The Los Angeles City Council last week approved a plan to expand the southern boundary of the Arts District, paving the way for redevelopment of the industrial area between 6th and 7th Streets just west of the river. This area includes a scattering of modern warehouses amongst mostly older and sometimes multistory brick warehouses built in the 30’s and 40’s. New residential grown in the current industrial area is expected. Councilman Huizar proposed the modification to the former boundary set by the Planning Commission and CRA.
Government sponsored programs are not the primary solution to urban decay such as drug trafficking and crime. To restore a city and its neighborhoods, fight crime successfully and everything else will start to fall into place. Just ask Los Angeles Police Commissioner Bill Bratton because he understands this concept. It appears Mayor Villaraigosa is also taking this notion to heart while making an increase in the police force a top priority. L.A.’s troubled neighborhoods will welcome more officers.
The California Employment Development Department (EDD) released January unemployment estimates last week. Seasonally adjusted, the Los Angeles County unemployment rate was 5.7%, up from 5.4% in December, from 5.3% in November, and from 4.7% a year earlier. January was the eighth consecutive month that the County’s unemployment rate increased over the previous year. Last month’s County unemployment rate was the highest since February 2005 (5.7%). Historically speaking, 5.7% is not high and poses no immediate threat to the industrial real estate market.
