There is no denying the success of the Downtown Los Angeles market. Recent reports from the DCBID show sustained growth and positive migration to the neighborhood, but it isn't all good news. The biennial survey—which showed a fervent millennial base in the market—revealed that residents are concerned about the rising homeless population in Downtown Los Angeles.
“We did have respondents expressing concern about the homeless population. We recognize, as I believe our residents do, that this is a citywide issue,” Carol Schatz, president and CEO of the DCBID, tells GlobeSt.com about respondents' concerns in the survey. “It is apparent in just about every neighborhood in the city, and it was previously something that you heard about or saw only in Downtown Los Angeles.”
Since the homeless population reaches beyond the boarders of Downtown Los Angeles, Schatz says that she is looking to the city for a solution. She is particularly hopeful about aid from Measure H and Measure HHH. “The two city and county propositions Measure H and Measure HHH are going to be devoting millions of dollars to creating more temporary and permanent housing going forward,” she says. “We are hopeful and confident that that funding is going to make a big difference in Downtown Los Angeles.”
The homeless population isn't the only issue that is of concern to residents. The limited school system in Downtown Los Angeles has also been a deterrent for some potential residents. Schatz, however, says that the success of Metro Charter Elementary School, which opened in 2013 in South Park, shows that there are community options and solutions. “The parents in South Park started Metro Charter Elementary School about five years ago,” says Schatz. “It is exactly what you want to see happen: a ground-up organization of parents that lived in the South Park area created the school. It gets very high marks in terms of how it educates children, and there is a diverse student body. It is hitting all of the right parts of an excellent educational program, and the beauty of it is that it is parent run.”
Parents are looking to expand the program, but are finding it difficult to navigate the now expensive real estate landscape. “I know that they would like to expand, but they have been victims of our success because the cost of land has increased,” says Schatz. “The cost to house something like this is large. That is part of the issue, but the community has been very supportive.”
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Kelsi Maree Borland
