Tearing Down Jordan Downs

[1santo]

The city is making plans to replace the 700 rundown units with a $1-billion mixed-use development, in hopes that bringing businesses to the area will reduce the influence of gangs.

By Ari B. Bloomekatz and Jessica Garrison
February 28, 2009

Los Angeles officials are embarking on a $1-billion plan to tear down the notorious Jordan Downs housing project and turn it into a "new urban village" -- an effort aimed at transforming the Watts neighborhood that would be one of the city's largest public works projects.

The city wants to replace the project's 700 dilapidated units, which were built more than half a century ago, with taller "mixed-use" buildings that would house not just low-income residents but also those paying market rates. The new development could include as many as 2,100 units.



Photos: A plan to revitalize Jordan...By creating a denser community that serves people of different incomes, officials hope to draw businesses to the complex, such as coffee houses, supermarkets and eateries. Officials believe this would help reduce the influence of gangs in an area that has long been the base of the Grape Street Crips and create better lives for Watts residents. Included in the price tag is a proposal to turn Jordan High School into what officials describe as a cutting-edge model campus.

"This will have a transformative impact not just on the Jordan Downs housing project but on the surrounding community as well," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. "In order to make these communities thriving, you have to have a . . . retail component."

Already, L.A. officials have spent $31 million to purchase a 21-acre piece of land adjacent to the existing project on which they plan to expand. They have earmarked millions more for planning. The financing for the project would combine federal redevelopment money, state tax credits and private investments from retailers and developers of market-rate housing. Officials hope to get some money from President Obama's stimulus package and from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.


City officials plan to hold their first meeting between the private planning firm they have hired, WRT-Solomon, and community members at Jordan Downs today.

What remains to be seen is whether Los Angeles and its housing authority, which until recently has been plagued by scandal and mismanagement, can carry out such a bold transformation, especially in such grim economic times. Past efforts to modernize Jordan Downs have ended badly, with housing officials fired or forced to resign amid allegations that they broke rules or embezzled funds.

City officials argue that they have turned the authority, the largest housing agency west of the Mississippi, around in recent years. And they argue that the bad economy actually helps their cause, because in tough times, private developers find government-funded projects a safer investment than the vagaries of the open market -- a point on which real estate experts agree.

Development experts said the city's plan has possibilities but will not be easy to execute. Private developers may be eager to partner with the government in the current economy because a subsidized housing project brings with it income they can count on, they said.

"The question is, are you going to find retailers who want to go there?" said Tracey Seslen, a professor at USC's Marshall School of Business. Another big challenge is building attractive enough --and safe enough -- market-rate units to attract people who could live elsewhere.

In addition to the economic challenges of mounting a major redevelopment project, city leaders will also have to navigate difficult political waters. Some leaders warn that city officials must do a better job of reaching out to residents of Jordan Downs to make sure they are part of the process. On Friday, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), who represents the area, issued a statement calling on Villaraigosa to get input for his plans from civil rights, religious and education leaders. Waters chairs the House subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, which oversees redevelopment projects.

Some community activists see considerable promise in the project. "A lot of people from the outside community were scared to come here because they didn't know what we were about," said Betty Day, a community leader. "Give these people a chance here, because there's such beautiful people here."

In some ways, Los Angeles is taking up what other housing authorities around the country began doing two decades ago: redeveloping isolated, moribund housing projects that social scientists believed trapped the poor into a cycle of violence and poverty. Cabrini-Green in Chicago, Centennial Place in Atlanta and High Point in Seattle are examples they are looking to.

What makes Los Angeles' plan unique, according to John McIlwain, senior fellow for housing at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C., is the chance to use the redevelopment of Jordan Downs as a catalyst to transform a large swath of South Los Angeles.

"Watts has a national reputation" as a high-crime, low-income neighborhood, he said. "Here is the possibility that they could actually turn Watts around."

Plans call for residents to move from their current homes into buildings that would be constructed on the 21-acre parcel. Once they have moved, the old buildings would be demolished.

Jordan Downs is among the city's oldest housing projects -- and long one of its most troubled. It was built as temporary housing for factory workers during World War II and was taken over by the housing authority in 1955. Over time, poverty and neglect took their toll. By the 1980s, Jordan Downs had become a bleak, often dangerous place -- so rundown that some City Council members said residents should not have to pay rent. Today it houses about 2,300 residents, most of them single women and their children who live on an average annual income of about $15,500 and pay 30% of their income in rent.

For years, the Grape Street Crips claimed the project as their turf. The gang's hold was so pernicious -- and the housing authority's management so bad -- that until a few years ago, gang members had seized some apartments and used them for drug dealing, prostitution and even dog fighting.

Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Phil Tingirides said crime has dramatically decreased in Jordan Downs in recent years, with serious crimes dropping 50% between the end of 2002 and the end of 2008. Still, it remains one of the more dangerous parts of the city.

But Jordan Downs is also a tight-knit community, where some families have lived for generations, watching out for each other's children, caring for each other's aging parents and helping each other get by.

Patricia Caranza, a single mother who works cleaning houses, said she hopes the revitalization will enable her to give her five children a better life. The 43-year-old moved to Jordan Downs from Inglewood 14 years ago because she could no longer afford to pay rent on the open market. She said she has found good people in the project but is frightened of the gangs, the shootings and the drugs.

To help convince current residents of the possibilities of redevelopment, the housing authority has been sending a select group to visit revitalized projects around the country. The group is scheduled to head to Atlanta in May.

Among them is Keyon Johnson, 22, who grew up in the project and still lives there with his mother and younger brother. Johnson said he is worried officials will not keep their promise that all residents will be able to move into the new urban village.

"Right now they're selling the dream," he said. "Everything under the sun has been promised to Jordan Downs, but nobody ever delivered."

Still, he's excited about the upgrade. The current feel of his community, he said, "looks like bunkers. It has the feel that there's war going on." His mother, he said, deserves better.

[SouljahGirl]

I recently received a nomination to sit on the board of a simular project that's going on I'm my hood. When asked to join they pitched the project to me and the homies as low income condo's. I myself wanted to purchase one. Well now they say its not low income housing it will be work force housing. Which means the housing is for nurses firefighters teachers and such. My problem with this is not only did they lie to us to get us on board but there are none of these people in my hood. My hood consists of low low income residents. Where are they going to live. Where are my little homegirls with 4 kids going to find affordable housing. Is this the aftermath of the suppression they are putting down. Is this part of the plan to change the demographics of our commu ities. I say this to say to the residents of Jordan Downs.. WATCH THEM closley and read all the litigation surrounding the renovation. Do not agree with anything until [[Ｙ☆Ｕ]] see it on paper. And never vote on any issue until [[Ｙ☆Ｕ]] and your folks fully understand all proposals. If [[Ｙ☆Ｕ]] are one who sits on the board of this project it is  to [[Ｙ☆Ｕ]] to look ◯U† for your folks

[282828]

i think theyre gonna tear all of the pjs in LA down and rebuild condos. like they did with pico-aliso.

[TrealTalk]

i think theyre gonna tear all of the pjs in LA down and rebuild condos. like they did with pico-aliso.

Thats what they did out here in Little Rock. It used to be like 8 projects sections out here. Now its only one which is the Sunset Projects where the double Is used to be.

[SouljahGirl]

i think theyre gonna tear all of the pjs in LA down and rebuild condos. like they did with pico-aliso.

Thats what they did out here in Little Rock. It used to be like 8 projects sections out here. Now its only one which is the Sunset Projects where the double Is used to be.

My N'HAS out in San Pedro told me that they plan to move the residents of Rancho San Pedro all the way out to Lancaster. The Port of LA and it's growth are a 6Billion Dollar Public Works Project that has been gpoing on for several years now. I guess they don't want for tourists to see the poverty we live in..

[pistolslanga]

i think theyre gonna tear all of the pjs in LA down and rebuild condos. like they did with pico-aliso.

Thats what they did out here in Little Rock. It used to be like 8 projects sections out here. Now its only one which is the Sunset Projects where the double Is used to be.

My N'HAS out in San Pedro told me that they plan to move the residents of Rancho San Pedro all the way out to Lancaster. The Port of LA and it's growth are a 6Billion Dollar Public Works Project that has been gpoing on for several years now. I guess they don't want for tourists to see the poverty we live in..

this type of shit makes me wanna smash someones skull in fareal

[SouljahGirl]

Yeah, too bad ass whooping is a crime...

Myheart goes out to the Seniors who don't drive or who cant do anything BUT comply.

[TrealTalk]

i think theyre gonna tear all of the pjs in LA down and rebuild condos. like they did with pico-aliso.

Thats what they did out here in Little Rock. It used to be like 8 projects sections out here. Now its only one which is the Sunset Projects where the double Is used to be.

My N'HAS out in San Pedro told me that they plan to move the residents of Rancho San Pedro all the way out to Lancaster. The Port of LA and it's growth are a 6Billion Dollar Public Works Project that has been gpoing on for several years now. I guess they don't want for tourists to see the poverty we live in..

Yea thats true. Like all the other projects they tore down and buily new apartments or built houses. They tore my projects down to build a runway 4 the airport. But they plan on changing the whole East End of Little Rock into a place where tourist come I guess because we're by the airport. Probably the same with L.A.

[SouljahGirl]

Yup. The tourism Industry. It's like they say: To hell with Americans. They displace our families and seniors with no concern for their welfare.

How do seniors who don't drive get to the grocery stores if they are forced into rural and desert counties. How do they get health care and see family members.

These people making these descisions are doing so becasue WE are absent from the political process.. We dont atened community and town hall meetings. We don't get involved in our local government and we seperate ourselves from activism.

It Time for a Real Change

[Triggeration]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

[pistolslanga]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

[1santo]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

Yeah. soon you'll have grape st crips in some obscure part of San Bernardino or Utah somewhere.

[1santo]

Yup. The tourism Industry. It's like they say: To hell with Americans. They displace our families and seniors with no concern for their welfare.

How do seniors who don't drive get to the grocery stores if they are forced into rural and desert counties. How do they get health care and see family members.

These people making these descisions are doing so becasue WE are absent from the political process.. We dont atened community and town hall meetings. We don't get involved in our local government and we seperate ourselves from activism.

It Time for a Real Change

I get so disillusioned and jaded towards people when I see town meetings with no one there. Alot of these people have gotten so accustomed to feeling helpless that they actually believe that they are.

[spadeloc]

its fucced up cuzz when they do that its seems like theyre goin after one gang....im not sure what will happen over all but that would have a huge effect on grape st watts but its not goin to change watts itself...rich people kiccin poor people out the city cuzz thyre tired driving back and forth from the suburbs.

[SouljahGirl]

Yup. The tourism Industry. It's like they say: To hell with Americans. They displace our families and seniors with no concern for their welfare.

How do seniors who don't drive get to the grocery stores if they are forced into rural and desert counties. How do they get health care and see family members.

These people making these descisions are doing so becasue WE are absent from the political process.. We dont atened community and town hall meetings. We don't get involved in our local government and we seperate ourselves from activism.

It Time for a Real Change

I get so disillusioned and jaded towards people when I see town meetings with no one there. Alot of these people have gotten so accustomed to feeling helpless that they actually believe that they are.

Real Talk baby. But these meeting need to be publisized more.

[SouljahGirl]

its fucced up cuzz when they do that its seems like theyre goin after one gang....im not sure what will happen over all but that would have a huge effect on grape st watts but its not goin to change watts itself...rich people kiccin poor people out the city cuzz thyre tired driving back and forth from the suburbs.

TEACH!!

[Triggeration]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

They'll just move from the pj's to the blocks around the area

[SouljahGirl]

rich people kiccin poor people out the city cuzz thyre tired driving back and forth from the suburbs.

TEACH!!

Let me clarify..

[dubts]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

They'll just move from the pj's to the blocks around the area

hard to do that when latinos have bought up most of the blocks around the housing project.....

[pistolslanga]

hah....

man....

but

has anyone really noticed this, that the City of L.A. comes off like they don't even want blacks in the city.... honestly, after all the bullshyt, it just seems like they just want to ship the blacks off to somewhere else and make L.A. into a fucking amusement park

[SouljahGirl]

hah....

make L.A. into a #%@&#%@ amusement park

Tourism

[MiChuhSuh]

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

Yeah. soon you'll have grape st crips in some obscure part of San Bernardino or Utah somewhere.

Already there.

Lol @ at them thinking this is gonna end the gangs.

if anything itll just make the grapes expand and start up hoods in newer areas lol

They'll just move from the pj's to the blocks around the area

With no say on what I feel about it (I can't predict how this will turn out) the plan is apparently to keep most of the current residents there. They bought out a plot where they will build new additions to the housing, then gradually move residents there.

Of course they could be bullsh*ting to the residents about that so who knows.

[61deuce]

Tearing down that project will have some effects on other communities in the region. Definitely you will see the gang (Grape St.) shifting from one neighborhood to another and that will cause conflicts.

[MiChuhSuh]

has anyone really noticed this, that the City of L.A. comes off like they don't even want blacks in the city.... honestly, after all the bullshyt, it just seems like they just want to ship the blacks off to somewhere else and make L.A. into a #%@&#%@ amusement park

They don't do that for well-to-do black areas or at least peaceful black areas on the westside though. Of course they can gain from real estate and development, but honestly they may just be sick of the domestic terrorism, this project is a terrible place to live as it is.

Again, not taking sides since I don't know what they're true intentions are, but if they go by their publicized plans it's not a random kickout.

[TCC19]

There is a rumor where I live that they are going to build a new pj's in Adelanto and move them all up here. When I first heard this I highly doubted it because it doesn't sound logical that they would force L.A county residents to San bernardino county. But seeing how the High Des has turned into L.A,s dumping ground I'm starting to reconsider.

[alexalonso]

gentrification.

[youayntfresh]

There is a rumor where I live that they are going to build a new pj's in Adelanto and move them all up here. When I first heard this I highly doubted it because it doesn't sound logical that they would force L.A county residents to San bernardino county. But seeing how the High Des has turned into L.A,s dumping ground I'm starting to reconsider.

Lol. Yeah. Like one calm places like Rialto,Lancaster,Moreno Valley are reporting huge spikes in crime and gangs. It's not safe to live anywhere now thees days.

[pistolslanga]

There is a rumor where I live that they are going to build a new pj's in Adelanto and move them all up here. When I first heard this I highly doubted it because it doesn't sound logical that they would force L.A county residents to San bernardino county. But seeing how the High Des has turned into L.A,s dumping ground I'm starting to reconsider.

Lol. Yeah. Like one calm places like Rialto,Lancaster,Moreno Valley are reporting huge spikes in crime and gangs. It's not safe to live anywhere now thees days.

what i dont get is, with all these places that BEEN hit hard by L.A. gangs, why is white folks tryna gentrify south central? its like they wanna move back to these areas and stuff...

[Klaxon]

Whats the news on this project? I have a very hard time seeing this going forward. Where is the city going to get $1 billion to fund this project amidst the biggest budget cuts in decades? They can barely afford basic city employee salaries right now. Also, there are huge supplies of commercial and residential properties on the market right now and very little demand for them. If they can't rent retail space and sell houses on the Westside, I have a hard time imagining that condos and retail in space in Watts will sell.

With that being said, I can kind of see where the city of LA is coming from. I don't really think its gentrification. Are there really that many wealthy, white people moving into Watts right now? Why would they move to Watts when there are nicer areas that are becoming ever more affordable in this recession? I think the city's motivations have more to do with ending the cycles of poverty and violence. Sociology shows that projects don't really "work" because cramming that many poor people into a tiny area tends to intensify the negative effects of poverty, gangs, etc. Its as simple as this: if you grow up and see nothing but poverty and violence around you, that is what you will embrace, but if you grow up in a more peaceful, mixed-income environment with more economic diversity you "give yourself" more options because you don't limit yourself to one outcome in life. The gang(s) in Jordan Downs would survive and maybe even numerically expand, but I can almost guarantee that they wouldn't be as active and as violent as they might be when they're all concentrated in one housing development. At the same time, I also know (all too well) how traumatic and difficult it can be to have to move and leave behind everything you know, especially when you're poor or unemployed.