SOUTH L.A. PROJECT OK'D.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

The Community Redevelopment Agency board on Thursday unanimously approved an agreement with a controversial developer to build a retail and housing project on a long-blighted South Los Angeles site.

The deal with politically connected Christopher Hammond ultimately calls for $43 million in public subsidies to his $123 million Marlton Square project, although the project still needs additional approvals from Mayor James Hahn, who has championed it, and the City Council.

The decision followed supportive testimony from several elected officials and NFL star Keyshawn Johnson, a co-developer, who choked up with emotion as he talked about why he decided to invest in the project located in the community where he grew up and attended USC.

``Obviously at the end of the day there will be some sort of financial reward, but I could get a financial reward on Wall Street or I could get a financial reward building a spec house in Beverly Hills or in the Valley somewhere,'' Johnson said.

``But I made the decision to put my money back in the community, so my kids can go down there and get their hair cut and walk and feel free. I don't always want to take them to The Grove. ... Although I may live in those communities, I don't always want to take them there.''

The Daily News reported earlier this week that unidentified city officials criticized the project as driven by political concerns rather than the city's best interests. The Hammonds have given thousands of campaign dollars to city officials, are close friends with several of them and Christopher Hammond was appointed by Hahn to a city commission.

The article also reported that officials are investigating a possible conflict of interest between Hammond and his wife, Ayahlushim, who works for the CRA overseeing a separate project. While she is supposed to remain separate from her husband's project, money from the Bunker Hill project she oversees has been loaned to the Marlton Square project, although Deputy Mayor Jonathan Kevles said the idea was his.

Assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who pushed hard for the project when he represented the area on the City Council, said the commissioners should show loyalty to Hahn - who appointed them and has made the project his top development priority.

``The fact of the matter in my view is if you don't like the project and the mayor who is your appointing authority has said he wants to see it move forward, it seems to me you ought to evaluate your commitment and your sense of loyalty to the appointing authority, if you're working against the project at night while you're talking about supporting it in the day.''