As people and jobs stream into the district, downtown's long-simmering problems butt up against vigorous urban renewal. Crime is up, but so are property values.
Gentrification seems inevitable in modern downtowns, but Los Angeles is holding on to some of its legendary grit. "Here, the forces of rapid gentrification are crashing up against the chronic poverty, homelessness and crime that have long been a part of life in the city center. [...] Overall, violent crime in the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division [...] was up more than 57% through the end of August compared with the same period last year, and property offenses increased nearly 25%."
The core of the problem lies with one of the city's perennial failings: how to house its homeless. "LAPD Capt. Don Graham acknowledged the struggles on skid row, which are occurring despite the addition of more officers over the years. 'The police presence … in that area clearly is insufficient for the crime that is going on there,' Graham said." Graham also acknowledged the need to help skid row residents locate housing and treatment to reduce the pool of victims.
Downtown remains one of the city's hottest neighborhoods despite the crime. But as one realtor noted, "'[Crime is] going to be a deterrent to people who maybe don't have the urban backbone to endure coming into a city downtown that's not yet done and pretty and pristine.'"
FULL STORY: Dramatic rise in crime casts a shadow on downtown L.A.'s gentrification
Conflicting Stories From Los Angeles' Skid Row
As the city considers new ordinances making it easier for police to break up homeless camps, residents say forced displacement is already underway. Police deny an increase in homeless sweeps.
New All-Affordable Zone Proposed for L.A.’s Skid Row
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that Skid Row’s future should learn from the mistakes of the past.
Judge Presses Pause on Controversial Skid Row Housing Order
A 60-day grace period and some additional contingencies have been added to a court order for the city and county of Los Angeles to provide shelter or housing to the thousands of people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research