LOS ANGELES – The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) today announced it has received a Choice Neighborhoods Planning and Action Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The $1.3M grant will support the development of a neighborhood transformation plan for Rancho San Pedro and Rancho San Pedro Extension in the Barton Hill-Downtown San Pedro neighborhood.
“This planning grant will give us an opportunity to work with San Pedro residents and stakeholders to imagine the transformation of this culturally-diverse and artistically-defined neighborhood,” said HACLA President and CEO Douglas Guthrie. “There are 83,000 residents who reside in this gateway neighborhood. With waterfront improvements moving from concept to reality and a new Specific Plan guiding downtown San Pedro’s development, the Choice Neighborhoods Planning grant offers an opportunity to ensure that progress and planning reflects the holistic needs and vision of all residents, expands affordable housing opportunities and tackles current challenges with inclusivity and creativity at the forefront.”
The Housing Authority is one of six awardees out of a total of twenty-nine (29) applications nationwide and the only awardee west of the Mississippi. HACLA’s award includes an additional $950,000 for “action activities.” These additional funds will be utilized to build momentum and attract additional investment. Eligible uses include recycling vacant property into community gardens, pocket parks, or farmers markets; place-making and community arts projects; homeowner and business façade improvement programs; neighborhood broadband or wi-fi; fresh food initiatives; and gap financing for economic development projects.
About CNI Planning Grant
Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants support the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans which focused on directing resources to address three core goals: Housing, People and Neighborhoods. To achieve these core goals, communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation Plan. The Transformation Plan will become the guiding document for the revitalization of the public and/or assisted housing units while simultaneously directing the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families.
About HACLA
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) is one of the nation’s largest and leading public housing authorities, providing the largest supply of quality affordable housing to residents of the City of Los Angeles. HACLA provides affordable housing to over 82,000 households and offers a range of programs specifically for low income homeless, disabled, families and seniors in programs such as: Project-Based Permanent Supportive Housing Program, HUD – Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, Homeless Program, Tenant Based Supportive Housing Program, Homeownership Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids (HOPWA), Shelter Plus Care – Continuum of Care Program, Moderate Rehabilitation for Single Room Occupancy.