Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

Climate and Environment

Board Of Supervisors Adopts LA River Master Plan, But Community Advocates Withdraw Support

Household items sit in a storm drain along the Los Angeles River in Frogtown.
Household items sit in a storm drain along the Los Angeles River in Frogtown.
(
Andrew Cullen
/
LAist
)

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today. 

A coalition of tribal, environmental, and community groups has withdrawn its support for the Los Angeles River Master Plan.

The master plan, unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors today, includes the creation of raised green spaces above the channel's floor supported by concrete structures. It envisions ponds, trails, trees, walking paths and more.

L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella says officials will work with partners and stakeholders to address their concerns.

"We took on the audacious task of reconciling all of the visions of the L.A. River," he said. "I think we did a pretty good job of reconciling that."

Support for LAist comes from

However, Laura Cortez, an organizer and co-executive director at East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, says the plan ignores their input by laying down more concrete. Cortez and other community advocates would like to see more of a "naturalization" of the river.

"Prioritizing native plants, prioritizing the idea of letting the natural river flow, those are the types of things that are not extraordinary," Cortez said. "They are not out of reach, but they are definitely needed."

In a letter, Cortez and advocates wrote that the master plan’s team looks at the L.A. river as “nothing more than a flood control channel”:

“From a scientific and urban planning perspective, we know it is indeed feasible, less costly, and beneficial to surrounding communities to deploy nature-based solutions when managing floods (see, e.g., the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s guidance on Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ ARBOR Study for the LA River).”

Cortez points out that local Indigenous tribes like the Tongva and the Chumash were the original caretakers of this land. They understand how water operates in this region.

Instead, Cortez argues that building spaces without community input, such as the proposed SELA Cultural Center, "induces gentrification."

Support for LAist comes from

“We're talking about the irony of this project, stating that it will ‘serve the local community,’ and in the same statement, say ‘we're hoping to attract people,’” Cortez said. “And really, that's not what we want.”

Supervisors also agreed on creating a land bank pilot program Tuesday afternoon that will "prevent real estate speculation" and create new opportunities for affordable housing in areas facing "rapid gentrification and displacement" near the L.A. River.

Supervisor Hilda Solis called the adoption of the plan a “monumental step toward improving the health and well-being” of communities from Northeast to Southeast L.A.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist