Wednesday, December 23, 2009
**Winter/Spring Internships with Los Angeles City Planning, Community Planning Division**
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Deputy Mayor Bud Ovrom to serve as General Manager of LADBS
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa continues to reshuffle his cabinet of top advisers, announcing today that his deputy mayor for economic development will move into the top job at the Department of Building and Safety.
Deputy Mayor Robert "Bud" Ovrom will replace Andrew Adelman, who stepped down as general manager of that department in September. Adelman resigned as police were investigating allegations that he had raped a woman at his apartment. That investigation ended with no arrests made or charges filed.
Ovrom has promised to restart the mayor's effort to streamline the building permit process, which has been in the proposal stage for years. "As a 'bricks and mortar' guy, supporting construction has always been my favorite part of my job," he said in a prepared statement.
The appointment must be confirmed by the City Council.
Friday, December 18, 2009
New Data Shows Stimulus Spending on Transit Creates More Jobs than Highways, Released in Wake of House Jobs Bill
Latest jobs data show stimulus spending on public transportation produces more jobs, faster, than highways
The latest data on stimulus spending shows that funds spent on public transportation were a more effective job creator than stimulus funds spent on highways. In the 10 months since ARRA was signed, investing in public transportation produced twice as many jobs as investing in roads:
§ Every billion dollars spent on public transportation produced 16,400 job-months
§ Every billion dollars spent on projects funded under highway infrastructure programs produced 8,800 job-months.
(Because transportation projects are of different durations, a "job month" is a more accurate way of comparing quantities of employment created)
As Congress and the Administration discuss a possible jobs bill, the implication is clear: shifting available funds toward public transportation will create more jobs.
These figures are calculated from data provided by the states through October 31, and released by the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on
December 10th
(http://transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1079).
President Obama has said he is concerned that the goal of quickly boosting employment with shovel-ready projects may conflict with making long-term investments in
§ it is a more effective job creator; and
§ it builds the transportation systems we need for the future.
Investing in public transportation also:
§ helps get people to work today and tomorrow,
§ provides immediate support to state and local governments struggling to run public transportation systems.
Other findings
The result that public transportation funding produced more jobs per dollar held across states: every dollar spent on public transportation supports between 1.6x and 2.5x the number of jobs that a dollar spent on highways supports.
Public transportation projects produce so many more jobs per dollar that even in cases where public transportation dollars spent out more slowly, they created more net jobs than
the spending through highway projects.
The speed at which states spent stimulus funds varied widely. Transit spending was faster than highway spending for projects and transit agencies in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois,
Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. This is in marked contrast to statements to the GAO
that only pavement projects can get the money out quickly.
Any further transportation spending the goal of which is rapid job creation should include measures to accelerate spending, including technical assistance to strapped transportation agencies, and possibly sanctions
and rewards.
These job-creation results data are not directly comparable to previously published studies on job creation through infrastructure investment since these are all incomplete programs in various stages of obligation, contracting, initiation, and completion.
Policy implications
No matter what the economic conditions, we need investments to provide the maximum possible return.
We now have enough data on the impacts of ARRA spending to begin drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of spending under different parts of ARRA. The data so far show that spending through public
transportation programs is both the more effective job creator, and moves us towards the transportation system of the future.
As Congress and the Administration debate future federal investments in transportation, they should look at the ARRA results to date from the dedicated transit funds and the Surface
Transportation Program. Congress and the Administration should note the direct economic benefits of different kinds of investment, and how each helps reduce the cost of living, provides
access to jobs, boosts manufacturing, and improves state of repair for all kinds of transportation assets.
All future apportionments, whether from a jobs bill, a second stimulus, and/or the continuing SAFETEA‐LU program, and whatever authorization replaces it, should be guided by a balanced
approach to transportation spending that produces the maximum return for the money.
Contact:
Phineas Baxandall, Senior Analyst for Tax & Budget Policy, U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), Cell: 857‐234‐1328, Office: 617‐747‐4351, phineas@pirg.org
William Schroeer, State Policy Director, Smart Growth America, p 612 308 7147, wschroeer@smartgrowthamerica.org Scott Bernstein, Center for Neighborhood Technology, p 773‐617‐9503, scott@cnt.org.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
December 2009 - AIA/LA Political Outreach Committee
Making the ‘Jobs’ Bill Work For Architects
- Provide $11 billion for the modernization, renovation, and repair of our nation's schools
- Allow the SBA to provide reduced loan fees and larger guarantees for its 504 and 7(a) programs and increasing lending limits for the 504 program
- Enact the Small Business Financing and Investment Act (HR 3854)
- Expand the authority of the Treasury Department to provide funding of new commercial and institutional real estate loans for worth, solidly underwritten projects that will create jobs, and revitalize communities.
- Increase the value of the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction to $3.00 per square foot from its current $1.80 per square foot.
Monday, November 30, 2009
AIA/LA Breakfast w/ GUY MEHULA - Friday, December 4 (8am)
From Guy Mehula
For the past seven years I have had the honor to be a part of the leadership for the Facilities Division of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)- - first as the Deputy Chief Facilities Executive for New Construction and then as the Chief Facilities Executive. I joined the District because I am passionate about the mission and drawn by the challenges I knew we would face. At that time, I had no idea how generous the voters would continue to be, and how much we would be able to achieve.
The work that we have done together and the investments we have made in our schools, community, and economy are significant. This Program is truly historical. Eighty new K-12 schools, more than 83,000 new K-12 classroom seats and approximately 19,000 modernization projects have been completed. There are 10,000 people working on the Program on a daily basis and $13.6 Billion of local Bond funds have been leveraged into a $20.1 Billion Program. Our schools are healthier, safer and less overcrowded. The New Construction Program is more than 60 percent complete and our Modernization Program is approximately 90 percent complete. We are on track to provide every LAUSD student with the opportunity to attend a neighborhood school operating on a two-semester calendar.
We have turned this Division into a world class, award winning Program and developed a team of highly qualified construction professionals that are able to deliver projects on schedule and within budget. After careful consideration, I have decided to retire from the District and explore new career opportunities. I informed the Superintendent and Board of Education of my decision this weekend and wanted to personally let you know about my decision as well. My last day leading the organization will be Friday, October 23rd.
This Program and this team are second to none. Thank you for all that you have done for the students of LAUSD. I am proud to have been part of this spectacular team and am confident the future will bring many more successes. It is because of your teamwork and commitment to excellence that we have been able to provide our students with safe and healthy neighborhood schools on time and within budget.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Reminder: AIA/LA UDC Dec 2 LACMA Masterplan presentation+ events of interest
AIA/
LACMA Masterplan presented by LACMA President, Melody Kanschat
Location: AIA/LA offices
RSVP to
In 2001 LACMA hosted a competition to create an architectural master plan that was commensurate with the increasing quality of LACMA's collection and in keeping with the innovations in art, architecture and design that characterize
Eight years later, two phases of the master plan are near completion, the third phase is in the planning stage, the subway will be extended along
Join LACMA President, Melody Kanschat, for a discussion about the museum's development within the context of our city's cultural infrastructure and LACMA's role in moving that agenda forward.
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Events of Interest
Broadway Streetscape Masterplan
Tuesday Nov. 24 from 5:30-7:30pm
Attend when it's most convenient for you
Open house format with presentation at 6:30pm
The Exchange
Please join us Tuesday Nov. 24 as we share the Final Designs for the Broadway Streetscape Master Plan. Attendees will be asked to review and provide input on the final concepts for the design of Broadways public right of way areas, including elements on the sidewalks and in the street itself which enhance the environment and historic character of the corridor, and better serve pedestrians and transit riders, including:
Street Configuration and Station Design
Planting, Materials and Furnishings
Wayfinding Signage
Identity Elements
The Broadway Streetscape Master Plan project is part of Bringing Back Broadway, a public-private partnership initiative by Councilmember Jose' Huizar, focused on the long-term success and viability of the Historic Broadway District between 2nd and Olympic.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=305294625087
For more information, contact:
Valerie Watson
Meléndrez - Landscape Architecture, Planning & Urban Design
213-673-4400
vwatson@melendrez.com
Our web site is www.BringingBackBroadway.com
If you are on Facebook, be sure to join "Friends of Bringing Back Broadway at:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=59404832278
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LA River
The Fifth Ecology:
Exhibit on the
727 Gallery
727 So. Spring Street
See attached press release
The
River: The Fifth Ecology -
This report is part of an ongoing series called Cities and Energy- a
three- year investigation of how necessary changes in energy consumption and production influence and inform our cities and our ways of life. The school examines the
*The Fifth Ecology will be created in and around the river. This ecology will be distinctly urban, specific to
window.*
Read the entire report @
http://issuu.com/resources_08/docs/the_fifth_ecology
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LA River
The City recently acquired the Albion Dairy Parcel located in
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6:30 to 8:30 pm
You have received a blind copy to reduce email address clutter.
Updated Website
Please visit our updated Los Angeles River Website: www.lariver.org
Ad Hoc River Committee
www.lariver.org ( http://www.lariver.org/ )
email: lariver@lacity.org
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Friday, November 20, 2009
Creating a Community Greening Strategy for Downtown