One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
LA planning commissioners vote to tamp down Frogtown development
At Marsh Park in the Frogtown neighborhood, an example of investment in the LA River. A condo building nears completion next to a multi-acre park that fronts the water.
(
John Rabe/KPCC
)
Listen
0:51
LA planning commissioners vote to tamp down Frogtown development
The Los Angeles Planning Commission on Thursday voted unanimously in favor of tamping down development along the Los Angeles River in Frogtown, limiting both the size and height of new construction.
At an afternoon meeting, residents and property owners told commissioners their neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles has been overrun by developers trying to capitalize on a $1 billion plan to revitalize the river.
Cyndi Hubach said she gets near-weekly offers to buy the live-work apartment building she owns there.
"The last offer was about three times what I had paid for the property," Hubach said. "They wanted to know what my lease situation was, they wanted to throw everybody out and triple the rents."
Commissioners agreed with the need to preserve Frogtown's small scale and approved zoning changes along a 1.5 mile stretch of riverfront property in the neighborhood, also known as Elysian Valley.
A new development would be limited to two stories in height and its footprint could take up no more than 60 percent of the lot.
Commissioner Renee Dake Wilson said Frogtown is a "unique" neighborhood, cut off from the rest of the city by the river, and the I-2 and I-5 freeways. The neighborhood is predominantly made up of working-class, Latino households in single-family homes.
Sponsored message
"I’m very concerned the existing low-income neighborhood will get displaced," she said.
The commission's recommendation for the zoning changes now goes to the City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee, then to the City Council, which has the final say.
Christine Peters, policy advisor to Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, who represents Frogtown, said he supports the zoning changes "100 percent." Peters said Frogtown has been part of a "feeding frenzy" by developers.
"The amount of speculation and pressure on this community is incredibly intense," Peters said. "Properties that were selling two, three years ago for $200,000, $300,000 are now in bidding wars for $3, $4 million."
Peters said residents have complained about getting sales agreements in the mail saying 'We are waiting to close escrow in 30 days, just sign here.'"
"That's really frightening," she said,"especially since a lot of our constituents are monolingual or barely bilingual."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
