| Editor's note: Although Palms is one of Los Angeles's "first suburbs," having been founded in 1886, its original housing stock has been almost completely replaced with apartments and condominiums. Nevertheless, there may be some good news for Palms in this resolution introduced on May 25, 2005, by Council Members Eric Garcetti and Cindy Miscikowski. It has been referred to the council's Housing, Community and Economic Committee.
The resolution puts L.A. on record in favor of a Federal law "to create a small but strategic federal initiative in support of local efforts to revitalize 'first suburbs.' "
[The cartoon was first printed in 1947.]
WHEREAS, . . . in metropolitan areas around the nation the problems associated with uncontrolled development persist and in many cases they are getting worse, affecting many millions of people; and
WHEREAS, much of the public debate about sprawl focused on half-abandoned urban downtowns and burgeoning new exurbs or "fringe cities," however a more effective approach may be to also focus on revitalizing the "first suburbs," the older bedroom communities that in many places are beginning to exhibit the kind of problems typically associated with urban cores; and
WHEREAS, currently pending in Congress is a bill, S. 1024 / HR 2347, the Suburban Core Opportunity, Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE) Act to create a small but strategic federal initiative in support of local efforts to revitalize "first suburbs;" and
WHEREAS, this legislation would establish a $250 million fund to help older suburbs maintain access to public transportation, improve substandard housing, and generally strengthen neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, these communities face a number of challenges including minimal population growth, relatively large elderly populations, shrinking household incomes, and increasing rates and concentrations of poverty, yet many suburban communities do not qualify for federal support programs because many suburbs incorporate at least small pockets of great affluence, and the entire community therefore fails to qualify for vitally needed assistance; and
WHEREAS, "first suburb" revitalization is an intelligent way to deal with both the problems of older suburbs and with patterns of outmigration that help create excessive sprawl;
and
WHEREAS, many grassroots efforts already underway to revitalize suburbs deserve some federal support, given the enormous public costs associated with development patterns that drive metropolitan populations further and further away from urban cores, and that tangibly degrade the quality of life enjoyed by urbanites and suburbanites alike; and
WHEREAS, revitalizing older suburbs would be of great benefit to Los Angeles and our region;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2005-2006 Federal Legislative Program SUPPORT of S. 1024 / HR 2347, the Suburban Core Opportunity, Restoration and Enhancement (SCORE) Act to create a small but strategic federal initiative in support of local efforts to revitalize "first suburbs."
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