Wise Latina: Expressions of her barrio known as Wilmington

It is great how in the past few years the younger generation of Wilmington residents have been bringing the city to light from its usual forgotten past. This new generation cares about the community and wants to see it thrive. Organizations like Slanguage art studio, WECAN, The Wilmington Wire, have gave a voice to young  artists and those concerned with community issues. 

Anabell Romero is no exception this "Wise Latina" has been expressing her ideas and concerns as part of the Wilmington City Council and journalist.

Read her first blog post as community correspondent of San Francisco's NPR station, KQED. 

Mi Barrio: Growing up in Wilmington 

Does this make sense?

"Highland Park owners had a mural painted to deter taggers. But the city painted it over and the taggers are back.In today's installment of Read It and Weep: Your Tax Dollars at Work, we visit a besieged Highland Park mom-and-pop grocery store owned by the Antonio family. The Antonios can only guess at the number of times they've begun their day with a can of paint brushing over fresh graffiti left on the side of their store by taggers."Maybe 70 times," said Jacob Antonio Jr., 27.His father, Jacob, begged to differ."More than 100 times," he said with exasperation"
Read rest of story here
by Steve Lopez


The LA Times reported this story in today's news regarding the removal of a mural on a Highland Park mom and pop shop called " Los Paisanos"
The city served the owners an “Order to Comply” letter to buff out the mural on the side of their grocery store because of so called “excessive signage”
The work was done by popular artist Playboy Eddie and “ Ezra “ Cervantes ,their bold and bright work did well deterring tagging for the time it was up. Prior to that the owners where constantly painting over tags.
Then the voice of haterism came out when a single complaint got it buffed.
How ridicules this lady who complained sound, she says it gets her “nervous” just to pass by it”, “it is gang looking”
I know that Highland Park is undergoing gentrification as well and this lady who is from “Historic Highland Park neighborhood Council” did not like the work ,so strived to get it buffed and succeeded.
Now I love historical societies and what they are about but why go too far and complain about a mural? and one that deters tagging?
I am sure she seen that since other shops in the area changed that problem with a murals by those artists. They much rather have a beige wall with tags and mis matched buff spots on it then a mural right?

So now that they buffed and right away it became a target to get tagged on, who must feel stupid now?
They now seen it did help with the headaches of tags but too late after they spent time and tax money removing it.
Now they want to go off and say maybe another mural will do
BUT with the acceptation that they have to agree on the work and make sure ol lady over there does not get to scared. I say that lady or city pay up for the next installment since they got it buffed and made the Antonio family lose $3.500.
What will they complain about next!

Update 08/14/08

This morning I seen this coverd on the Fox Good Day LA news coverage, here is link to the video Fox LA

Laws for Gentrification?

Could it be possible the city is actually taking notice on how gentrification is affecting certain areas and the people that live in the area? Well according to the latest LA Times article, the Los Angeles City Council approved new rules on factors concerning gentrification. They put limits on the size of "Mansionization" in what is so called low income areas.

This has certainly been happening all around us in LA it has even creeped up here in my town in the past 5 years or so. The recent effect of mansionization happened to a friend not so long ago. He lived in an area of San Pedro which was considered the "lows" most people did not see the area as the greatest place to live. His home which is located on top of a hill overlooking the port and beautiful Vincent Thomas Bridge. Just last year they started construction on a empty lot that had been Vacant for years, they built these huge homes totally obstructing the view of the port. Now the only thing him and his neighbors see is other peoples windows. Instead they could of replaced that lot with a park or much needed dog park.

Another incident that bit it's self in the ass was the construction of the new luxury lofts in downtown San Pedro called " The View" which obviously had a view of the port until another developer decided to built a different luxury condo right in front of it rising higher which made the point of The View well pointless. Apparently the yuppies that bought the more expensive condos with the Port View are angry? they been even screwing them selves over so someone of lower income who lives in an area being redeveloped, would they really care iif there view was taken away? I think not.
The new rules are good news to restore historic areas the right way, now lets see if one day they can make it affordable!

LA Times artical
'mansionization,' downtown hotel conversions
Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times
A new city ordinance restricts conversion of L.A.'s residential buildings, such as the Hotel Bristol , into luxury units that would displace low-income tenants. The Bristol , at 8th and Olive streets, was to be turned into a boutique hotel.
The City Council adopts rules curbing the size of remodeled homes on the flatlands and preserving low-income housing, mostly on skid row, that advocates fear are in danger of becoming lofts.
By Jessica Garrison and Cara Mia DiMassa, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers May 7, 2008
» Discuss Article (63 Comments) The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved new rules to address major byproducts of the gentrification that has swept the city: limiting the size of "mansionization" additions and making it harder for developers to convert low-income housing into luxury lofts.
MORE