Showing posts with label Lakewood Blight and Redevelopment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lakewood Blight and Redevelopment. Show all posts

October 6, 2010

Nordstrom "Rack" opening at Lakewood Center Mall October 14, 2010.

The Nordstrom "Rack" looks like it will be opening at Lakewood Center Mall October 14, 2010. Again LAAG does not give the city council any credit for this, but rather the credit goes to Macerich who operates the mall and Nordstrom which looks like it is now targeting "downscale" shoppers in Lakewood and a few other cities. Meanwhile Cerritos gets the "top shelf" Nordstrom redux in May 2010 (see story below). Once again upstaging Lakewood. The only thing we can say is that a few more sales tax dollars might come Lakewood's way now. "Lakewood stimulus"... Oh goodie. Maybe Lakewood city council can pay the "newly found money" into the LASD slush fund. Oh and finally don't bother going over to the city of Lakewood website for this info. You won't find it as of our post date. Once again Lakewood drops the ball on an announcement that really might mean something.

California store openings

Lakewood, CA - Lakewood Center (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: October 14, 2010


Burbank, CA - Burbank Empire Center (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: October 21, 2010

Fremont, CA - Pacific Commons Shopping Center (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: Spring 2011

Upland, CA - Colonies Crossroads (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: Fall 2011

Redondo Beach, CA - South Bay Center (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: Fall 2011

West Covina, CA - West Covina Mall (Nordstrom Rack)
Opening Date: Fall 2011

New Cerritos Nordstrom will open Friday
By Kelly Puente, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/04/2010 06:39:45 PM PDT

CERRITOS - The city of Cerritos will celebrate a milestone Friday with the grand opening of a new Nordstrom and six new shops in Los Cerritos Center.

The roughly $90 million expansion project, a partnership between the city, Nordstrom and Macerich Co., has been five years in the making. The mall at the San Gabriel (605) Freeway and South Street will now feature a 138,000-square-foot Nordstrom and a 36,500-square-foot wing with M·A·C Cosmetics, True Religion Brand Jeans, Carlton Hair International, Vision Shoes, Foreign Exchange clothing and Love Culture clothing.

Opening day kicks off at 8a.m. Friday with a "Beauty Bash" complete with complimentary makeup consultations, a preview of new products and tips from beauty advisers.

Doors officially open at 10a.m.

Employees were scurrying through the department store on Tuesday, organizing spring sandals, hanging up the latest trends in clothing and stocking cosmetics counters in preparation for opening day. All the merchandise in the mall's old Nordstrom will be moved to the new store overnight tonight.

Plans are still in the works for the space in the old Nordstrom. Built in 1981, it was the third of its kind in California.

While some retailers like Robinsons-May and Mervyns have shuttered, others in Los Cerritos Center seem to be thriving.

In January, retail giant Forever 21 opened a two-story 85,000-square-foot flagship store in the former Mervyns site.

And like Forever 21, Nordstrom continues to grow. Last year, the company saw $441million in net earnings, a nearly 10 percent increase from the previous year. The company reported overall retail sales of $8.26 billion for 2009.

Not bad for what started as a small shoe shop in Seattle founded by Swedish immigrant John Nordstrom in 1901.

"It literally reads like an American success story," said his great-grandson Pete Nordstrom, president of merchandising, in a phone interview. "I think he'd be shocked at what it is today."

Pete Nordstrom says the company has stayed successful over the years because it knows what its customers want.

"We've been able to pay close attention to our customers and evolve with their changing dynamic," he said. "We have a broad range of prices, and as price becomes more of a factor with the economy, we've been able to adjust without becoming a highly promotional store."

Despite the economic recession, plans for a new store in Los Cerritos Center never fell off track, Pete Nordstrom said.


"We've been doing business in Cerritos for a long time," he said.


The mall generates about $2.7 million in annual sales tax revenue and about $3.1 million in property tax for the city. The expansion project is expected to generate an additional $360,000 in annual sales tax and another $1.1 million in property tax.

In addition to the day's festivities, at 7 p.m. the mall will unveil its newest art piece, a 20-foot-high stainless steel sculpture of a shopping bag. And on May 13 from 7 p.m. to 9p.m., M·A·C Cosmetics will hold a grand opening party with cocktails, appetizers and models displaying makeup.

kelly.puente@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1305


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™ click here to receive LAAG posts by email

August 25, 2010

Regional mall operator Macerich recently stopped making mortgage payments

As you know Macerich is the Lessor which manages Lakewood Shopping Center, Stonewood Shopping center, and Los Cerritos Mall. As reported in the Wall Street Journal today "Companies such as Macerich Co.... have recently stopped making mortgage payments to put pressure on lenders to restructure debts. In many cases they have walked away, sending keys to properties whose values had fallen far below the mortgage amounts, a process known as "jingle mail." These companies all have piles of cash to make the payments. They are simply opting to default because they believe it makes good business sense."

We have also heard rumors that many tenants in Lakewood Center Mall are behind in rent payments. A few have also been asked for large increases in rent. Not sure of the reasons.

As we all know the city of Lakewood relies heavily on the mall for income and it is one of the few things that separates Lakewood from cities like Paramount and Bellflower that have no such regional malls. The problem of course is that with so many regional malls in the area it is hard to keep those malls profitable for the city. It will be interesting how this recession will play out on commercial property as we have a long way to go before we are out of the woods. The jobs report is dismal for as far as the eye can see in California and that continues to depress new home sales.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™ click here to receive LAAG posts by email

March 10, 2010

Dollar Tree opening soon at South St and Bellflower Blvd

LAAG has learned that the Dollar Tree store in the old refurbished Vons store should be opening around the latter part of March 2010. [finally] Again not a huge success for Lakewood which has a dismal commercial vacancy rate (from all appearances) but it is better than the horrible eye sore that was the dilapidated Vons store for the last few years. There are 10 open stores within 10 miles of Lakewood currently. Of course we could have had a Trader Joe's market in that location had the city had the guts to tell Safeway to can their lease buyout provision. Apparently its required no food stores at South and Bellflower for years to come for fear of real competition in this poor discount food shopping selection we have in Lakewood. More on that issue as we wrote in August 2009.

According to a February 2010 Wall Street Journal article Dollar Tree Inc.'s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 28% as the discount retailer continues to fare well during the downturn. Apparently its doing well as customers trade down to cheaper goods during the downturn.

The company in December estimated revenue of $1.49 billion to $1.53 billion with a gross margin of 37 percent.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

August 26, 2009

The South and Bellflower shopping center saga continues

As we have reported previously the ongoing "former Vons" saga at South and Bellflower lingers on for what seems like an eternity. Just getting the parking lot fixed took over a year. They were finished in August 2009. [read our update to this story here]

Vons/Pavillions is owned by the lovely Safeway people headquartered in Oakland CA. When the current owner of the properly bought it many years ago Vons had a very long term and cheap lease on the building it vacated in 1998. They did not want to let go of the lease for fear that another grocery store would move in there and heaven forbid "compete" with the Pavillions over at South and Woodruff (which has the worst prices of any grocery store in the area thanks to union and other issues...but that's another column). Clearly the Fresh and Easy has not been any competition. We are still banking on that operation to fold up as the novelty has worn off.

The real problems began when the current landlord (Lings Property Management..located in LA) tried to buy Vons lease interest out. Of course Von's wanted to make sure that a Trader Joes market or some other savvy competitor cannot get in that spot. This created two problems. First it harms Lakewood shoppers who have a lack of real shopping choice for groceries (as most cities in the this area, especially Long Beach, backed the unions and disallowed Wal Mart grocery stores). Secondly it reduces the chances of leasing that entire former Vons store due to its sheer size. But the city apparently refused or failed to intervene on behalf of the city residents and encourage Von's (Safeway) to drop that requirement and so there you have it. No competitive food stores in that center for years to come thanks to heavy handed action by Safeway. Quite frankly we feel that is appalling and only hurts residents.

So as it stands now the former Von's store will be subdivided into three equally divided store units. More doors and glass will be added to the front. The building is essentially gutted inside now. As of Sept. 15, 2009 it is supposed to be ready for the build out of the first of three new tenants.

The first will be "Dollar Tree" And of course they will sell little if any "food items" at the store thanks the our pals over at Safeway. It is not clear on who the other two tenants will be but given the glut of commercial space in Lakewood we are not optimistic that it will be leased quickly (especially given the site had had for lease signs up for about 3 years..one actually rotted and fell over!) We are also not at all impressed with Lakewood's very shallow and transparent redevelopment efforts which don't seem to be getting much bang for the tax dollar. Also the city seems to focus all their attention on the mall and second or third tier shopping centers like the one at Bellflower and South and Palo Verde and South languish with years of vacancies and decay. We all know where that leads.

Dollar Tree is one of a number of large chains that appears to be doing well in this 12% unemployment economy.

Here are Dollar Tree's current local stores:

6426 E. Spring St. Long Beach, CA 90815

Norwalk Town Center 13913 Pioneer Blvd Norwalk, CA 90650

8111 E Wardlow Road Long Beach, CA 90808

In related news, in the same shopping center the Hanalei restaurant has reopened after being closed for about a year. No idea what the problem was but its good to see businesses operating as opposed to empty buildings. We know thats not good for anyone.

We also hear that the Movietime Video rental store in the same shopping center is supposed to be subdivided and that a 7-11 will go in on the Bellflower Blvd side. We will believe that when we see it.

Finally the South and Bellflower site is supposed to get a minor facade upgrade for all stores. That has not yet been defined. But anything would be an improvement over what we have now.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

March 11, 2009

Yoshinoya to open at south and woodfruff

There is a new Yoshinoya Beef Bowl fast food restaurant opening next to the existing Fresh and Easy market at South and Woodruff. No date on the expected opening but construction is moving briskly at least for now. We believe that the Yoshinoya at South and Palo Verde is still open (and one of the few remaining tenants at that strip mall disaster; more on that later). It is possible that that store may close as it is very close to this new one.

When the Fresh and Easy opened in Nov 2007 it did not use all of the space that had been used by the old Petco. It has taken 15 months to sublease that extra space and it is still not clear if the Yoshinoya will use all the space or not.

It seems that South and Woodruff is attracting all the attention as it is larger than the South and Bellflower shopping area and has larger anchor tenants. Yet progress is slowly being made on the new parking lot at the old Vons. Apparently they are going to subdivide the old Vons as its just too hard to lease a single tenant space that large. And in case you haven't heard the supermarket biz is not going gangbusters these days.

We hear that much of the delay at that Vons site was the city itself not the landlord. What a surprise. A complaint we hear frequently now. Apparently the city could care less about helping businesses to open quickly. They are more interested in red tape and pumping fees out of starving tenants. Nothing new for typical low level bureaucrats who have never worked in the private sector. I have talked to a number of remodeling commercial tenants and as amazing as it sounds in this recession the city does not appear to be in any hurry to get businesses up and running. Apparently the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is not reaching out either.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

February 5, 2009

(the few) Retail Bright Spots

Well the day is finally approaching. Costco will be opening in Lakewood Center on February 26, 2009 (thurs) at 8am according to fliers mailed out this week. I guess in this bad retail climate they don't want to wait for a weekend opening. They have been handing out 10.00 discounts for membership signups in the Mall. We will report further on the opening. We were noticing how vacant the mall was the other night in the area of the all but closed Circuit City, the long ago closed Lakewood Center South Theaters and the construction zone of the Costco. It is rather ironic that 8 months ago people were complaining about all the increased traffic Costco would bring. What a difference a little recession makes!

Bellflower and South St. is still trying to improve. The old Vons parking lot repaving is underway but quite frankly it is moving at a snails pace. Still no word on new tenants.

The Denny's opening in the old Bakers Square looks finished. Once we got city hall to speed up the permits the workers were working weekends and until 9pm at night to finish up. Opening is supposed to be February 15, 2009. They also resurfaced the parking lot. This intersection can use a bright spot and we hope this helps draw in more businesses. Ironically Denny's had its start in Lakewood in 1953 under the name Danny's Donuts.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

January 12, 2009

Some businesses open while others close

Apparently Macy's is closing 11 stores. Fortunately not the one in Lakewood Center. The only one closing in CA is i downtown LA.

Albertsons announced plans Friday to close one of its two stores in the city. The store at 3400 E. South St., is scheduled to close on Feb. 19. This store has been open since 1998.

Workers are working feverishly on the old Bakers Square at South and Bellflower to renovate it into a new Denny's. It will open in February. LAAG got the city to speed up the permit approval. In this economy

Lakewood Center claims that the Costco in Lakewood Center will open in February and will not be delayed to March.

The Mervyns that is closing will become a Forever 21 store as reported earlier.

No word on the Sonic Drive In location. We heard it could open at Woodruff and Harvey Way which was the site of a former Arco gas station. More on that as we learn it.

The Fresh & Easy Market celebrated its one year anniversary at South and Woodruff. We did not think it would last this long. Perhaps the new Farm Direct Market opening (5927 South St.) on the NE corner of South and Woodruff will give it some competition. We see lots of work going on there but no opening date is known. This is not a chain store. The Jones Bicycles store was the last retail store that we can recall in the space. It closed a number of years ago and the store remained vacant ever since.

The old Vons parking lot at South and Bellflower is getting completely repaved with new planters and sprinkler systems. Hopefully this will make it more palatable to prospective tenants, which the site has needed badly for years. The city has taken years to pressure the landowners to fix up the site.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

December 22, 2008

Waiting for the next shoe to drop

Well isn't this just great. First residential real estate. Now its commercial real estates turn. Right after Christmas and the January blow outs I suspect there will be much bloodletting by the retail sector. Costco opening in February 2009 could not have picked a worse time to open. Poor holiday sales (when some make over 50% of their yearly income) will not bode well for renewing that costly lease at the mall. This could be bad for Lakewood which relies heavily upon what small retail sector we have. And most of Lakewood's "retail eggs" are concentrated in the Mall "basket". And you know the saying. Never put all your eggs in one basket (in case it drops). But there is plenty of grief to go around. Cerritos must really be hurting as it relied very heavily on Cerritos Auto Square revenue to furnish lavish city projects (which it still has to maintain). Oh well as the cities like to say about tax revenue..."easy come easy go..."

Real-estate developers reportedly seeking U.S. relief

Dec. 22, 2008

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Developers of large commercial real-estate projects are seeking access to government investment funds as at least $160 billion of debt comes due for refinancing next year and lenders are thin on the ground for the embattled industry, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The paper said that developers of projects like malls, hotels and office complexes are seeking access to the recently announced Treasury plan to provide $200 billion of credit relief to borrowers on auto and student loans and credit-card debt. Some of the developers have also reportedly suggested a separate program aimed solely at projects in commercial real estate. The Journal's report quoted a letter that a dozen developers recently sent to Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, in which they say: "Right now, we believe there is insufficient systemic capacity to refinance expiring, performing commercial real-estate loans. For many borrowers, [credit] simply is not available." The report said that delinquencies on commercial mortgages jumped to 0.96% in November, up from a 0.62% rate in September.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/commercial-real-estate-may-next/story.aspx?guid={B8584A95-BB8F-4DB4-A3B3-C9B183F10C92}&dist=TNMostRead

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

November 24, 2008

Retail update for Nov 2008

We have been assured that regardless of all the problems in Construction that the new Lakewood Center Mall Costco is experiencing (it was slated to open in Nov. 2008) that it will open sometime in February 2009. Christmas will be over and we will be right in the middle of a severe recession so that will be interesting to watch.

The Bakers Square restaurant went bankrupt in April 2008 and closed the location at the SW corner of Bellflower and South St. around that time. We are told that a Denny's will take its place. No idea on an opening date. We assume that Denny's will use the same building. This corner is really starting to suffer from the economic downturn and is starting to look like the one at the NW corner where the old Vons is located.

With respect to the NE corner where the old Vons is located, it appears that the City Attorney is trying to move forward against the landlord who is dragging his feet on the planter and pavement repairs in the parking lot. The former Vons improvement has been going on for at least two years now. Still no anchor tenant in the former Vons even though the Facade and roof were fixed up.

Finally some movement on the Farm Direct Market (5927 South St.) on the NE corner of South and Woodruff. It took out a liquor license in July 2008 and it appears that work is now finally underway on the inside. I would expect an opening in the next 4 months. Not clear on the concept for the store but it appears to be an indoor farmers market. But that was what we thought about Fresh and Easy and what a disappointment it was.

There were rumors of a Sonic Drive-In burger scouting for a place in Lakewood. Sources tell us they think the new site is the SW corner of Woodruff and Harvey Way (the site of a long closed and demolished Arco gas station). No confirmations as of this writing.

Now if we can just get the city bureaucracy to fast track the occupancy and cut some of the red tape. In this economy we need all the new retail we can get. Its beats the alternative.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

November 3, 2008

Circuit City hanging on in Lakewood

Circuit City Stores Inc. said Monday it is closing about 20 percent of its U.S. stores -- cutting thousands of jobs -- in an effort to return to profitability as it finds consumers reluctant to spend and its vendors less eager to give it credit.

The nation's No. 2 consumer electronics retailer said it will shut 155 of its more than 700 stores and leave at least a dozen markets entirely. It will lay off about 17 percent of its domestic work force, which could affect up to 7,300 people.

Stores in Southern California that will be closed include those in City of Industry, Compton, Escondido, Fontana, Foothill Ranch, Mira Loma, Moreno Valley, Murrietta, Pomona, Riverside, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and Vista. The list of store closures can be found here. The Lakewood Center Circuit City store will remain open as will one store in Long Beach, as well as stores in Signal Hill, Norwalk and Seal Beach (in this area). That is good news for Lakewood Center which has already been decimated by the recession. Mervyn's filed for bankruptcy in September and the Macy's / May Co. / Robinsons consolidation racked the retailing world a few years back, drastically effecting Lakewood Center's major anchor tenants. The Costco store required the demolition of a brand new Macy's store which was only open for a few years before closing.

I suspect the recession will put Circuit City into bankruptcy after the dismal Christmas season this year which will likely be a bloodbath. The only bright spot might be flat screen digital TV sales in advance of the looming February 2009 analog TV signal transmission cut off (for those using over the air antennas). But I doubt there are a lot of sales left as most people have cable or satellite and most in Lakewood likely already have digital TV's.

The Costco store opening in Lakewood Center has been delayed by a number of "utility" issues. (It was supposed to open in November 2008) Apparently there is a groundwater problem of some sort. This has not been reported on from what we have seen. It is not slated to open until spring (when the recession is in full swing) and after missing the key holiday purchasing season which will be a big hit on Lakewood.

Lakewood behind cities such as Downey, Carson and Cerritos in sales tax, as only 6 percent of the city is zoned for commercial or industrial uses. The rest of Lakewood comprises homes, schools, parks and other entities.

Given that the city has a lot of work to do as they are wasting the 6% they do have. Look at the South and Bellflower location which lost Vons in the late 1990's and recently lost Bakers Square restaurant. We reported on this intersection over a year ago. Both anchor tenants likely never to be replaced without serious action by the city. That is a prime location being squandered. The city is not stepping up doing what it can to attract businesses. It focuses all its attention on the mall while the rest of the city goes downhill. Soon the loss of these businesses ans well as the home values plummeting will mean more blight and more crime as less desirable residents are attracted, such as renters and those who fail to keep their houses and surrounding property neat and tidy. And this is how the death spiral begins in a city. It takes years for the decay to spread but it does spread.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

September 28, 2008

Oriental fruit fly "invasion"

Fortunately this time the county/state is not using aerial malathion spraying to kill the fruit flies as they did with the Mediterranean fruit fly in the early 1990's as that likely killed off millions of badly needed honey bees that help to pollinate the fruit trees and everything else. See more on the bee crisis (colony collapse disorder) here

Crop-Destroying Fruit Flies Found In Lakewood
http://cbs2.com/local/oriental.fruit.flies.2.825940.html

LAKEWOOD A half-dozen Oriental fruit flies were found in Lakewood traps this week, causing agricultural officials to extend eradication efforts for at least eight more weeks to combat the crop-destroying pest, it was announced Thursday.

Eight of the insects were discovered in the Lakewood and Pasadena-San Marino areas between July 23 and Aug. 16.

Having emerged victorious after a long battle with the Mediterranean fruit fly, state and county officials moved quickly to protect the state's $32 billion agricultural industry, initiating a series of treatments using pesticide-laced bait to attract and kill male fruit flies.

The bait, sprayed on utility poles, is applied every other week, said Ken Pellman of the county Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures.

State agriculture workers also have been cutting and checking fruit growing in the area for the presence of maggots.

A quarantine established to restrict the movement of fruit and vegetables from or through the Lakewood area covers a 75-square-mile region where the bulk of the fruit flies were found.

It was not immediately clear when the quarantine would be lifted.

No aerial treatments have been planned, according to county officials.

The Oriental fruit fly is described by agricultural experts as one of the world's most destructive insect pests. Mated females lay eggs inside a wide variety fruits and vegetables. The maggots that hatch from those eggs then feed on the flesh of the produce, rendering it unfit to eat.

Originating from Southeast Asia, the insect has established itself in Hawaii and other Pacific islands.

Further information is available by calling the California Department of Food and Agriculture Pest Hotline at (800) 491-1899.

Those wanting to transport fruits or plants in or out of the region should call (562) 940-7803.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

July 31, 2008

graffiti "community service" bill

This law sounds good. First problem. You have to have police catch someone and that has to hold up in court. I want to know how many successful graffiti prosecutions LASD has prosecuted on the San Gabriel River or in the city of Lakewood in the past year. I am going to take a shot at none. And as the LASD and city of Lakewood reads this blog regularly we challenge them to prove us wrong. They send the stats we will post them.

The law (on the surface) is a common sense measure which ones does not usually see out of the legislature. Of course how do you really make a graffiti artist clean up the area for a year? You don't. Also the press release makes it sound like the "clean up" sentencing is mandatory, until you read the "weasel words" the legislature put in the bill to make sue some bleeding heart liberal judge can still let the defendant off. Really this sounds like nothing more than a press release event (to attempt to show how "hard working" our legislature is) rather than a real enforcement or punishment tool. I cant wait to see how often this is used. I suppose next the ACLU will challenge it as "cruel and unusual punishment" for "artists" and that what we need is more taxpayer funded "afterschool programs" to "channel their talent".

We found the law interesting due to the rise of graffiti in Lakewood and the San Gabriel River. Looks like we got our hopes up for nothing.

PRESS RELEASE

07/30/2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Graffiti Vandalism Legislation

Continuing his commitment to public safety, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed legislation to hold offenders accountable for crimes of vandalism and to remove graffiti from California's streets and neighborhoods. AB 1767 by Assemblymember Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) mandates community service for a person who has committed a criminal act of graffiti vandalism, and AB 2609 by Assemblymember Mike Davis (D-Los Angeles) requires defendants convicted of graffiti vandalism to clean up or repair the defaced or damaged property.

"As Governor, I have made the safety of our communities my top priority," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "By cleaning up graffiti and holding offenders accountable for their actions, this legislation will make our streets and neighborhoods a safer and cleaner place to live."

AB 1767 authorizes the courts in San Francisco to launch a pilot program where violators of graffiti vandalism are ordered to participate in a minimum of 24 hours of community service, when available, if they have reached a civil compromise with the victim. This law targets graffiti abatement service programs as the community service outlet for offenders and remains in effect until January 1, 2012.

Similarly, AB 2609 requires the court to order offenders paroled for a graffiti violation to clean up, repair or replace the damaged property. Defendants would also be required keep the damaged property or another specified property in the community free of graffiti for up to one year.


BILL NUMBER: AB 2609 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT

CHAPTER 209
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 30, 2008
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR JULY 30, 2008
PASSED THE SENATE JULY 3, 2008
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 14, 2008
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 10, 2008
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 17, 2008

INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Davis
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Anderson and Solorio)

FEBRUARY 22, 2008

An act to amend Section 594 of the Penal Code, relating to
vandalism.



LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2609, Davis. Vandalism: penalties: community service.
Existing law, amended by Proposition 21, an initiative measure
enacted by voters at the March 7, 2000, statewide primary election,
and requiring a 2/3 vote of the Legislature to amend, makes a person
who maliciously commits specified destructive acts with respect to
another's property guilty of vandalism. Existing law grants the court
the authority to order a defendant who is convicted of violating
this provision, or to order the defendant and his or her parents, if
the defendant is a minor, to clean up, repair, or replace the damaged
property or keep the damaged property or another specified property
in the community free of graffiti for up to one year.
This bill would, in addition, require a court, when appropriate
and feasible, to impose the above cleanup penalties for any defendant
who was convicted of violating those vandalism provisions, as
specified. By increasing the penalties for a crime, the bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. Section 594 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
594. (a) Every person who maliciously commits any of the
following acts with respect to any real or personal property not his
or her own, in cases other than those specified by state law, is
guilty of vandalism:
(1) Defaces with graffiti or other inscribed material.
(2) Damages.
(3) Destroys.
Whenever a person violates this subdivision with respect to real
property, vehicles, signs, fixtures, furnishings, or property
belonging to any public entity, as defined by Section 811.2 of the
Government Code, or the federal government, it shall be a permissive
inference that the person neither owned the property nor had the
permission of the owner to deface, damage, or destroy the property.
(b) (1) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
four hundred dollars ($400) or more, vandalism is punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison or in a county jail not exceeding
one year, or by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars
($10,000), or if the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, by a fine of not more than
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or by both that fine and
imprisonment.
(2) (A) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is
less than four hundred dollars ($400), vandalism is punishable by
imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine of
not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine
and imprisonment.
(B) If the amount of defacement, damage, or destruction is less
than four hundred dollars ($400), and the defendant has been
previously convicted of vandalism or affixing graffiti or other
inscribed material under Section 594, 594.3, 594.4, 640.5, 640.6, or
640.7, vandalism is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for
not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than five thousand
dollars ($5,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.
(c) Upon conviction of any person under this section for acts of
vandalism consisting of defacing property with graffiti or other
inscribed materials, the court shall, when appropriate and feasible,
in addition to any punishment imposed under subdivision (b), order
the defendant to clean up, repair, or replace the damaged property
himself or herself, or order the defendant, and his or her parents or
guardians if the defendant is a minor, to keep the damaged property
or another specified property in the community free of graffiti for
up to one year. Participation of a parent or guardian is not required
under this subdivision if the court deems this participation to be
detrimental to the defendant, or if the parent or guardian is a
single parent who must care for young children. If the court finds
that graffiti cleanup is inappropriate, the court shall consider
other types of community service, where feasible.
(d) If a minor is personally unable to pay a fine levied for acts
prohibited by this section, the parent of that minor shall be liable
for payment of the fine. A court may waive payment of the fine, or
any part thereof, by the parent upon a finding of good cause.
(e) As used in this section, the term "graffiti or other inscribed
material" includes any unauthorized inscription, word, figure, mark,
or design, that is written, marked, etched, scratched, drawn, or
painted on real or personal property.
(f) The court may order any person ordered to perform community
service or graffiti removal pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision
(c) to undergo counseling.
(g) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2002.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™<b>r>
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May 8, 2008

Pit Bull attacks

This is just another sign of slow collapse of a neighborhood into a ghetto like slum. Why do people need 5 dogs of any breed. They don't. Oh and I am sure these 5 dogs never barked much. And I'll bet the yard looked and smelled great. People that own these types of dogs always say they are gentile and sweet, great around kids etc. What they fail to forget is that they are fighting dogs and are bred for fighting. They also have large mouths and very powerful locking jaws. They never will be like golden retrievers. Period. These dog owners should be prosecuted in some fashion. Also it seems to me that the animal control officer was not well trained going after 5 pit bulls alone. A "two year" "veteran". What? Does not take a rocket scientist to figure that things could go really wrong on this assignment...picking up 5 pit bulls. Not the same and catching ONE stray poodle.

Pit bull mauls animal control officer
From wire reports
Article Launched: 05/08/2008 07:16:41 AM PDT

An animal control officer suffered injuries to his legs and an arm when he was mauled Wednesday by a pit bull at a Lakewood home, authorities said.

The officer, 28, a two-year veteran with the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority, will undergo surgery for his injuries at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, according to Aaron Reyes, the authority's director of operations.

``The biggest concern is infection,'' Reyes said. ``He has a break in his knuckle; his third knuckle is facing upward. His wounds are deep and they are tear-type wounds as well. They're watching for nerve damage and infection. We're on pins and needles just hoping that he does fine.''

The officer went to the home in the 6100 block of Briercrest Avenue at noon to speak with the residents about having too many pit bulls. Authority records show prior violations over the number of dogs kept in the residence.

The dog owner had agreed to relinquish custody of three of the five pit bulls on the property. When the officer attempted to capture the dogs, one ``changed its friendly demeanor'' and attacked him, Reyes said.

``This is a sad day for this officer, who has been hurt very badly simply trying to do his job,'' Reyes said.

The attacking dog will be tested by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services for rabies. The four other pit bulls on the property will be euthanized.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the authority's Investigation
Advertisement
Division at (562) 803-3301, Ext. 224.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

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April 3, 2008

The "smokeshop" arrives in Lakewood

I guess the moral of the story is be careful what you wish for. A few months back we were complaining about the "Gotham Comics" bookstore on South St. near Bellflower Blvd., home of the former Von's market and Itana Furniture (aka "the dilapidated warehouse") The comic book store was in poor shape and attracted a bad element, not to mention all the "wonderful people" that hung out next door at the "Hide-a-way" bar. And dont forget the lovely liquor store just a few doors down from the Hide-a-way (so you can get your fix after the bar closes). Well now the folks over at the Hide-a-way will have some new friends...customers of the "smokeshop" which is moving into the newly renovated Gotham Comics store. There is only one problem. The "smoke shop", as the new owners call it, is not going to just sell tobacco, but that special tobacco, known to some as pot, mary jane, ganja etc. (call it what you like). So really its more of a 'headshop" than a smokeshop. Our sources tell us that the "smokeshop" received a "permit" from the city of Lakewood. Seems odd as the city tried to deny a simple liquor licence to Joe's Sushi a few doors down. With these three "wholesome" business all in the same block perhaps they can attract other similar businesses. "Fritz That's It" strip club lost its lease in Bellflower, perhaps they could move into the beautiful former Von's store that the city only took three years to force the owners to clean up. Its amazing what blight can do for a city's business culture? Lets see what next for South and Bellflower? I think Long Beach is chasing child molesters out of their city (due to Halfway houses running up against Megan's law). Perhaps we could put a halfway house in at the old Von's store. It is truly amazing how much the city fawns all over Lakewood Shopping Center and the new Costco yet falls flat on its face when it comes to shopping centers a mile away and not across the street from City Hall.

I can't wait for this July. Lakewood residents can go buy their pot, walk across the street to get their "safe and sane" fireworks and have a rip roarin' 4th. One book of matches keeps a whole family entertained all night.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

March 31, 2008

"Fresh and Easy" no so fresh and easy?

Well quite frankly we are not surprised by this news below. There is nothing "fresh" or "easy" about Fresh & Easy. Most of the produce is packaged in environmentally unfriendly plastic bubbles. Oh and they give you a nice "free" re-usable big PLASTIC bag upon checkout. I would not make a big deal over this fact but for the reason that the chain makes such a big deal about their environmental "consciousness". There is no selection (due to the small store size) and you have to check yourself out. So its not "easy". Also I would have spent less time just going to Pavillions or some other major chain store and getting all the items I wanted rather than just 50% of what I wanted. How is going to two stores to get what you need "easy"? Also the parking lot is 1/3 the size of Pavillions (which is across the street) so really its harder to find a parking spot not "easier". (well that really is not true most of the time as no one is in the Fresh & Easy store most of the time). Oh and of course there is the one "hybrid" parking spot front and center. What a joke. I wonder what "enviro-marketing" guy came up with that and what it cost them. I really dont understand this whole concept of a "mini" store with 1/3 the items and I suspect in a year this location in Lakewood will be gone. Oh and finally the prices are no great deal either so Food 4 Less and Costco see no competition here. Time for the red coats to pack up and go back to the UK. The Revolution is over.


Tesco Puts The Brakes On U.S. Expansion Of Fresh & Easy
March 31, 2008

By Steve Goldstein

LONDON (Dow Jones) -- Britain's Tesco is halting for three months the expansion of its U.S. operation Fresh & Easy, the food-retailing unit meant to carve out a niche between convenience stores and the massive warehouse-style retailers.

Tesco said the suspension of its expansion of the 59-store chain was planned and that it was "pleased" with its performance.

"We've given ourselves a little bit of time to kick the tires, smooth out any wrinkles, and make some improvements that customers have asked for," the company said in an blog entry.

Improvements made over the last few months include accepting American Express credit cards alongside those of MasterCard and Visa, the company said.

Fresh & Easy operates on the West Coast, with stores in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego.

It focuses on ready-to-eat meals and fresh products, and its arrival put a scare under firms ranging from Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) to Kroger (KR) to Whole Foods Markets (WFMI).

"Tesco suggested it wanted Fresh & Easy to have the convenience of Walgreens, the value of Wal-Mart, the fresh food quality of Whole Foods, and the differentiated product range of a Trader Joe's," said Credit Suisse analyst Andrew Kasoulis in a note last year.

"We think the format largely seems to have achieved that."

But the Sunday Telegraph, which first published the news about the delay, said there were rumors that the concept had missing internal sales forecasts. The report suggested that Fresh & Easy wasn't getting the customer traffic it needed to drive sales growth.

Shares in Tesco dropped 3.5% on Monday, one of the worst-performing FTSE 100 stocks -- underperforming even Terminal 5-ravaged British Airways.

Clive Black, an analyst at the U.K. brokerage Shore Capital, said the operation needs to be seen in context.

"The business is tiny within the context of the group, and even if it did fail (which we're not assuming), a 1 billion-pound cost within a business that has a market capitalization of over 30 billion pounds needs to be reflected upon," he said.

"Tesco management has consistently said to us that this is a risk-reward equation that is manageable and favorable, and this can remain the case."

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

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December 26, 2007

Something moving into South and Bellflower?

Looks like there are some changes afoot at the old Vons/Itana Furniture "warehouse" located at South St. and Bellflower Blvd.in Lakewood. (curiously a few months after LAAG complained about the shopping center; see related story here) Most of the old crumbling facade of the Vons store was removed about a week before Christmas leaving and even uglier building underneath. The front of the store is still fenced off as of this posting. Hopefully all the stores in this complex will be updating their facades along with the anchor tenant store (the old Vons). The parking lot needs to be completely resurfaced and re-landscaped. Also all the signage needs to be redone. The city has not confirmed if a new tenant is moving into the old Vons building or not. Once we learn what is going on we will report it here. I suspect that the building had to be upgraded before they could attract a tenant. The Hanalei "Hawaiian eatery" that just opened in December (in the same shopping center) will likely have just as rough a time as the "Asian" type restaurant it replaced. Likely due to the lovely liquor store not 100 feet from its front door. Again very close to homes.

Also on South St. just east of Bellflower Blvd. the old "Gotham Comics" store moved out and the owner (who also owns the "Hideaway" bar next door) is trying to lease and or sell the store as an office building. The place has been painted, gutted inside and new doors and windows installed. The owner is going to have a rough time leasing office space next to a bar unless that appeals to the staff that works in the new office. Quite frankly it would be nice to see the bar gone as it attracts a rather unsavory element and is very close to homes.


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

click here to receive LAAG posts by email

November 27, 2007

More Tesco "Fresh and Easy" Protests

We are going to take a wait and see approach with Fresh and Easy. We want to see how good their prices and selection are and if they give Pavillion$ a run for their money. We dont like Tesco's (Fresh and Easy's parent) animal rights position in China, but quite frankly their labor position makes sense. Pay 10.00hr to start and keep unions out. Just like Food for Less. Ever compare non union Food for Less prices with Vons/Safeway prices? Huge difference. We had family visiting from NY this Thanksgiving that said Vons/Pavillions prices were out of control. I guess that is due to caving into the union (in the 2007 strike threat) and paying for all that overpriced healthcare for what should be an after school job and not a career. Welcome to $3.00 potatoes and "hidden inflation" due to union pressures. Like the bumper stickers say "Live better Work Union". No wonder many of these cities in this area are working so hard to keep Wal Mart grocery stores out. The city leaders are all pro union or at least beholden to them.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fresh27nov27,0,5284237.story
From the Los Angeles Times
Community groups protest Tesco's Fresh & Easy
By Jerry Hirsch
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

November 27, 2007

The British owner of the new Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market grocery chain had to contend with uninvited guests Monday, when about 100 activists from a coalition of community groups protested outside a meeting with investors.

Tesco, Fresh & Easy's parent company, had hosted U.S. and British institutional investors and money managers at a Santa Monica hotel to update them on plans for the chain, which began opening stores in Southern California this month.

The stores debuted to crowds of curious and excited shoppers, many of them welcoming the stores to their neighborhoods and cheering the chain's convenient locations and selection of fresh and prepared foods.

The Alliance for Healthy and Responsible Grocery Stores, which comprises 25 community groups, was protesting Fresh & Easy's refusal to meet to discuss a proposed "community benefits agreement." It sought to bind the food retailer to certain wage levels, affordable health benefits and greenhouse gas reduction.

The coalition also has questioned Fresh & Easy's commitment to open stores in under-served and low-income neighborhoods.

"Financial analysts and investors from all over the world have been gathered here by Tesco so that they can tell them how profitable Fresh & Easy will be," said Elliott Petty, a retail policy analyst at the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. "However, we are also here to educate -- and make absolutely certain that those men and women understand that Fresh & Easy will face incredible resistance if they continue to refuse to engage this community."

Tesco, the world's third-largest retailer, is spending $2 billion to build hundreds of small grocery stores in Southern California and the Southwest.

It has opened eight Trader Joe's-size stores in Southern California and plans to open one in Lakewood and another in Laguna Hills on Wednesday. It doesn't accept coupons and has no plans for a club card program.

And it does not have a union workforce, which was a big reason behind the protest. At the rally, Maria Elena Durazo, head of the 800,000-member Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, protested Fresh & Easy's refusal to meet with labor and community groups.

"Tesco, remember everywhere you go, we are going to be there. We are not going to give up until you treat our community with respect," she said.

Fresh & Easy has no plans to meet with the community groups or labor officials, said Brendan Wonnacott, a spokesman for the chain. "Any outside representation will be up to our employees," he said.

Despite the criticism from the coalition, he said, Fresh & Easy remains committed to opening stores "in all neighborhoods" and is building a Compton location. He said that the chain had identified 18 store sites in Los Angeles where it would like to build and that some were in low-income areas.

jerry.hirsch@latimes.com

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™




November 7, 2007

Fresh & Easy news

LAAG has confirmed that the Fresh & Easy in Lakewood opens Nov 28, 2007. Perfect timing. Looks like the activists are upset. We have had lots of hits on our prior articles

The Alliance for Healthy and Responsible Grocery Stores mentioned in the article below looks primarily like labor union issues (a-la walmart) vs environmental or animal rights folks like these along the lines of the PETA people. Looks like Fresh & Easy is really fighting hard to shed the bad image of Tesco Plc using some high powered PR on its website. Bring your turtle to the protest!


Tesco readies U.S. grocery debut as activists challenge
Wed Nov 7, 2007 1:39pm EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN0752902620071107?pageNumber=2&sp=true

By Nichola Groom

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Tesco (TSCO.L: Quote, Profile, Research) will debut its U.S. grocery stores on Wednesday to a select group of local officials, though activists skeptical of the British retailer's promise to bring wholesome foods to overlooked neighborhoods have pledged to challenge the company.

Tesco officially will open six Los Angeles-area "Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market" stores on Thursday, though at least one of the grocery stores -- in the small town of Hemet, California -- opened last week.

The grocer's U.S. launch is being closely watched, with industry experts predicting it could cause a shake-up of the world's largest and most competitive consumer market. Tesco initially plans to roll out more than 120 stores across the southwestern United States beginning with the Los Angeles area and including San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Later Wednesday, Tesco will unveil its first L.A. Fresh & Easy store in the Glassell Park neighborhood, and a group called the Alliance for Healthy and Responsible Grocery Stores has organized a press conference outside the store.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group said Tesco's track record raises doubts about its promises to create good jobs and environmentally friendly stores in neighborhoods that have been ignored by traditional grocers. The group's aim is to strike a binding agreement with Tesco that would insure that local residents share in the benefits of its stores.

London-based Californian Allyson Stewart-Allen, author of the business book "Working with Americans," said Tesco's experience with producing ready meals could provide it with a strong advantage over local players.

"Californians increasingly want ready meals. They are tired, it's 6 o'clock and they've been battling LA traffic for an hour," she said.

But Stewart-Allen warned the U.S. consumer movement is even stronger than in Britain where Fresh & Easy's parent company is a target for criticism by not-for-profits and media angered by its dominance of British retailing and how it has reshaped the consumer landscape.

This week, Los Angeles-area Occidental College professors Amanda Shaffer and Robert Gottlieb said Fresh & Easy's first 13 locations are "primarily in middle-class suburban areas, where income is generally higher than the county average and where the community already has access to a full-service supermarket."

Tesco, which has irked labor unions by opting against union membership for its employees, said on Tuesday that entry-level positions at its California stores would start at $10 an hour.

Employees working more than 20 hours a week will be eligible for health benefits, a retirement plan and quarterly bonuses of up to 10 percent, it said.

Tesco's Fresh & Easy launch is the most high profile British entry into the U.S. retail market, but reflects a wider Atlantic crossing by British brands. Marks & Spencer Group PLC (MKS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) Chief Executive Stuart Rose said on Tuesday he envisaged relaunching M&S in the United States through its Internet site M&S Direct and luxury-goods brand Burberry (BRBY.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is opening a slew of stores across the country.

Health-and-beauty chain Boots is seeing success with the sale of its own brand of products in Target Corp (TGT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) stores throughout the United States.

(Additional reporting by Rachel Sanderson in London; editing by Maureen Bavdek)

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™




October 30, 2007

Sales tax vs property tax "incentives"

Well sales tax or property tax LAAG really does not like seeing tax dollars used as incentives for mega-wealthy private corporations. If all cities were barred from this practice by state law then there would be an even playing field. In any event since this practice is going on and no one seems willing to stop it, LAAG suggests that some tax money "incentives" be used on the South and Bellflower shopping center.


http://thedistrictweekly.com/wp_dev/daily/investigations/2007/10/22/turns-out-lakewood-gives-away-public-money-too/
TURNS OUT LAKEWOOD GIVES AWAY PUBLIC MONEY, TOO
Dave Wielenga
October 22, 2007

Every time Long Beach offers to rebate sales tax to mega-retailers in an attempt to lure their business to town, some reporter is sure to call Lakewood City Hall for comment. That’s what I do, anyway. Lakewood kinda likes to righteously remind the world that it doesn’t stoop to such self-cheapening tactics.

“Lakewood has never given away sales-tax revenue to induce businesses to come here or to keep them here,” the city’s longtime spokesman D.J. Waldie told me in June–a few days after the Long Beach City Council voted to kick back nearly $1 million in sales tax to Best Buy in hopes of luring the electronics store to the Marina Pacifica Mall.

But it turns out that the Lakewood Redevelopment Agency has found other ways to pay the Macerich Company — the gigantic shopping center development conglomerate that owns the Lakewood Center Mall — approximately $7.9 million during the past seven years. The money has been laid out in a couple of multi-million-dollar lump sums and a curious long-term arrangement to lease parking spaces.

The rationale for the payments — authorized on September 14, 1999 — was to entice Macerich to expand the Lakewood Center Mall, which is the city’s biggest economic engine and provides the bulk of the sales-tax revenue that Lakewood uses to supply services to its residents.

Who are the members of the Lakewood Redevelopment Agency? The very same people who compose the Lakewood City Council–many of whom often receive campaign contributions from Macerich.

Their plan to put money in Macerich’s pockets has two parts:

The first consisted of a pair of $2 million payments to Macerich–one delivered when building permits were issued for the mall’s expansion and the other when the mall’s wing actually opened in 2000.

The second was a 15-year contract that commits the Lakewood Redevelopment Agency to pay Macerich between $450,000 and $750,000 per year to “lease” 1,900 parking spaces at the mall. Since 2002, those lease payments have totalled some $3.9 million. That’s an average of $650,000 per year, although for the past three years — including the most-recent payment in mid September–the outlay has been the maximum $750,000. That translates to $390 per space.

Waldie didn’t flinch when we called him for comment this time, either.

“Our policy is against using sales-tax rebates to attract retailers to a development site,” he specifies. “But this situation is a redevelopment agency spending property tax increment revenue — an increase in property tax revenue within the redevelopment district — which can only be spent within that district. It doesn’t take away money from the general fund.”

But it does make it nice to be Macerich.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™




October 17, 2007

Let their be light

Hey LAAG's not all bad news. LAAG likes city improvements. Not sure about the cost. Give the figures below (we assume total cost to city) is $2,750.00 per pole. No detail provided as to whether the lights will also be improved in terms of brighter, whiter and more energy conscious in the Press Telegram article. Hopefully SCE will shed some light on this. Actually its quite funny as LAAG learned this week from an SCE employee on the job that SCE was not responsible for light pole maintenance. LAAG was informed that a private entity called "City Light and Power" bought all the poles. Sure enough we see a 1997(!!) press release from their website. Seems at odds with the Press Telegram story also below.

http://www.clpinc.com/press/1197.htm
Innovative agreement to make streets brighter
City of Lakewood, California, November 1997

The Lakewood City Council has approved an innovative agreement to turn over operation of the city-owned street lighting system to a private company. Lakewood has two street lighting systems -- about 75% of the city is lighted by a city-owned system, the remainder is owned by the Edison Company.

Under the agreement, City Light and Power will upgrade the city's aging street lighting circuits, increase nighttime illumination by raising the wattage on street lamps, and maintain the improved system for twenty-five years. The cost savings from reduced energy consumption will fund the cost of improving the street lighting system.

Operation of the system will cost no more than the city's current operating budget for street lighting, with the added bonus for Lakewood residents that the city's fault-prone and antiquated street lighting system will be fully modernized. City Light and Power will be responsible for street light maintenance and will offer "same-day service" to replace burned out street lights. CLP will also dispatch repairs for the Edison-owned lighting system. Residents, no matter where they live in Lakewood, will have a single number to call to get street light repairs.

The CLP agreement, say city officials, fits with Lakewood's tradition of turning to private enterprise to provide lower-cost municipal services. The improvements CLP will build into their upgrade of the street lighting system would have cost Lakewood $7-$8 million.

Edison to update Lakewood lighting
By Karen Robes, Staff writer
Article Launched: 10/16/2007 09:53:14 PM PDT

LAKEWOOD - Starting next week, Southern California Edison plans to shed some new light on the city.

The power company will begin on Monday a $2.2 million, three-month effort to replace 800 deteriorating steel street light poles throughout town with new 30-foot concrete poles featuring cobra-head light fixtures and flat glass lenses.

Work will begin in the northwestern portion of Lakewood, an area bordered by Ashworth and South streets and Palo Verde and Hayter avenues, said Ben Harvey of Edison.

The work should not affect traffic flow, since most of the poles being replaced are in residential areas, Harvey said.

The work in Lakewood is part of Edison's 20-year plan, worth more than $200 million, to replace 90,000 aging poles within its service territory.

Since beginning the program in 1998, Edison has replaced 10,000 steel poles with longer-lasting concrete ones. Concrete polls have a life span of 80 to 100 years, depending on climate and other weather factors.

Money for the work is derived from Edison's infrastructure replacement program, Harvey said.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™