Wow DTLA! Reading over the lawsuit filed by the Skid Row Neighborhood Council Formation Committee SRNC-FC against The City Los Angeles is both astonishing and remarkable, with the (SRNC-FC) documents alleging everything from collusion to racism whilst mentioning by name and exposing the emails of some of the most influential players in Downtown Los Angeles…THROWN UNDER THE BUS…
Powerful people in high places, including the Mayor Of Los Angeles, City Council members, at least 4 DTLA BID heads topped off with former Downtown Neighborhood Council (DLANC) officials who appear, as outlined in the 155 page document, to have been working together for years but doubled up their efforts in the two months prior to the election just to make sure a Skid Row Neighborhood Council in 2017 would not exist.
Is the civil suit in retaliation?
Hmmm, maybe. Personal, business or maybe a little of both, the lawsuit stems from the loss suffered in the 2017 Skid Row Neighborhood Council Subdivision Election which left a band of Skid Row community leaders wonderstruck after mobilizing for months, completing multiple city-issued tasks, and waiting in lines for hours to vote.
How could they have lost? How much longer would they have to fight and what miracle would it take for them to someday separate from DLANC?
Chair of SRNC-FC and author of the Exhibit to Writ “Addendum ‘A’”, Jeff Page aka General Jeff, is a former DLANC committee member turned rogue, bent on separating himself and the community of Skid Row from DLANC supervision.
Welcome to the Revolution
Right here, in DTLA, America’s poor, when it comes to systematic oppression pull no punches. Feeling victimized, disenfranchised and left out of the plan; they’ve been known to storm city hall and file lawsuits before. And win.
Like minds from Skid Row believe the City hasn’t done enough, is abusive and that DLANC, a liaison between hyperlocal and city government has since its creation, 17 years ago, been solely purposed towards the business sector rather than those who reside within the 50 block radius of Skid Row.
Within these borders, just over 60 percent African American, developer and city negligence, exploitation or “poverty pimping” and racism is seen as a driving force behind poverty.
They mean well…
DLANC having an agenda that falls completely outside the borders of Skid Row is not all true.
Efforts to unite, throw special events, collabs, public outreach and so on aren’t rare for DLANC in Skid Row. Yet, because the problems of Skid Row have persisted over the course of DLANC’s lifespan many SR community leaders have long decided to take matters into their own hands.
Addendum ‘A’ suggests DLANC is focused on gentrification, not toward change that has been fought for by Skid Row Community leaders, activists, volunteers and supporters for decades.
There is angst DLANC will help to win the race to gentrify Skid Row before the area’s grants and nonprofit handlers make good on their promise to house the homeless and treat the mentally ill.
But Was DLANC Willing to Risk It All to Win the Election?
Even if it meant shredding the constitution, and purposely conniving to keep Skid Row in its place (as part of DLANC) as stated in Addendum “A”?
Improper emails, voter fraud and suppression, excessive lobbying, front companies, violations of constitutional amendments, and the construction of an online voting system (never to be seen or heard of again) are just a few of the alleged points the document holds against DLANC and its vast list of citywide co-conspirators.
What’s Done is Done
Immediately after the election, speculation over the process and the results led to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment ‘s GM Grayce Liu denying any challenge and solidified an official loss for Skid Row by around 60 votes.
When asked about her involvement in email solicitations and violations of the Brown Act which governs Neighborhood City Councils during the hearing, DLANC President Patti Berman pretty much denied everything and demanded proof.
Liu, and the DONE council according to the suit, even went as far as ignoring recommendations from their own oversight committee to investigate further. On that day, DONE decided it would have the final say.
The two and a half years that have followed keeps social media groups in a heated discussion as Downtown watches and waits to see what, if anything, the Skid Row Community Formation Committee leaders will do. If they will win or lose their case and how the outcome will eventually affect us all.
For more information visit www.skidrowformationcommittee.com
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