Another side to Skid Row.In his Sept. 5 commentary, "Downtown's Renewal Testing 'Containment' of Homeless Problem," Mark Lacter poses the issue of downtown development as a face-off between the incoming loft-dwellers and entrenched en·trench also in·trench v. en·trenched, en·trench·ing, en·trench·es v.tr. 1. To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending. 2. sidewalk dwellers. He describes portions of Central City East, which include Skid Row skid row a run-down area frequented by alcoholics. [Am. Culture: Misc.] See : Alcoholism Skid Row district of down-and-outs and bums. [Am. Usage: Brewer Dictionary, 1008] See : Failure , as a place where the only outsiders are "cops, paramedics and social workers." His list of "outsiders" ignores thousands of employees who work in this community and the business owners whose investment here creates those jobs. Since 1999, members of the Central City East Association have voluntarily taxed themselves and poured millions of dollars into two business improvement districts that provide services such as sidewalk maintenance and security. His piece also notes that these businesses "aren't interested in hiring folks coming out of detox de·tox v. To subject to detoxification. n. A section of a hospital or clinic in which patients are detoxified. centers." But most of the maintenance crews in downtown's BIDs are made up of economically disadvantaged and formerly homeless individuals. Central City East stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. coexist with conditions no other business district in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. would tolerate: people drugged out of their minds, crossing dazed daze tr.v. dazed, daz·ing, daz·es 1. To stun, as with a heavy blow or shock; stupefy. 2. To dazzle, as with strong light. n. A stunned or bewildered condition. across wide thoroughfares in busy traffic, and people with open sores lying propped up next to buildings and next to portable toilets used for prostitution and drug dealing. In the past several months, the level of violence is up dramatically. The status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. on the Row has been a problem long before the trendy lofts were a glimmer in any developer's eye. How much longer will we let these types of arguments and posturing go on while the sidewalks are overrun by those who require shelter, those who refuse shelter, and the criminal element camouflaged in the resulting chaos? Estela Lopez Executive Director Central City East Association Mark Lacter's examination of the Skid Row "containment zone" vs. downtown development creates wrong impressions about the battleground. He notes the unfortunate outsider perception over the years to "stay close to the new skyscrapers" and that downtown ends east of Hill. A half-century of such dismissive thinking makes Tom Gilmore such a visionary. Though Main may be Skid Row's western border, the iconic i·con·ic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or having the character of an icon. 2. Having a conventional formulaic style. Used of certain memorial statues and busts. , architecturally significant Historic Core streets of Main, Spring and Broadway are decidedly not Skid Row and should be aggressively restored, reinvigorated and made safe without any guilt trips. Roger Christensen Sherman Oaks |
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