Hollywood Redevelopment

Ferrell’s article on the role played by Hollywood Chamber of Commerce leadership in the initiation and formulation of the Hollywood Redevelopment Plan is an accurate assessment.

Prior to this article, most major news coverage of the plan only made mention of a “clean up” campaign for Hollywood Boulevard. No mention was ever made of the literally hundreds and hundreds of acres of residential property subject to eminent domain for the next several years. No mention was made of the justified concerns of both the Los Angeles city Planning Department and L.A. County staff over the adverse environmental and financial impacts of the plan.

The plan, as approved by Hollywood-area Councilman Michael Woo and adopted by Mayor Tom Bradley, ignores the rights of residents, homeowners and merchants in favor of the developers to be chosen by the Community Redevelopment Agency. This occurred because residents were not made aware of the CRA’s eminent domain powers or the initial and subsequent “community” meetings. Contrary to CRA Chairman James Wood’s apparent beliefs, the CRA staff clearly did not satisfy the spirit of the law which is to inform the community. When the CRA (and the council office) saw that only five or six people were attending the meetings, they should have sent out bulk mailings which mention eminent domain to inform residents. But they apparently didn’t want the community informed.

The redevelopment of Hollywood could be a very positive thing if government entities like the CRA could be kept in check and not used as a means for a select few to gain at the taxpayers’ expense.

SCOTT HALPER

President

NORTON HALPER

Associate Director

Hollywood Homeowners

and Tenants Assn.