learnings with other neighborhood councils to encourage
more grassroots action towards a sustainable future for the City of Los Angeles.

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partnerships support

SDAT Application

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November 7, 2008

Ms. Erin Simmons, Director
Center for Communities by Design
The American Institute of Architects
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20006-5292
FOUNDING PLATINUM SPONSORS

Hellmuth, Obata+Kassabaum (HOK)
P.I.P.E. Trust Fund
LA/NECA
Bentley Prince Street
Re: Sustainable Design Assistance Team Application – Downtown Los Angeles
Southern California Edison

Neighborhood Council Sustainability Committee
’08-‘09 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS
Dear Ms. Simmons,
CHAIR
Peter Barsuk
Gensler
On behalf of USGBC-LA, I would like to offer our support for the Sustainability
VICE-CHAIR
Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Sustainable Design
James Brock
Assessment Team (SDAT) grant application.
Environmental Planning Associates

TREASURER
David Summers
Downtown Los Angeles is at a critical time of transformation and the SDAT will
Glumac

provide our community with a valuable framework as we develop our sustainability
SECRETARY
David Stevens
goals for a more livable urban center. We are excited to further our work toward the
Southern California Gas Company

goal of sustainable development and look forward to this project.
DIRECTORS AT-LARGE

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. We look forward to your
Annie Argento
Brightworks
decision.
Claire Bowin
City of Los Angeles

Sincerely,
Dimitris Klapsis
HMC Architects

Steve Lamar
Lance A. Williams
Swinerton

James Leahy
KEMA Services, Inc
Lance A. Williams, Ph. D.
Brenden McEneaney
LEED® Accredited Professional
City of Santa Monica

Executive Director
John Zinner
Zinner Consultants

EMERGING GREEN BUILDERS

Edward Belden
Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers
Watershed Council

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lance A. Williams, Ph. D.

click here to return to t. 213.689.9707 | f. 213.689.9709
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AIA | Los Angeles A Chapter of The American Institute of Architects

Ann Livingston, Esq.
Director, AIA Center for Communities by Design
SDAT Program Director, Center for Communities by Design
1735 New York Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20006-5292

RE: LETTER OF SUPPORT – Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT)

Ms. Livingston:

The AIA Los Angeles Chapter is delighted to endorse the SDAT application for The
Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council
(DLANC). We fully support their endeavor to develop a community greening
“toolkit” that any Downtown LA stakeholder can use to contribute positively to a
greener urban environment. We also recognize the importance of DLANC’s role in
serving as an advisory committee to City of Los Angeles’ Council Districts Nine,
Fourteen and One.

At this juncture for the Los Angeles region, implementing the sustainable design
principals of AIA Communities by Design and its values of a Green Urbanism into
the vernacular of our communities has become one of our most vitally important
objectives. The AIA Los Angeles Chapter looks forward to working with the The
Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council to
adopt principals of sustainability and we look forward to becoming a dynamic
resource to provide the leadership to improve the built environment in exactly this
manner.

Downtown Los Angeles is an exemplary community at the heart of Los Angeles
region. It hosts a varied and diverse industry of economic development and
prosperity, which reverberates throughout Southern California. It hosts our iconic
commercial hub, our historic core, our opportunity for Transit-Oriented-
Development, dozens of architecture design firms (AC Martin Partners, DMJM
Design, Harley Ellis Deveraux, Altoon Porter, ZGF, Perkins Will, to name just a
few), several museums, theaters and cultural centers, as well as, numerous vibrant
lively art galleries, restaurants and music venues. Home to over 28,000 residents
(with 40,000 expected by 2015), Downtown Los Angeles’ impact influence on the
Los Angeles area is immense. It is a model community that many other Cities look
towards for leadership and urban design savvy.

The City of Los Angeles and its neighboring municipalities all intrinsically pour into
the Downtown Los Angeles and vice versa. It is for that reason that AIA Los
Angeles passionately endorses an SDAT for Downtown Los Angeles– for it will not
only benefit the commercial core of Los Angeles but will reverberate throughout the
region. Many of the future design challenges that face Downtown Los Angeles are
just as relevant for a vast many other communities in the region and the lessons
learned from an SDAT for Downtown Los Angeles can easily apply elsewhere.
SDAT Application

In fact, performing an SDAT for Downtown LA benefits the entire region of Los
Angeles andthe entire State of California as a whole. For as the Southern California
region continues to expand, develop multiply, it will be essential, if not
imperative, for sustainable design practices to be expeditiously implemented into

AIA Los Angeles 2007 Sponsorship Opportunities | 3780 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 800 Los Angeles, CA 90010 | 213.639.0777 | www.aialosangeles.org
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the General Plans, Design Review Guidelines and common everyday practices of all
municipalities in the area.

The AIA Los Angeles chapter encourages you to support the SDAT Grant
Application for The Sustainability Committee of the Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council and welcomes remaining a vital part of the process. Please
feel free to contact me with any additional questions.

Very truly yours,

Will Wright
Director, Legislative Affairs

AIA Los Angeles 2007 Sponsorship Opportunities | 3780 Wilshire Blvd, Ste. 800 Los Angeles, CA 90010 | 213.639.0777 | www.aialosangeles.org
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CITY OF LOS ANGELES
CALIFORNIA DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
OFFICERS
J. RUSSELL BROWN, PRESIDENT P.O. Box 13096
Los Angeles, CA 90013-0096
BRADY WESTWATER, VP OF ADMINISTRATION

TELEPHONE: (213) 488-1901
PATTI BERMAN, VP OF OUTREACH
COMMUNICATION
FAX: (213) 341-2382
E-MAIL: Planning@DLANC.com
ALEX CHA, TREASURER
DLANC Office Coordinator: Ted Greaton
ANNA DANIELLE DURAN, SECRETARY

November 11, 2008

Ms. Erin Simmons, Director
Center for Communities by Design
1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20006-5292

Re: Sustainable Design Assistance Team Application – Downtown Los Angeles
Neighborhood Council Sustainability Committee

Dear Ms. Simmons,

On behalf of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, I would like to offer our support for our
Sustainability Committee’s application for the Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) grant.

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council has a history of supporting community-based initiatives
in a neighborhood that has seen radical transformation in recent years. Many of the positive changes
downtown are the result of dedicated community members with a vision and the Neighborhood Council has
proudly supported their efforts through various combinations of outreach, partnerships, and financial support.

We represent a broad range of stakeholders and are actively engaged in community and city-wide planning
efforts as a voice of our neighborhood. We believe the SDAT grant will provide our organization and this
community with a valuable understanding of how we can advance the goals of our Sustainability Committee
to develop a long-term community greening plan.

The Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council is equipped to provide the logistical support and an
indepth understanding of our neighborhood throughout the SDAT process and we believe we can maximize
the benefits of this opportunity through community outreach, engagement, and education.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. We look forward to your decision.

Sincerely,
SDAT Application

J. Russell Brown
President

Approved by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council Board of Directors 11/11/08

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appendix a: maps photos
Los Angeles Citywide Map of Neighborhood Councils

Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council districts

Infrastructure - Roads

Generalize Land Use - Central City

Parks, including Civic Park

Cultural attractions (images)

Cultural attractions (maps)

Historic Buildings of Downtown Los Angeles

General Plan Land Use Map - Central City Community Plan

Map of Neighborhood Districts:
Historic Core
New Downtown
Civic Center
Fashion District
Chinatown/Pueblo
South Park
Wholesale/Skid Row
SDAT Application

1
table of contents

Sustainability Committee 2009 SDAT Proposal

Sustainability Committee 2009 SDAT Proposal

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