Some things to read over the weekend.
- The Horrific Accounts of Women and Gender Non-Conforming People After They Were Arrested During L.A.’s Protests (LA TACO)
- Black Lives Matter leaders meet with L.A. politicians, saying ‘defund the police': "Seated in the council chamber at City Hall, activists told council members they have an opening to move money away from the L.A. Police Department and into mental health counselors, gang intervention workers and other public employees who can address trauma and prevent violence from breaking out." (LA Times)
- Metro completes decking for planned Beverly Hills subway station seven months ahead of schedule: "Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the safer-at-home order, Wilshire/Rodeo decking was anticipated to be performed during weekend closures from August 2020 through January 2021. With many businesses already closed or operating at reduced hours, the city of Beverly Hills approved Metro’s street closure request on March 31." (The Source)
Plans unveiled for $452,000 gateway to Historic Filipinotown (The Eastsider)
Citing ‘devastating pandemic,’ Academy Museum once again delays opening — to April 2021: "Originally, it had been scheduled to open its doors in 2017. That date was then revised to 2019. Later, the target was moved to 2020. It was only in February that museum leadership had settled on December as the opening date." (LA Times)
At City Hall, Organizers Behind The 'People's Budget' Present Plan To Defund LAPD: "BLM-LA co-founder Melina Abdullah led a panel of community leaders who presented a plan to take General Fund money — nearly 54% of which is currently earmarked for the LAPD — and instead invest in social services, including housing, mental healthcare, and early child development. In place of armed officers, it funds community safety alternatives — including domestic violence intervention and conflict mediation." (LAist)
Unarmed specialists, not LAPD, would handle mental health, substance abuse calls under proposal: A motion submitted by City Council members Nury Martinez, Herb Wesson, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield asks city departments to work with the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to develop a model that diverts nonviolent calls for service away from the LAPD and to “appropriate non-law enforcement agencies.” (LA Times)
Bill Would Streamline Transit, Bike, and Ped Projects: Potential CEQA exemptions for safer streets for walking and biking; updated and new transit stations; faster, more efficient bus service with new bus rapid transit lines; bridge repairs; and the installation of new zero emission vehicle charging infrastructure. (Streetsblog SF)
Despite protections, landlords seek to evict tenants in Black and Latino areas of South L.A.: Despite new anti-eviction rules passed in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, some Los Angeles landlords are still trying to oust tenants by locking them out of their homes, turning off their utilities and deploying other illegal methods, a Times analysis of data from the Los Angeles Police Department has found. (LA Times)
Four New Motions Would Reimagine Metro Law Enforcement on Transit: "Per a press announcement, the Community Safety Approach motion 'directs Metro to develop the new policies and approaches in consultation with passengers and community members representative of the agency’s ridership, including but not limited to racial, gender, income, geography, immigration status, and housing status.'" (Streetsblog LA)