CSUN On Point

Like much of Los Angeles, the neighborhoods of the San Fernando Valley are changing. In cities like Reseda, once-vibrant commercial districts lie dormant. But residents and city officials are working together to revitalize the city streets and promote a sense of community.

The Reseda Artwalk, held on Sept. 22 on Sherman Way in Reseda, drew thousands for the fourth consecutive year. Local artists, vendors, and performers lined the street, which was shut down for the event. By showcasing the diverse creative community living in the area, the event’s organizers hope to create a sense of pride among residents.

“Historically there’s a stigma to the valley, and it’s not a cool place to be,” said Addy Gonzalez-Renteria, co-founder and co-director of 11:11 A Creative Collective, the nonprofit arts organization behind the event. “We wanted to beautify and revitalize our neighborhood through the arts.”

The event is part of Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s Reseda Rising initiative, which aims to revitalize consumer interest and community pride in the Reseda area.

“Part of what [Blumenfield] is doing with the initiative is drawing the consumer focus and the resident focus back to that area, to let them know that there are fun, safe, interesting things to do here, that you want to come do,” said Tricia Robbins, Economic Development Director for Blumenfield’s office.

As rent continues to rise throughout the Los Angeles area, the idea of gentrification is often debated. Central to this issue is displacement, when people who can no longer afford to live in a gentrified area are forced to move.

“I think we all want to live in a safe, clean, nice-looking place, and I think gentrification can offer that,” Gonzalez-Renteria said, “but I think displacement is the one issue that we need to look at very closely,”

Professor Robert Kent, Chair of CSUN’s Urban Studies and Planning Department, said that he doesn’t see gentrification as much of an issue in the San Fernando Valley yet, but it could be in the future. Blumenfield’s Reseda Rising initiative, if successful, could bring a new set of challenges down the road.

“If they’re very successful in creating a sense of place down along Reseda, in ten or fifteen years we may be looking at some kind of gentrification,” Kent said. There are things a city can do to avoid the pitfalls of gentrification, however. “You try to mitigate the negative aspects through positive social programs,” he said.

Some residents are wary of change, especially when spurred by local government.

“We want to see the community improve, but we do not want gentrification forced upon us by the city,” said Garrett Frank, a local activist.

By working alongside city officials, Gonzalez-Renteria said she hopes to change this narrative, focusing on “the intersection between urban development and cultural development.”

“I think adding this level of consciousness into development is really important,” Gonzalez-Renteria said.

Reseda may be changing, but local elected officials said they hope that, by maintaining focus on the community, the process will be beneficial for current and prospective residents alike.

“I think that we, as a Council office, are trying our best to generate positive change and bring everyone along with us, so that it doesn’t push folks out,” Robbins said.

Anchor: Jenny Almanza

Moderator: Vivian Rayos

Producer: Tamie Benitez

Social Media Editor: Damian Gordon

Reporters: Jenny Almanza, Tamie Benitez, Damian Gordon, Vivian Rayos and Joe Willeford

When thinking about downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center comes to mind, or maybe the numerous development projects happening right now. What may not come to mind is how the developments affect downtown’s homeless population, which is by far the biggest in the country.

The major changes occurring downtown include building enhancements, new modern-looking housing complexes, and more people.

But just how does the homeless population play in to the development in historic downtown L.A.? Since downtown streets have become a place for the homeless to live, any changes to those downtown streets affect where they will settle next.

A business collaborative task force called Home For Good is trying to resolve this issue in the city. Their focus is to “address homelessness by eliminating it,” said Jerry Neuman, an L.A. attorney and member of Home For Good’s Business Leaders Task Force.

Neuman said that eliminating homelessness would improve the business climate and create incentives for growth and expansion. He also said gentrification affects both the homeless and economic sector downtown. Gentrification is a shift in an urban community toward residents who are wealthier, as well as an increase in property values.

“The gentrification of downtown is having dramatic impacts on the accessibility of where homeless people have to live,” Neuman said. “If you think back about 12 years before the renaissance of downtown, we had about 70 percent affordability downtown, and that number is now reduced to about 30 percent affordability.”

Because of the many new housing developments, business has improved.

“Gentrification, I think, typically is a process,” said Dr. Robert Kent, Chair of CSUN’s Urban Studies and Planning Department. He said that gentrification can affect current downtown residents as well as the homeless.

“You get developers who will go in and rehab these buildings or tear them down and build buildings, build apartments and lofts, and these sort of things for people with the higher levels of income who work in the city and want to live close to the city,” Kent said. “And at the same time, many people who have been living in those buildings, paying relatively low rents, are displaced, have to move to other neighborhoods, or are simply forced out of their homes.”

Neuman said that when the development started in downtown L.A., it set a trend toward further development.

“The city created an adaptive re-use ordinance that allowed a lot of flexibility adapting old buildings into new residential buildings,” Neuman said. “And from that you saw a rush to create more housing downtown and create community development, you kind of have great infrastructure and people are starting to live there.”

Since new business is expanding downtown, Home For Good is working to help homeless people find a place to live without interrupting the new developments.

“What building should be preserved for the homeless, and what building should be part of the rebirth — that is discussed on  a daily basis,” Neuman said. “We keep trying to find opportunities where we can build better projects that permanently support those people who are homeless, and yet not get in the way of the progress that downtown is making.”

Moderator: Judith Retana

Anchor: Jamie Gonzaga

Reporters: Colin Newton, Nelssie Carillo, Hannah Townsley

Production Crew: Mahina Haina and Adam Schumes