Friday, July 21, 2017

No real estate development of any magnitude goes ahead without involvement of stakeholders. That goes double for those developments that don't go ahead. But, in a city of 4 million people, who are stakeholders, exactly? Who represents the "typical" L.A. resident? How do those representatives arrive at their views? And, importantly, who is listening, and what makes them pay attention?  

In Los Angeles, a host of organizations and institutions play the roles of, variously, watchdog and advocates for projects and policies. They include homeowners associations, neighborhood councils (city-certified and otherwise), and grassroots groups. They often square off against developers and lobbyists, with planners serving as moderators and commissioners and elected officials serving as judges.  

This month, as a rough complement to May's program on lobbyists, WUF will delve into the world of stakeholder activism to find out who the players are and how exactly they shape our city. We will discuss the types of developments that generate the most resistance and ways that developers and community stakeholders can find common ground and even mutual support. 

PANELISTS

Doug Fitzsimmons, President, South Robertson Neighborhoods Council

Bill Pryzlucki, Executive Director, People Organized for Westside Renewal (POWER)

Amanda Seward, Community Attorney, former board member of Venice Neighborhood Council and Mar Vista Community Council

Raphael Sonenshein, Executive Director, Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Inst. of Public Affairs; Executive Director, L.A. Appointed Charter Reform Commission  

Greg Nelson, former General Manager, Department of Neighborhood Empowerment