Hundreds of Residents and Organizations Gather to STOP the CCFO! The Discriminatory Law Dies in Council!

Click HERE to watch KTLA Coverage of the day.

Hundreds of residents and organizations from ACROSS L.A. gathered at City Hall this morning to STOP the Community Care Facilities Ordinance (CCFO), which would unfairly restrict and eliminate shared housing options in LA, increasing homelessness and segregation in our communities.

With chambers at standing room only, the CCFO died in Council today – Council Member Mitch Englander simply did not have the votes to pass this discriminatory ordinance. While this campaign is far from over, the political winds have surely shifted. Englander, once defiant and sure of marginal support for the ordinance, has been reduced to polemic double-talk.

This was in no doubt due to the power of the diverse coalition that united on behalf of fair housing in L.A.! Thanks to all of you who showed up to let your voice be heard!

Central City Association, Jan Perry and DTLA 1% threaten Skid Row Residents…with Arrest?

Last week, on November 8th, LA CAN members again protested outside the Orpheum Theater during the Central City Association’s second mayor candidate breakfast. This time the CCA was hosting Councilmember Jan Perry – and, this time, CCA and the Downtown LA 1% called in the LAPD to try to shut us down.

After trying to silence the free speech rights of Skid Row residents by stating that we were “disturbing the peace”, we were informed by LAPD that the individuals inside the meeting – business leaders, Central City Association members, etc. – were going to arrest us. Please watch the video above to see just how it went down.

Guess Who Went to CCA Mayoral Candidate Breakfast?

WE DID!

The Central City Association (CCA) has enjoyed years of unchallenged privilege in deciding the fate of Downtown Los Angeles. Gentrification, mass incarceration and outright banishment to ensure massive profits are but a few tools promoted by CCA and used at the expense of longtime low-income residents of Downtown.  Additionally, because they pump massive resources into the Los Angeles political infrastructure, they usually face little to no resistance while they roll out their visions.

While LA CAN does not enjoy a bottomless pit of financial resources like the CCA, we make up for it with people power, resilience, resistance and community-based innovation.  We have successfully pushed back against the CCA’s vision for Downtown for 10 years, including efforts to ensure that low-income housing is preserved and increased, and that everyone’s civil rights are upheld.

We continued this battle yesterday when we showed up to promote our Share the Wealth vision for Downtown and also insist that Mayoral Candidate Garcetti meet with low-income community members, instead of only listening to the CCA’s ideas for Downtown LA.  The CCA’s “Downtown 2020″ plan is racist, classist and exclusionary – focusing on more criminalization and calling for no more affordable housing in Downtown.  Alternatively, LA CAN’s Share the Wealth platform ensures that Downtown is for everyone and that long-time low-income Downtown residents are included in all plans and decisions.

We will present our Share the Wealth vision to Councilmember Garcetti at our upcoming breakfast meeting with him.

LA CAN members posted up at the back door so that all CCA attendees saw and heard our message

…meanwhile, out front…

Residents held a community-based  breakfast complete with street theater and healthy food options.

Returning to the rear exit…

After CCA and BID security made several unsuccessful attempts to remove us from spaces near the back exit…

…Deborah Burton and other LA CAN members held their ground and secured a commitment for a breakfast forum with our community and Councilmember Garcetti.

STAY TUNED…

LA CAN on KPFK Radio

Last week, LA CAN’s General Dogon was on KPFK Radio discussing the ongoing LA CAN, Occupy LA, and Occupy the Hood Los Angeles siege against the Central City Association, mouthpiece of the 1% and a leading force of gentrification of Downtown Los Angeles.

Listen to the show:

NOW AVAILABLE: May/June 2012 Community Connection!

The May/June 2012 Community Connection is NOW AVAILABLE!

Click on the Photo above to read the Community Connection Online.
You can also download a PDF version HERE.