1. Given the current climate of economic crisis, governmental turmoil, and a general sense of stasis in the community, how can the city of eternal optimism take advantage of such a historic moment?

At a moment like this you need to be realistic about the challenges facing the City, but we also cannot afford to be overtaken by a sense of pessimism because of the particular moment we find ourselves in. Times like this are exactly the moments when planning, forward thinking, and progressive ideas can and should be proposed. By putting our energy into comprehensive, visionary proposals; we can challenge the static ways that we think about the city in its current form and begin envisioning the City of our future. Not only for ourselves but for successive generations. (more…)

1. Given the current climate of economic crisis, governmental turmoil, and a general sense of stasis in the community, how can the city of eternal optimism take advantage of such a historic moment?

The city can take advantage of the moment by rethinking, reinventing, and redefining perception of a place and understand what makes for a rich city experience. Acknowledging that this Los Angeles is an unconventional place where people thrive in a special setting. The mountains, the ocean, and the vast blue sky is the stage for multiple villages that thrive amidst the economic turmoil. Food, music, and artistic pursuits generate an extremely lively milieu. Amidst the multiple crises the younger generations are resourceful, less materialistic, more civically engaged, and ready to make a difference. (more…)

1. Given the current climate of economic crisis, governmental turmoil, and a general sense of stasis in the community, how can the city of eternal optimism take advantage of such a historic moment?

The scarcity of resources should encourage us to be more efficient of course, but also more essential, looking for fundamental opportunities and results, especially those that are synergetic, multivalent, and allow (or force) diverse groups to collaborate, combine their efforts to accomplish something greater than their own specialized agenda. The Piggyback Yard project is such an opportunity. (more…)

Los Angeles is changing. No longer a city defined entirely by its sprawl, Los Angeles is reaching its perceived boundaries. Rather than rewrite its history, it looks to rebuild its urban fabric. Clearing the city is no longer an option, and context is viewed as an advantage rather than an obstacle as the metropolis grows. The shift in focus and burgeoning transformation of LA is both cause for attention and cause for action. (more…)