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Friday, April 16, 2010

Was the Los Angeles Youth Athletic Club Cheated Out of its New Home by a "Connected Non- Profit"?

USC Lobbyist and former Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council President David Galaviz, on the right.



"Legacy LA/ Hazard Park Armory email # 1



Legacy LA/ Hazard Park Armory email # 2
Former Lincoln Heights Neighborhood Council President and current chief USC Lobbyist David Galaviz, is no stranger to the regular visitors here at Mayor Sam.
Matter of fact, his dubious exploits, whether it is using students to get himself and his cronies elected to the LHNC, shilling for questionable community projects such as Las Villas, or taking public property for an "connected non-profit". David Galaviz and his self-interest (plus USC) actions has earn him the bestowment as an Mayor Sam "Ass Clown Award" recipient.
Now one of Galaviz's most glaring act of self-interest is in the spotlight again.
The last meeting of the current LHNC board on Thursday night, was packed with supporters of the Los Angeles Youth Athletic Club, who's decades long home within the Old Jail in Lincoln Heights, is being close due to numerous safety concerns. Simply the building with its "supposed spirits", is in need of major renovation.
Fire Department officials have given building tenants five days to vacate the premises. Community supporters of the LAYAC have been offered accommodations at another facility in Lincoln Heights, but they argue at Thursday's meeting that the new location does not have the space needed to continue the current programs at the Old Jail location.
But this growing controversy regarding the new location of the LAYAC, was an issue that Recreation and Parks was addressing in 2007, according to the emails, posted above, that were obtain as part of an Public Records Act request.
In "email # 1", a Recreation and Parks Official Mark Mariscol, is responding to the incisive requests of Legacy LA Founder Jenny Krusoe, who with the backing of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilman Jose Huizar, later gets an exclusive agreement to operate the facility. Mariscol states that Recreation and Parks had concrete plans to move the LAYAC boxing program and its other activities to the facility.
In "email # 2", one can see the connection between Krusoe, with former LHNC members Galaviz and Eillen Sanchez, who works for the USC's Violence Intervention Program. They had been openly lobbying for space in the armory and Legacy LA was the front to gain an exclusive agreement with Recreation and Parks. Thus, self-interest actions by Galaviz, Sanchez and other allies (Vera Padilla, Cheryl Riley, Frank Wada plus more) on the LHNC, prevented the LAYAC and its successful programs, from moving their operations to the Hazard Park Armory.
It should also be noted that Galaviz and his allies, also attempted to allocate $3,000 for an Cinco de Mayo/ community outreach event, but was tabled when other members of the LHNC questioned the monetary request.
The observation that one can make in this current controversy, is that the LAYAC is stuck in the middle of two councilman's visions for the respective properties in question, the Armory in CD 14, and the Old Jail in CD 1.
CD 14 Councilman Jose Huizar, has made many promises to his "connected non-profit friends" for space within the Armory. Further, one cannot ignore Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's wishes for the facility, that even supersedes Huizar.
CD 1 Councilman Ed Reyes, simply sees the Lincoln Heights Jail acreage as a key part of his Los Angeles River Beautification plans, that leaves the LAYAC with hardly any options on a future location.
The simple solution to this issue, is to move the LAYAC to the Hazard Park Armory. This would expose the LAYAC programs, which include its well-known boxing program ( former Championship Boxer Joey Olivo being a past member), adult fitness, and others to a wider audience. Further, educational, environmental, and arts programs could be integrated to offer the community an impressive array of programing within the spaceage confines of the armory complex.
But sadly, the likes of Mayor Villaraigosa, Councilman Huizar, David Galaviz and others, prioritize the self-interest of their cronies, over the collective interest of the communities they supposely serve
Your thoughts..........
Scott Johnson in CD 14

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10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said:

You have no idea what youre talking about.

But that's okay.

You never HAVE known what you're talking about the past, so why would this be any different?

April 16, 2010 5:02 PM  

Blogger Michael Higby said:

So basically this is the continuation of the nonprofit-industrial complex in Los Angeles. Those who seek to create jobs for themselves on the govmint dime helping "the children" while the people in the community get screwed.

But its okay the politicians know how to simultaneously screw all those working class folks and make them thing they're doing something for them.

Then, they have a "Holiday Celebration" giving away enough t-shirts, Subway Sandwiches and Red Bull to get the po'folks out to be used as photo opp props. Then the electeds as well as the corporate communication folks at the big companies who don't live anywhere near here can send out newsletters showing what great things they did for all those sad brown folks you know, down there.

April 16, 2010 7:02 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Aren't those the same people - Vera, Frank, Martha, etc the same people who are running in the Thursday neighborhood elections in Lincoln Heights under Action Team?

I also hear Frank is a lousy treasurer and has an outstanding payment for hundreds of dollars owed to Davis Blue Prints for some copies.

April 16, 2010 8:34 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

First thing to consider, don't count on Reyes OR Huizar unless there's some leverage ($$$) available.

Ed's simply closed-minded to being the L.A. River park king to hear of anything he considers contrary or conflicting to that idea.

He's not too happy with any High Speed Rail located near the L.A. River (noise is one of his complaints. The train will come by about 4x a day from what I heard a few months back. In any case, it's not like it has a DASH bus 10 or 15 minute cycle to worry about.

And Huizar is just Huizar, worried more about trolleys on S. Broadway.

btw, "retrograde" might be better applied to amnesia, and "retrofitting" or "upgrading" would fit better in describing the LH jail situation.

And what do you expect from David- he's a politician who's been groomed by the people that befriend him; it's all been a reciprocal arrangement like everything else with the locals.

in CD-14

April 17, 2010 9:44 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Sadly, the ties between USC and the politicians is corrupt. The councilmen Huizar and Villaraigosa sold out the people to give USC land. Huizar voted for the DWP rate hike. Political Payback, others have to pay to have an event at USC, but not Huizar. All he does is give people a tour and Guess where Huizar is having his State of Boyle Heights speech? First Annual State of Boyle Heights Hon. José Huizar
Los Angeles City Council, Dist 14
Thursday, April 22, 2010
7:30 am – 8:45 am
USC Health Sciences Campus
Edmondson Faculty Center
1969 Zonal Avenue,
Immediately followed by a private tour of the newly renovated USC University Hospital
8:45 am – 9:30 am

April 17, 2010 3:16 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

I knew USC sucked and now I have more reason to think so!

April 17, 2010 4:49 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

If it's true that there is a Neighborhood Council election in Lincoln Heights on Thursday very few people know about it. Maybe that is by design. If you keep everyone in the dark about the election, fewer votes will be cast making it easier for the No Action Team to claim a few seats.

Maybe they are taking a page from the Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce playbook as written by Steve "The Plantation Owner" Kasten who surprise, surprise is once again president.

April 17, 2010 5:04 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

The City Clerk's office is handling the NC elections this year, with elections done by Regions. Lincoln Hts. is in Region G. THURSDAY, April 29, 2010.

Check the election page for more information than you can ever care about, but it's there. http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election/ncdocs/Election%20Information%20listed%20by%20Region.pdf


Main NC election page of City Clerk's Office should tell you what you may not have heard.
http://cityclerk.lacity.org/election/ncdocs/website.pdf

in cd-14 (= Region G, too.)

April 17, 2010 8:27 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

Steve Kasten is monopolizing the Lincoln Heights community. He's dipping his hands in everything. Continue selecting these same people and you'll never see a thing happen with this community. Everything will stay with their own selfish interests and in their pockets.

April 26, 2010 7:33 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said:

LAYAC
BILINGUAL FDN OF ARTS
HOMELESS
EVICTION
MONEY LAUNDERING

April 28, 2010 11:48 PM  

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