Edgardo Flores - RIPE

Redondo Beach, CA— Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors announced their intent to create a new financing district to help fund the massive effort to tear down the AES Power Plant in Redondo Beach and replace it with restored wetlands, a new regional park, and private development.

“This power plant is an eyesore and we have an opportunity now to transform this site into a massive regional park and restore some of the wetlands that this power plant destroyed,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “There is plenty of work ahead of us, but this is a major step in returning this prime piece of waterfront real estate to the people.”

The proposed project will require a significant investment beyond the means of the City of Redondo Beach. Today the Board of Supervisors, led by Chair Janice Hahn, announced their intent to participate in an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District. The financing district would help raise the $93 million necessary for land acquisition, powerline removal/undergrounding, circulation improvements, park amenities, and a parking structure.

“This is truly a team effort of the City, the South Bay, the State and now the County of Los Angeles” said Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand who testified at today’s Board meeting. “Many thanks to the Supervisors and their staff for their support. We can’t convert this site to public uses without their support.”

The power plant was built in 1954 on the waterfront in Redondo Beach and was owned and operated by Southern California Edison until 1998, when the electric industry was restructured, and SCE sold its generating facility to AES. The power plant is now scheduled to shut down in 2020.

An Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District would not raise additional taxes on any individual or entity. Bonds will be issued to cover the cost of the new infrastructure. A portion of the taxes collected on the limited new private development will be used to pay the interest and debt on the bonds.

Funds $1.4 Million Renovation Project Providing New Technology

Avalon, CA – Yesterday, Los Angeles County Supervisor and Chair of the Board Janice Hahn celebrated the grand re-opening of the Los Angeles County Library system’s smallest branch, the 1,256 square-foot Avalon Library on Catalina Island.

Hahn funded the $1.4 million renovation of the library, which was carried out by the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA).  Owing to the new additions, the Avalon Library is now the first in the system to provide Open+ Technology, allowing customers additional access to the library between 7am-9am before opening.  Other additions to the library include increased ADA accessibility, a larger Spanish-language collection, phone charging stations, and 10 “Grab and Go” Chromebooks.

“The Avalon Library may be small, but it is a huge resource for this island community and accepts over 30,000 annual visitors,” said Supervisor Hahn. “I wanted to be sure this library got the renovation it needed to be the best it could be for local residents and visitors – now, Avalon’s Library is more inclusive, accessible, and updated than ever before.”

Supervisor Hahn was joined at the re-opening by LA County Library Director Skye Patrick, who spoke to the Avalon Library’s new features.

“The newly renovated Avalon Library will provide the community with the resources, programming, and technology needed to meet and exceed educational and personal goals,” said Skye Patrick, LA County Library Director. “With Grab & Go Chromebooks, Open+, and a golf cart, the Library continues to expand our available services to our customers.”

During the ceremony, Supervisor Hahn also recognized Sharon and Dennis Poteet, a Whittier couple who traveled to the Avalon Library to complete their goal of visiting all 85 LA County libraries. Hahn presented them with a scroll in honor of their patronage of LA County Libraries.

South Whittier, CA—Today, Supervisor Janice Hahn recommended that the LA County Board of Supervisors approve the next step in her plan to build affordable apartments for transition-age-youth at the site of the former South Whittier Library.

“Homelessness can be devastating to a young person’s future,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Too many students are forced to choose between paying rent and staying in college. We are turning this unused plot of County land into affordable homes that will allow these young people to focus on their studies and building the type of life they want for themselves.”

The board voted unanimously to lease the site of the former South Whittier library located at 14433 Leffingwell Road to LINC Housing Corporation, a nonprofit developer, for $1 a year for 66 years.  The property has been vacant since the library moved to a new site in 2016. This lease agreement marks the end of exclusive negotiations previously approved by the board in January.

LINC will construct a new three-story building of approximately 21,000 square feet in size, which includes a total of 27 affordable apartments reserved for low-income transition age youth (TAY) between the ages of 18-25. All units will be reserved for individuals earning 30 percent or less of Area Median Income. The development will also include a community room, common outdoor spaces, a computer room, laundry room, offices for supportive services and property management, and 10 vehicle parking spaces.

Jovenes, a local nonprofit that specializes in services for young people, will provide mental health services, legal services, and other support for the residents. Jovenes will partner with nearby Rio Hondo College to connect their students with the units.

“Rio Hondo College thanks Supervisor Hahn for bringing this valuable resource to our community,” said Oscar Valladares, President of the Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees. “We look forward to working with Jovenes to identify our most vulnerable students that qualify for these housing units.”  

Nearly 1 in 5 of the 230,000 community college students in LA County are struggling with homelessness. Nationally, 29% of former foster youth in community college are homeless. Only 2% of those students are able to complete their degree.

Los Angeles, CA — At today’s Board of Supervisors Meeting, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Janice Hahn joined Supervisor Sheila Kuehl in honoring an LA County Probation Officer who helped save the life of a young boy in Norwalk earlier this month.

On Thursday, October 3, Los Angeles County Deputy Probation Officer II (DPO II) Martha Corbett, who is a Probation liaison with the City of Norwalk, was visiting a local middle school to introduce herself to the school’s administrators. When she arrived, school officials alerted her that an 11-year-old boy had ran away from the school and was standing perilously close to nearby train tracks. Despondent by the fact that his parents were going through a divorce, the boy ran away from school officials and his mother during a parent meeting at the school that day.

School safety officers and administrators tried to help the boy and coax him away from the railroad tracks, but he only walked further away from them and onto the tracks. The situation became urgent when the crossing arms of the railroad tracks lowered and Corbett could see the train’s headlights approaching.

DPO II Corbett managed to persuade the boy closer to her. Just in time, she quickly grabbed the young boy and guided him to safety just moments before the train passed, avoiding what could have been a disaster.

“I am pleased to have had the opportunity to recognize a true hero at today’s Board Meeting,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Deputy Probation Officer Corbett’s brave deed exemplifies all that our Probation Department stands for – I commend her for her bravery, commitment to the safety of others in need, and continued service to LA County’s youth.”

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Chair Janice Hahn and Supervisor Kathryn Barger to use a recent $134 million settlement to remove lead paint from thousands of homes in LA County, thus protecting children now and for generations to come from toxic lead poisoning.

In 2018, the County of Los Angeles and nine other local public entities won a landmark legal victory against three former manufacturers of lead paint. After 19 years of litigation, the Court found that these companies created an ongoing public nuisance by advertising lead paint use in homes while having knowledge of the toxic hazard to human health. Of the $305 million settlement, the County of Los Angeles will receive $134 million.

“Children are still being poisoned by the lead paint these companies profited off of for decades,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn, who authored the motion. “I applaud the aggressive efforts of our litigation team in their pursuit of environmental justice. We are going to put this funding to work removing lead paint from thousands of homes in LA County so that we can protect children now and for generations to come from lead poisoning.”

The Board of Supervisors voted today to use the $134 million settlement to create and fund a new and comprehensive Lead Paint Hazard Mitigation Program in partnership with the LA County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Development Authority. Over the next eight years, this program will allow for the removal of lead paint from an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 homes.

The program will target residential properties built before 1951, in low-income communities with a high prevalence of children under the age of six. Services will be completely free to those who qualify and will include testing for and remediation of lead paint hazards in both indoor and outdoor surfaces of homes. The program will also provide resources and education on lead hazards and how to prevent childhood lead poisoning.

“All of our children deserve to live in homes and communities that are free from environmental hazards,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. “The proposed program is critically needed to ensure that low-income families with young children can live in housing free from lead paint hazards.”

“We are pleased to partner with the Department of Public Health to address lead hazards in older homes and provide solutions to protect our most vulnerable residents for generations to come,” said Monique Viehland-King, Executive Director of the LACDA.

Lead paint is the most significant environmental hazard for children in Los Angeles County and in California. Lead is a neurotoxin and exposure of children to lead can cause severe and permanent damage to the developing brain, including learning disabilities, deficits in attention and concentration, memory, comprehension, and impulse control. Even though lead paint was banned in the United States in 1978, nearly 3,000 children are still diagnosed with lead poisoning each year in Los Angeles County.

For more information about lead, call 1-800-LA-4-LEAD

Los Angeles, CA — Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Board Chair Janice Hahn and Supervisor Hilda Solis to assess and address the specific needs of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) individuals experiencing homelessness in LA County.

“A dark history of racism, genocide, and systemic discrimination make American Indians more likely to experience poverty and homelessness,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “We need a better understanding of how many members of these communities are experiencing homelessness and we need to put in place culturally-inclusive services to help lift them off the streets and into homes.”

Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. A history of systemic racism and genocide mean that this population endures disproportionate symptoms of intergenerational trauma (e.g. mental health, chronic disease, substance use, and economic disparities). While these disparities put AIAN communities at greater risk for homelessness, tracking the specific statistics associated with these disparities represents a great challenge.

“Homelessness among American Indians and Alaska Natives in LA County has its roots in centuries of discrimination. Today, LA County will initiate systemic changes to right this wrong,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who co-authored this motion. “In order to accomplish this, we must recognize Native Americans and Alaska Natives often do not trust government agencies due to years of marginalization and mistreatment. LA County will adopt culturally inclusive best practices that will more effectively support American Indians and Alaska Natives who are experiencing homelessness. We will embrace culturally competent procedures that respect and honor the rich history of our American Indian and Alaska Native communities.”

The motion passed today instructs the Director of the Homeless Initiative, the Chief Executive Office (CEO), to collaborate with other County groups – including the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Homelessness Services Authority and the Directors of Mental Health, Health Services, Public Social Services and Children and Family Services— to formally assess the needs of homeless AIAN individuals. The subsequent report will include a baseline count of homeless individuals with demographic statistics, recommendations on how to better capture AIAN homelessness data moving forward, and strategies for improving the availability of AIAN culturally-inclusive services that properly address existing gaps in resources for AIAN individuals. The report will also include an assessment of available property that can be used for permanent supportive housing that is culturally inclusive of AIAN individuals.

“As Supervisor Hahn’s Native American Indian Commission appointee, I want to thank her for taking the lead on our motion regarding Native American homelessness,” said Pat Lopez. “This population experienced a 68% increase in homelessness last year. As the economy has improved in general, it has not translated to Indian country. It is still in dire economic straits. There are no I industries in our Native communities. Therefore natives come to the urban setting seeking economic opportunities and services. They also seek a native community to interact with, share ceremonies and prayer circles. They become homeless in the process, being far from home.”

“For too long our American Indian and Alaska Native community has been invisible in the eyes of the systems meant to serve our most under-resourced communities, particularly those experiencing homelessness,” said Andrea Garcia, member of the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission. “This motion is a great first step in addressing basic data needs, culturally supportive services, and an assessment of land that may be used for supportive housing. Importantly, our community member voices have been centered in this effort. We are thrilled that Supervisors Hahn and Solis have chosen to support this, and we look forward to improving health outcomes and housing status of our LA Native community.”

The motion aims to better enable the County to meet the needs of homeless AIAN individuals overall.

The County has already used this model of reporting effectively. In April 2018, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) launched the Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness. The Committee’s final report—coupled with new data tools from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Alliance to End Homelessness—provides a strong roadmap for communities interested in addressing racial disparities.

Read the full motion here.