Description
In such a illustration about the new 9th first year in review 2014.
t he
ne w
9 t h
20 14
“We’ve only
just begun!”
nimbus solor
Obit aut exeriatia dolla-
borere odis dolecatemod
que verrovit, sam ut quam
re as dellorum volenie
inside this issue
Building a Cleaner & Greener Community
Policies in Action
Safe Streets, Healthy Communities
Making LA Work for All
Open for Business, but Not Business as Usual
first year
IN revIEw
On the campaign trail,
Councilmember Curren Price
made a promise to residents
of the Ninth District - after
decades of neglect in their
community, they wanted to
see their next representative
prioritize basic neighborhood
services with clean streets and
alleys being at the top of the
list. Since taking offce, Coun-
cilman Price has come through
with his commitment, making
community beautifcation a key
strategy of his turnaround plan
for the district’s neighborhoods.
This has included allocating city
resources, demanding better
response times for the area and
creating a coordinated clean-
up campaign that has resulted
in the collection of more than
1,500 tons of trash and remov-
al of more than 5 million square
feet of graffti in the last year.
“I am incredibly proud of
the progress we have made
this year around the issue of
making our community clean-
er and greener. Everyone de-
serves to live in a clean com-
munity, that they can be proud
to call home and I intend to
do everything I can to make
sure the “New Ninth” gets the
services it needs so that all
residents have access to this
basic quality of life request,”
said Councilman Curren Price.
A major area of focus of
the New Ninth’s “Clean and
Green” initiative has been
cleaning the area’s high vol-
ume of alleys, which have been
a long-term eyesore for the
community. South Los Angeles
has the highest concentration
of alleys in the city and many
of these have fallen into de-
plorable conditions, becoming
unsightly dumping grounds for
trash, bulky items and toxic
waste. With most of these al-
leys abutting the residential
properties in the area, they
have become a real concern to
residents, a persistent problem
for public safety offcers and
a deterrent to economic de-
velopment in the community.
“Alleys in our community
really are the arteries that run
through our neighborhoods
and yet, over the years, we
have allowed them to fall into
tremendous disrepair, neglect,
and in the worse cases they
are really creating inhumane
living situations for residents,”
said Councilman Curren Price.
“Well these conditions are
simply unacceptable and I am
committed to making sure
building a cleaner &
greener community
see clean, pg 5
1,500 tons of trash
collected from streets
and alleys. Equivalent to
the weight of 3 jumbo jets.
5 million square feet
of graffitti removed.
equivalent to the distance
between los angeles and
seattle.
PAGE ONE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
clean & green district upgrades
Recreational Upgrades
Fred Roberts Park: new soccer felds and lighting
Trinity Park: new basketball courts,
playgrounds, and security cameras
Central Park: swimming pool upgrades (construction
begins 2015)
Julian C. Dixon Park: renovated basketball courts,
playground and lighting
Ross Snyder Park
new parks
Wall Street Park: replaced blighted, crime- ridden
building
Avalon & Gage St. Pocket Park: renovated blighted
median (opening late 2014)
green alleys
52nd Pl. / 52nd St. & Towne Ave./ Avalon Blvd.:
includes a pedestrian mall (construction scheduled
to begin Oct. 2014)
53rd St./ 54th St. & San Pedro Ave./ Main St..
(opening Oct. 2014)
Community gardens
St. John’s Wellness Center
Avalon Gardens
Manual Arts High School
John Adams Middle School
The Accelerated School
LAPD Newton Community Police Station
future upgrades
$5 Million in Upgrade and Improvements to Historic South Park
Gilbert Lindsey Park: New Skate Park
neighborhood clean-ups
51st St/ Central Ave.
87th St./ McKinley Ave.
Fred Roberts Park
53rd St./ Avalon Blvd.
Vernon Ave./ Compton Ave.
MLK Blvd./ Woodlawn Ave.
Trinity Park
Ross Snyder Park
South Park Elementary School
Figueroa St./ 57th St.
Hooper Elementary School
PAGE TWO SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Street Vending program
Policies in action
In his frst year, Councilman Curren Price has launched efforts to reform and improve city policies to better
refect the priorities and needs of the community, tackling key issues that directly impact the quality of life of
constituents in the New Ninth, and across the City.
In November 2013, Councilman Curren Price co-authored a motion to create a new city-
wide street vending program, addressing a long overlooked issue in the city. Currently Los
Angeles is believed to have tens of thousands of street vendors operating throughout the city,
in an unregulated environment that is unsafe for workers and customers, and often unfair to
business owners. The lack of regulation can not only expose consumers to potential health risks
and operators to a risky work environment but can often lead to steep fnes or even jail time
for vendors. According to reports from LAPD, more than 2,000 street vendors were arrested
since 2012 with the majority of those arrests happening in the Southern, Central and Eastern
portions of the city. Price’s motion has created a working group that will deisgn, fund and im-
plement the new policy that will establish sidewalk vending districts as well as a permit process
and new enforcement guidelines.
“It is about time that Los Angeles joins every other major city in the country, by producing a
properly regulated street vending system that is fair to vendors, consumers and small business
owners,” said Councilman Curren Price. “This program will simply allow us to better regulate
and manage this industry.”
Living Wages for Hotel Workers
Councilmember Curren Price joined his colleagues, Councilmembers Nury Martinez and
Mike Bonin this Spring, in co-introducing a motion to increase wages at hotels in Los Angeles.
Despite the economic recession, the hotel industry in Los Angeles has maintained record high
occupancy rates and revenues per room available. Still, 43% of hotel workers in Los Angeles
County earn wages that place them below the federal poverty line, according to the Economic
Development Department. A large proportion of those underpaid workers reside in the Ninth
District, a region that currently has the highest poverty rates of any other district in the City.
“Los Angeles has always been a progressive leader, setting an example for the state and the
nation. It is time that we begin to address the “barbell economy” that we have seen grow so
rapidly in our city and that has so many negative impacts on our community at-large,” Council-
man Curren Price said.
Fair Chance Initiative
This June, Councilmember Curren Price proposed legislation that would allow
Los Angeles to join a national movement that seeks to remove barriers to employ-
ment for former offenders. The Fair Chance Initiative would eliminate the box on
job applications that requires applicants to disclose prior felony convictions. More
than 50 cities and counties, including San Francisco, Newark and Philadelphia, have
enacted similar laws requiring public and private employers to eliminate the criminal
conviction box. Councilman Price said he introduced this motion to remove the
stigma and anxiety that so many formerly incarcerated individuals face when they
are attempting to look for work. The intiative would help increase the job applicant
pool, while also reducing recidivism.
“We know that the easiest way to keep someone out of prison is to give them a
path to a decent living wage. We need to have policies in place that make it easier for
them to reintegrate into society.”
PAGE THREE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Throughout his frst year,
Councilman Price has made
building safer neighborhoods
a priority. From advocating for
the shut-down of irresponsi-
ble businesses and crackdown
on unsafe housing, to bringing
key infrastructure upgrades to
the district, Councilman Price
has remained focused on pro-
tecting and enhancing the safe-
ty of the “New Ninth” com-
munity. “I don’t want the bad
actors to continue to operate
unchecked, this motion will
put a permit process in place
and hold the owners of the
bins accountable,” Price said.
Young 16 year-old Nathan-
iel Mota was tragically killed
at the busy intersection of
Normandie Avenue and 42nd
Place last September. He was
on his way home from a church
youth group meeting. This year,
Councilman Curren Price was
able to bring some comfort to
this heartbroken community,
with the installation of a long
awaited traffc light at the site
of Nathaniel’s untimely passing.
“As an elected offcial, few
things are harder than see-
ing an innocent child’s life cut
short. I wish there was more
I could do to help this fam-
ily and this community heal
from this heartache, but at
least today, we can count this
traffc light as a victory,” said
Councilman Curren Price.
Residents from the area
had petitioned for increased
pedestrian and traffc safety
improvements at the busy in-
tersection for at least 5 years,
including Nathaniel’s immediate
family members. At the installa-
tion Yaneth Palencia, Nathaniel
Mota’s aunt, said it was incred-
A New Light
Shines Bright on
Normandie Avenue
ibly diffcult to accept that her
nephew’s son had been claimed
by that unsafe intersection, she
felt tremendous satisfaction in
knowing that something good
had come of “so much tragedy.”
Original estimates from the
Los Angeles Department of
Transportation said the light
installation would take at least
two years to complete, but the
traffc stop was installed this
June, more than a year ahead
of schedule. The installation
couldn’t have come sooner for
Father Jorge Ochoa, of Santa
Cecilia Church, who also cele-
brated the moment as a shin-
ing example of the great things
that are made possible when
a community joins together.
“The light should serve as a
constant reminder to us, that
we must always work togeth-
er to bring positive change to
our community,” Ochoa said.
safe streets, healthy communities
Cracking Down on
Bad Operators
Determined to improve the
image of South LA as a thriv-
ing residential and commercial
community, Councilman Price
has made sure to tackle bad
operators in all walks of life.
Councilman Price launched ef-
forts in his frst year to crack
down on nuisance liquor stores
and bars, which have been a per-
sistent problem for residents
of this community. In February
the offce proudly announced
the frst revocation of a li-
quor license in the community.
“These problem businesses
have impacted our community
for decades, acting like mag-
nets for crime and violence –
well enough is enough. I want
business owners and the com-
munity to know that this be-
havior will not be tolerated.”
Times Square Liquor, on
42nd Street and Broadway, had
been cited for dozens of viola-
tions including selling alcohol
to minors and to intoxicated
individuals over the course of
several years and since 2012,
more than 130 arrests had been
made in the immediate vicinity.
Working with LAPD and com-
munity partners, Councilmem-
ber Price shared his plans to
continue targeting this type of
irresponsible business behavior.
Councilman Price also took
on illegally converted proper-
ties and unattended donation
boxes throughout our city,
which have been chronic blight
magnets for the community.
He introduced a motion
this April which asked City de-
partments to streamline the
process for dealing with illegal
conversions. The motion came
less than a week after the
Councilmember discovered
the sub-standard living condi-
tions that dozens of residents
were living under at 5700 S.
Hoover, in the district. Coun-
cilmember Price secured re-
location fees of up to $19,000
for residents at that property.
“As we continue to look
for ways to address our af-
fordable housing shortage,
we need to do everything
we can to ensure the safe-
ty and well-being of all resi-
dents.” Councilman Price said.
In an effort to curb blight in
Council District 9, Councilman
Price introduced a motion to
regulate unattended clothing
collection bins. These bins,
strewn throughout the district,
are supposed to be used for the
collection of old clothing and
shoes for the fabric recycling
industry. Many of the com-
panies who own these boxes
though are for-proft compa-
nies and they are placing these
unattended collection bins in
the public right of way and on
private property without the
owner’s permission. Left on
their own, they attract illegal
dumping and graffti. “I don’t
want the bad actors to continue
to operate unchecked, this mo-
tion will put a permit process
in place and hold the owners of
the bins accountable,” Price said.
PAGE FOUR SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
continued from page 2
clean
the city is doing all it can to fx these corridors.
No one should have to live next to mountains of
trash and toxic waste.” Working in partnership
with the City’s Bureau of Sanitation and local
non-proft Coalition for Responsible Communi-
ty Development, the alley clean-up program en-
sures that at least two alleys are cleaned per day
in addition to the other clean-up efforts which
include graffti removal and bulky-item pickup.
Monthly community clean-ups, organized by
the Ninth District Council offce and local com-
munity organizations and businesses, have also
been a crucial part of Councilman Price’s Clean-
up efforts. The regularly scheduled events have
not only help keep the
streets cleaner, but
have also helped build
a sense of community
among residents from
all walks of life togeth-
er, who come together
to work on the com-
mon goal of cleaning
up their neighborhood.
Since July, Council
District Nine has col-
lected more than 1,500
tons of trash from our
streets and alleys. At
City Hall, Councilman
Price also made sure
that new City funding
was allocated for alley
clean-ups and bulky
item pick-up. During
this year’s budget de-
liberations, he took
a lead in advocating
for more public dol-
lars to go towards
keeping our neediest
communities clean,
acknowledging the connection between
clean communities and safe communities.
In April, the Los Angeles City Council approved
a motion drafted by Councilmember Price and
Gil Cedillo that will reform and enhance neigh-
borhood cleanups to combat blight citywide. The
motion instructed the Bureau of Sanitation (BOS)
to develop a data driven neighborhood clean-up
program that will allow each Council District to
select the level of service based on specifc need.
The motion asks that the program be modeled
after LAPD’s COMPSTAT program which has
been lauded for its effectiveness at adequately de-
ploying resources where they are needed most..
making la work for all
As Chair of Economic Devel-
opment, Councilman Price over-
sees all city policy directed towards
growing jobs as well as supporting
and attracting new business to the
city. Bringing his experience as both
a small business owner and a veter-
an state and city legislator, Price has
embraced this opportunity to shep-
ard programs that will help stream-
line city regulations and make the
city more business friendly. Central
to L.A.’s revitalization, Price is work-
ing to create a frst-class Convention
Center, with or without an NFL team,
that will attract bigger better con-
ventions to the City. Some basic ren-
ovations are already underway, and
we can expect to see architectural
designs for the Convention Center
later this year. Price also championed
a motion to keep City incentives in-
cluding site plan review fee waivers
and reduced parking requirements in
former State Enterprise Zones. He
is also working to fnd additional in-
centives like reduced inspection fees,
reduced business tax, and DWP dis-
counts. Price is also pushing forward
a new City-wide Hotel Incentive
Policy to help attract much needed
hotels, and with them jobs, tourism,
and tax revenue. Los Angeles is in
need of more than 4,000 rooms to
be competitive with other major
convention and tourism markets.
By creating incentives for hotels to
build in Los Angeles, the City is help-
ing to attract new investments to ar-
eas like Downtown and the Conven-
tion Center, as well as Hollywood
and parts of the San Fernando Valley.
Adressing another critical issue
for the city, that has been a con-
sistent deterrent to economic de-
velopment, Price also introduced
a motion instructing the Housing
Department and Department of
Building and Safety to report back
on how the City departments can
do a better job of communicating
and coordinating efforts to iden-
tify and close problem properties.
Councilman Curren Price also
serves as Vice-Chair of the Pub-
lic Works Committee, and sits
on Housing, as well as the Arts,
Parks, River and Aging Committee.
PAGE FIVE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Open for Business, But not Business As Usual
“residents in South LA
deserve better, and
this market makeover project
is an example of community
businesses stepping up to be a
part of the revitalization of
our community,”
Elected with a mandate to restore and revitalize
the Ninth District community, Councilman Curren
Price has launched various efforts to help empower
local businesses and non-profts, providing them with
the resources and services they need, to help drive
the turnaround of this vibrant and diverse community.
Councilman Price has been excited to welcome
a new crop of businesses that
are offering products and ser-
vices to the region, previously not
available to this community. Busi-
nesses like ALBA Healthy Snacks
and Services, a small bargain
shop that received a complete
makeover to become a healthy
community market. Replacing
bags of fried potato chips with
baked bean crisps, candy bars
with apple slices and sodas with coconut water, the
store will now give local residents a place to ac-
cess healthier snack items, flling a void in the area.
“For too long, our community has suffered from
high rates of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease
while we have also faced a lack of healthy food op-
tions. Residents in South LA deserve better, and
this market makeover project is an example of
community businesses stepping up to be a part of
the revitalization of our community,” said Price said.
Councilman Price was equally pleased to help
welcome the Juanita Tate Marketplace this year, a $21
million shopping center that had been in the works
for a quarter of a century. The retail center added
more than 200 new local jobs to the community, as
well as a brand new 42,000 square foot full service
supermarket, Northgate Supermarket, providing
fresh fruits, vegetables and meats for the community.
Along Central Avenue Price has pushed forward
several key improvement and upgrades to help spur
the revitalization of this historic
arts and commerce corridor. Price
has secured $750,000 for façade
improvements for local business-
es along this arterial strip, as well
as funding for bringing power lines
underground on the street, to help
improve the aesthetics of the area.
The Ninth Council District of-
fce has also been a key supporter
of the effort to create a Central
Avenue Historic Business Improvement District,
which would help bring additional services like
sidewalk cleaning and security by generating fees
from a special assessment. Councilman Price has
also begun conversations with arts historians and
researchers, looking for ways to better promote
the rich arts and culture history of this communi-
ty, which is lauded as the west coast home of Jazz.
Additionally, Councilman Price is working to
expand the area’s iconic “Central Ave. Jazz Fes-
tival” adding arts, health and children’s pavilions
to the two-day event, in an effort to grow at-
tendance and heighten the profle of the area.
Councilman “nurtures” Business
with new Resource Center for 9th
Small businesses
are the economic heart
of any community, and
as a former small busi-
ness owner Councilman
Curren Price knows this
well. With his launch of
the New Ninth Business
Resource Center, Coun-
cilman Price is work-
ing to ensure that the
businesses in the New
Ninth have access to the
resources and services
they need to be suc-
cessful.
The Business Re-
source Center, housed
in the Ninth Council
District Offce, will pro-
vide local entrepreneurs
and business owners, as
well as non-proft and
faith-based organiza-
tions with easy local ac-
cess to existing business
development tools, ser-
vices,training and events.
“Our goal is simple,”
said Councilman Cur-
ren Price. “We want to
assist and nurture the
business growth of lo-
cal small and emerging
businesses in South Los
Angeles by connecting
them to the resources
they need to be viable in
today’s economy.”
The Small Business
Resource Center also
serves as an advocate
for local entrepreneurs
and business owners,
channeling them to
the appropriate City
departments in order
to address their specifc
business matters, and
notifying them of
available services. “What
we are doing is serving
businesses on every
level - from the micro-
businesses and start-
ups to the emerging
enterprises expanding
into global markets, we
want to help business
grow in the New Ninth.”
PAGE SIX SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
thank you 9th district!
Dear Neighbor,
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your representative on the Los Angeles City Council. This last
year has been a busy one, flled with hundreds of Council meetings and community hearings; alley clean-ups and
store openings; parent group visits and park openings. Through it all, the best part of the job has been the op-
portunity to connect with each and every one of you – as we work together to forge a path of lasting revital-
ization for our “New Ninth.” The road ahead won’t be easy, but I stand as committed today as I was a year ago
to addressing your needs and concerns to improve the quality of life of all residents in our community.
PAGE SEVEN SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
curren d. price, jr.
los angeles city councilmember, 9th district
200 n spring st.
rm 420
los angeles, ca 90012
(213) 473.7009
4301 S. Central ave.
los angeles, 90011
(323) 846.2651
city hall office: field office:
@CurrenDPriceJr
curren d price
the-new-ninth.com
Your Councilman,
Curren Price Jr.
doc_367453900.pdf
In such a illustration about the new 9th first year in review 2014.
t he
ne w
9 t h
20 14
“We’ve only
just begun!”
nimbus solor
Obit aut exeriatia dolla-
borere odis dolecatemod
que verrovit, sam ut quam
re as dellorum volenie
inside this issue
Building a Cleaner & Greener Community
Policies in Action
Safe Streets, Healthy Communities
Making LA Work for All
Open for Business, but Not Business as Usual
first year
IN revIEw
On the campaign trail,
Councilmember Curren Price
made a promise to residents
of the Ninth District - after
decades of neglect in their
community, they wanted to
see their next representative
prioritize basic neighborhood
services with clean streets and
alleys being at the top of the
list. Since taking offce, Coun-
cilman Price has come through
with his commitment, making
community beautifcation a key
strategy of his turnaround plan
for the district’s neighborhoods.
This has included allocating city
resources, demanding better
response times for the area and
creating a coordinated clean-
up campaign that has resulted
in the collection of more than
1,500 tons of trash and remov-
al of more than 5 million square
feet of graffti in the last year.
“I am incredibly proud of
the progress we have made
this year around the issue of
making our community clean-
er and greener. Everyone de-
serves to live in a clean com-
munity, that they can be proud
to call home and I intend to
do everything I can to make
sure the “New Ninth” gets the
services it needs so that all
residents have access to this
basic quality of life request,”
said Councilman Curren Price.
A major area of focus of
the New Ninth’s “Clean and
Green” initiative has been
cleaning the area’s high vol-
ume of alleys, which have been
a long-term eyesore for the
community. South Los Angeles
has the highest concentration
of alleys in the city and many
of these have fallen into de-
plorable conditions, becoming
unsightly dumping grounds for
trash, bulky items and toxic
waste. With most of these al-
leys abutting the residential
properties in the area, they
have become a real concern to
residents, a persistent problem
for public safety offcers and
a deterrent to economic de-
velopment in the community.
“Alleys in our community
really are the arteries that run
through our neighborhoods
and yet, over the years, we
have allowed them to fall into
tremendous disrepair, neglect,
and in the worse cases they
are really creating inhumane
living situations for residents,”
said Councilman Curren Price.
“Well these conditions are
simply unacceptable and I am
committed to making sure
building a cleaner &
greener community
see clean, pg 5
1,500 tons of trash
collected from streets
and alleys. Equivalent to
the weight of 3 jumbo jets.
5 million square feet
of graffitti removed.
equivalent to the distance
between los angeles and
seattle.
PAGE ONE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
clean & green district upgrades
Recreational Upgrades
Fred Roberts Park: new soccer felds and lighting
Trinity Park: new basketball courts,
playgrounds, and security cameras
Central Park: swimming pool upgrades (construction
begins 2015)
Julian C. Dixon Park: renovated basketball courts,
playground and lighting
Ross Snyder Park
new parks
Wall Street Park: replaced blighted, crime- ridden
building
Avalon & Gage St. Pocket Park: renovated blighted
median (opening late 2014)
green alleys
52nd Pl. / 52nd St. & Towne Ave./ Avalon Blvd.:
includes a pedestrian mall (construction scheduled
to begin Oct. 2014)
53rd St./ 54th St. & San Pedro Ave./ Main St..
(opening Oct. 2014)
Community gardens
St. John’s Wellness Center
Avalon Gardens
Manual Arts High School
John Adams Middle School
The Accelerated School
LAPD Newton Community Police Station
future upgrades
$5 Million in Upgrade and Improvements to Historic South Park
Gilbert Lindsey Park: New Skate Park
neighborhood clean-ups
51st St/ Central Ave.
87th St./ McKinley Ave.
Fred Roberts Park
53rd St./ Avalon Blvd.
Vernon Ave./ Compton Ave.
MLK Blvd./ Woodlawn Ave.
Trinity Park
Ross Snyder Park
South Park Elementary School
Figueroa St./ 57th St.
Hooper Elementary School
PAGE TWO SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Street Vending program
Policies in action
In his frst year, Councilman Curren Price has launched efforts to reform and improve city policies to better
refect the priorities and needs of the community, tackling key issues that directly impact the quality of life of
constituents in the New Ninth, and across the City.
In November 2013, Councilman Curren Price co-authored a motion to create a new city-
wide street vending program, addressing a long overlooked issue in the city. Currently Los
Angeles is believed to have tens of thousands of street vendors operating throughout the city,
in an unregulated environment that is unsafe for workers and customers, and often unfair to
business owners. The lack of regulation can not only expose consumers to potential health risks
and operators to a risky work environment but can often lead to steep fnes or even jail time
for vendors. According to reports from LAPD, more than 2,000 street vendors were arrested
since 2012 with the majority of those arrests happening in the Southern, Central and Eastern
portions of the city. Price’s motion has created a working group that will deisgn, fund and im-
plement the new policy that will establish sidewalk vending districts as well as a permit process
and new enforcement guidelines.
“It is about time that Los Angeles joins every other major city in the country, by producing a
properly regulated street vending system that is fair to vendors, consumers and small business
owners,” said Councilman Curren Price. “This program will simply allow us to better regulate
and manage this industry.”
Living Wages for Hotel Workers
Councilmember Curren Price joined his colleagues, Councilmembers Nury Martinez and
Mike Bonin this Spring, in co-introducing a motion to increase wages at hotels in Los Angeles.
Despite the economic recession, the hotel industry in Los Angeles has maintained record high
occupancy rates and revenues per room available. Still, 43% of hotel workers in Los Angeles
County earn wages that place them below the federal poverty line, according to the Economic
Development Department. A large proportion of those underpaid workers reside in the Ninth
District, a region that currently has the highest poverty rates of any other district in the City.
“Los Angeles has always been a progressive leader, setting an example for the state and the
nation. It is time that we begin to address the “barbell economy” that we have seen grow so
rapidly in our city and that has so many negative impacts on our community at-large,” Council-
man Curren Price said.
Fair Chance Initiative
This June, Councilmember Curren Price proposed legislation that would allow
Los Angeles to join a national movement that seeks to remove barriers to employ-
ment for former offenders. The Fair Chance Initiative would eliminate the box on
job applications that requires applicants to disclose prior felony convictions. More
than 50 cities and counties, including San Francisco, Newark and Philadelphia, have
enacted similar laws requiring public and private employers to eliminate the criminal
conviction box. Councilman Price said he introduced this motion to remove the
stigma and anxiety that so many formerly incarcerated individuals face when they
are attempting to look for work. The intiative would help increase the job applicant
pool, while also reducing recidivism.
“We know that the easiest way to keep someone out of prison is to give them a
path to a decent living wage. We need to have policies in place that make it easier for
them to reintegrate into society.”
PAGE THREE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Throughout his frst year,
Councilman Price has made
building safer neighborhoods
a priority. From advocating for
the shut-down of irresponsi-
ble businesses and crackdown
on unsafe housing, to bringing
key infrastructure upgrades to
the district, Councilman Price
has remained focused on pro-
tecting and enhancing the safe-
ty of the “New Ninth” com-
munity. “I don’t want the bad
actors to continue to operate
unchecked, this motion will
put a permit process in place
and hold the owners of the
bins accountable,” Price said.
Young 16 year-old Nathan-
iel Mota was tragically killed
at the busy intersection of
Normandie Avenue and 42nd
Place last September. He was
on his way home from a church
youth group meeting. This year,
Councilman Curren Price was
able to bring some comfort to
this heartbroken community,
with the installation of a long
awaited traffc light at the site
of Nathaniel’s untimely passing.
“As an elected offcial, few
things are harder than see-
ing an innocent child’s life cut
short. I wish there was more
I could do to help this fam-
ily and this community heal
from this heartache, but at
least today, we can count this
traffc light as a victory,” said
Councilman Curren Price.
Residents from the area
had petitioned for increased
pedestrian and traffc safety
improvements at the busy in-
tersection for at least 5 years,
including Nathaniel’s immediate
family members. At the installa-
tion Yaneth Palencia, Nathaniel
Mota’s aunt, said it was incred-
A New Light
Shines Bright on
Normandie Avenue
ibly diffcult to accept that her
nephew’s son had been claimed
by that unsafe intersection, she
felt tremendous satisfaction in
knowing that something good
had come of “so much tragedy.”
Original estimates from the
Los Angeles Department of
Transportation said the light
installation would take at least
two years to complete, but the
traffc stop was installed this
June, more than a year ahead
of schedule. The installation
couldn’t have come sooner for
Father Jorge Ochoa, of Santa
Cecilia Church, who also cele-
brated the moment as a shin-
ing example of the great things
that are made possible when
a community joins together.
“The light should serve as a
constant reminder to us, that
we must always work togeth-
er to bring positive change to
our community,” Ochoa said.
safe streets, healthy communities
Cracking Down on
Bad Operators
Determined to improve the
image of South LA as a thriv-
ing residential and commercial
community, Councilman Price
has made sure to tackle bad
operators in all walks of life.
Councilman Price launched ef-
forts in his frst year to crack
down on nuisance liquor stores
and bars, which have been a per-
sistent problem for residents
of this community. In February
the offce proudly announced
the frst revocation of a li-
quor license in the community.
“These problem businesses
have impacted our community
for decades, acting like mag-
nets for crime and violence –
well enough is enough. I want
business owners and the com-
munity to know that this be-
havior will not be tolerated.”
Times Square Liquor, on
42nd Street and Broadway, had
been cited for dozens of viola-
tions including selling alcohol
to minors and to intoxicated
individuals over the course of
several years and since 2012,
more than 130 arrests had been
made in the immediate vicinity.
Working with LAPD and com-
munity partners, Councilmem-
ber Price shared his plans to
continue targeting this type of
irresponsible business behavior.
Councilman Price also took
on illegally converted proper-
ties and unattended donation
boxes throughout our city,
which have been chronic blight
magnets for the community.
He introduced a motion
this April which asked City de-
partments to streamline the
process for dealing with illegal
conversions. The motion came
less than a week after the
Councilmember discovered
the sub-standard living condi-
tions that dozens of residents
were living under at 5700 S.
Hoover, in the district. Coun-
cilmember Price secured re-
location fees of up to $19,000
for residents at that property.
“As we continue to look
for ways to address our af-
fordable housing shortage,
we need to do everything
we can to ensure the safe-
ty and well-being of all resi-
dents.” Councilman Price said.
In an effort to curb blight in
Council District 9, Councilman
Price introduced a motion to
regulate unattended clothing
collection bins. These bins,
strewn throughout the district,
are supposed to be used for the
collection of old clothing and
shoes for the fabric recycling
industry. Many of the com-
panies who own these boxes
though are for-proft compa-
nies and they are placing these
unattended collection bins in
the public right of way and on
private property without the
owner’s permission. Left on
their own, they attract illegal
dumping and graffti. “I don’t
want the bad actors to continue
to operate unchecked, this mo-
tion will put a permit process
in place and hold the owners of
the bins accountable,” Price said.
PAGE FOUR SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
continued from page 2
clean
the city is doing all it can to fx these corridors.
No one should have to live next to mountains of
trash and toxic waste.” Working in partnership
with the City’s Bureau of Sanitation and local
non-proft Coalition for Responsible Communi-
ty Development, the alley clean-up program en-
sures that at least two alleys are cleaned per day
in addition to the other clean-up efforts which
include graffti removal and bulky-item pickup.
Monthly community clean-ups, organized by
the Ninth District Council offce and local com-
munity organizations and businesses, have also
been a crucial part of Councilman Price’s Clean-
up efforts. The regularly scheduled events have
not only help keep the
streets cleaner, but
have also helped build
a sense of community
among residents from
all walks of life togeth-
er, who come together
to work on the com-
mon goal of cleaning
up their neighborhood.
Since July, Council
District Nine has col-
lected more than 1,500
tons of trash from our
streets and alleys. At
City Hall, Councilman
Price also made sure
that new City funding
was allocated for alley
clean-ups and bulky
item pick-up. During
this year’s budget de-
liberations, he took
a lead in advocating
for more public dol-
lars to go towards
keeping our neediest
communities clean,
acknowledging the connection between
clean communities and safe communities.
In April, the Los Angeles City Council approved
a motion drafted by Councilmember Price and
Gil Cedillo that will reform and enhance neigh-
borhood cleanups to combat blight citywide. The
motion instructed the Bureau of Sanitation (BOS)
to develop a data driven neighborhood clean-up
program that will allow each Council District to
select the level of service based on specifc need.
The motion asks that the program be modeled
after LAPD’s COMPSTAT program which has
been lauded for its effectiveness at adequately de-
ploying resources where they are needed most..
making la work for all
As Chair of Economic Devel-
opment, Councilman Price over-
sees all city policy directed towards
growing jobs as well as supporting
and attracting new business to the
city. Bringing his experience as both
a small business owner and a veter-
an state and city legislator, Price has
embraced this opportunity to shep-
ard programs that will help stream-
line city regulations and make the
city more business friendly. Central
to L.A.’s revitalization, Price is work-
ing to create a frst-class Convention
Center, with or without an NFL team,
that will attract bigger better con-
ventions to the City. Some basic ren-
ovations are already underway, and
we can expect to see architectural
designs for the Convention Center
later this year. Price also championed
a motion to keep City incentives in-
cluding site plan review fee waivers
and reduced parking requirements in
former State Enterprise Zones. He
is also working to fnd additional in-
centives like reduced inspection fees,
reduced business tax, and DWP dis-
counts. Price is also pushing forward
a new City-wide Hotel Incentive
Policy to help attract much needed
hotels, and with them jobs, tourism,
and tax revenue. Los Angeles is in
need of more than 4,000 rooms to
be competitive with other major
convention and tourism markets.
By creating incentives for hotels to
build in Los Angeles, the City is help-
ing to attract new investments to ar-
eas like Downtown and the Conven-
tion Center, as well as Hollywood
and parts of the San Fernando Valley.
Adressing another critical issue
for the city, that has been a con-
sistent deterrent to economic de-
velopment, Price also introduced
a motion instructing the Housing
Department and Department of
Building and Safety to report back
on how the City departments can
do a better job of communicating
and coordinating efforts to iden-
tify and close problem properties.
Councilman Curren Price also
serves as Vice-Chair of the Pub-
lic Works Committee, and sits
on Housing, as well as the Arts,
Parks, River and Aging Committee.
PAGE FIVE SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
Open for Business, But not Business As Usual
“residents in South LA
deserve better, and
this market makeover project
is an example of community
businesses stepping up to be a
part of the revitalization of
our community,”
Elected with a mandate to restore and revitalize
the Ninth District community, Councilman Curren
Price has launched various efforts to help empower
local businesses and non-profts, providing them with
the resources and services they need, to help drive
the turnaround of this vibrant and diverse community.
Councilman Price has been excited to welcome
a new crop of businesses that
are offering products and ser-
vices to the region, previously not
available to this community. Busi-
nesses like ALBA Healthy Snacks
and Services, a small bargain
shop that received a complete
makeover to become a healthy
community market. Replacing
bags of fried potato chips with
baked bean crisps, candy bars
with apple slices and sodas with coconut water, the
store will now give local residents a place to ac-
cess healthier snack items, flling a void in the area.
“For too long, our community has suffered from
high rates of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease
while we have also faced a lack of healthy food op-
tions. Residents in South LA deserve better, and
this market makeover project is an example of
community businesses stepping up to be a part of
the revitalization of our community,” said Price said.
Councilman Price was equally pleased to help
welcome the Juanita Tate Marketplace this year, a $21
million shopping center that had been in the works
for a quarter of a century. The retail center added
more than 200 new local jobs to the community, as
well as a brand new 42,000 square foot full service
supermarket, Northgate Supermarket, providing
fresh fruits, vegetables and meats for the community.
Along Central Avenue Price has pushed forward
several key improvement and upgrades to help spur
the revitalization of this historic
arts and commerce corridor. Price
has secured $750,000 for façade
improvements for local business-
es along this arterial strip, as well
as funding for bringing power lines
underground on the street, to help
improve the aesthetics of the area.
The Ninth Council District of-
fce has also been a key supporter
of the effort to create a Central
Avenue Historic Business Improvement District,
which would help bring additional services like
sidewalk cleaning and security by generating fees
from a special assessment. Councilman Price has
also begun conversations with arts historians and
researchers, looking for ways to better promote
the rich arts and culture history of this communi-
ty, which is lauded as the west coast home of Jazz.
Additionally, Councilman Price is working to
expand the area’s iconic “Central Ave. Jazz Fes-
tival” adding arts, health and children’s pavilions
to the two-day event, in an effort to grow at-
tendance and heighten the profle of the area.
Councilman “nurtures” Business
with new Resource Center for 9th
Small businesses
are the economic heart
of any community, and
as a former small busi-
ness owner Councilman
Curren Price knows this
well. With his launch of
the New Ninth Business
Resource Center, Coun-
cilman Price is work-
ing to ensure that the
businesses in the New
Ninth have access to the
resources and services
they need to be suc-
cessful.
The Business Re-
source Center, housed
in the Ninth Council
District Offce, will pro-
vide local entrepreneurs
and business owners, as
well as non-proft and
faith-based organiza-
tions with easy local ac-
cess to existing business
development tools, ser-
vices,training and events.
“Our goal is simple,”
said Councilman Cur-
ren Price. “We want to
assist and nurture the
business growth of lo-
cal small and emerging
businesses in South Los
Angeles by connecting
them to the resources
they need to be viable in
today’s economy.”
The Small Business
Resource Center also
serves as an advocate
for local entrepreneurs
and business owners,
channeling them to
the appropriate City
departments in order
to address their specifc
business matters, and
notifying them of
available services. “What
we are doing is serving
businesses on every
level - from the micro-
businesses and start-
ups to the emerging
enterprises expanding
into global markets, we
want to help business
grow in the New Ninth.”
PAGE SIX SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
thank you 9th district!
Dear Neighbor,
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your representative on the Los Angeles City Council. This last
year has been a busy one, flled with hundreds of Council meetings and community hearings; alley clean-ups and
store openings; parent group visits and park openings. Through it all, the best part of the job has been the op-
portunity to connect with each and every one of you – as we work together to forge a path of lasting revital-
ization for our “New Ninth.” The road ahead won’t be easy, but I stand as committed today as I was a year ago
to addressing your needs and concerns to improve the quality of life of all residents in our community.
PAGE SEVEN SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4
curren d. price, jr.
los angeles city councilmember, 9th district
200 n spring st.
rm 420
los angeles, ca 90012
(213) 473.7009
4301 S. Central ave.
los angeles, 90011
(323) 846.2651
city hall office: field office:
@CurrenDPriceJr
curren d price
the-new-ninth.com
Your Councilman,
Curren Price Jr.
doc_367453900.pdf