Los Angeles is a mess. From homeless encampments everywhere, to illegal aliens squeezes Americans out of jobs and housing, bad roads, corrupt government, this is a town that is looking like Calcutta, not an American city.
“In December of 2016, Los Angeles launched Safe Sidewalks LA, “a 30-year, $1.4 billion program to make sidewalks accessible to everyone.” Angelenos can submit a sidewalk for repair through MyLA311 or the Safe Sidewalks website, but it’s unlikely the request will be completed anytime soon.
According to the Los Angeles Sidewalk Repair Program, over 3,500 sidewalks are in queue for repair, and no official plans have been made. Since the program was launched in 2016, less than 1,300 repairs have been completed.”
In eight yeasr LA as fixed a little more than 1/3 of the crumbling streets identified in 2016. Now we must add to that the newly crumbled streets. LA is one large lawsuit waiting to happen.
Not Only Is LA Dirty, Its Crumbling Sidewalks Reflect a City in Crisis: An Ongoing Series into Failing Systems
Rachael Gaudiosi, Westside Current, 12/19/24 https://www.westsidecurrent.com/news/not-only-is-la-dirty-its-crumbling-sidewalks-reflect-a-city-in-crisis-an-ongoing/article_c0d578d2-bd92-11ef-897d-53aa065a1697.html?utm_source=westsidecurrent.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter%2Foptimize%2Fdaily-headlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1734622210&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline
This article is part of an ongoing series examining the systemic challenges Los Angeles faces, from illegal dumping and crumbling infrastructure to inaccessible sidewalks.
With billions of dollars on the line for the 2028 Olympics and other major initiatives, the city’s failure to execute effectively raises concerns that taxpayers will once again be left to foot the bill. This series explores the roots of these issues and potential paths forward for a more accountable and functional Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles is gearing up to host the 2028 Olympics, but as the city battles a persistent littering and illegal dumping crisis, an equally pressing issue looms for the Paralympics: the crumbling, inaccessible sidewalks that leave much of LA unprepared to welcome the world’s athletes and visitors.
“The thing that bothers me more than all the dirt is the unsafe sidewalks,” said Sessely, a former Venice resident for about five years. “Venice is filled with them, they are uneven and dangerous.”
In December of 2016, Los Angeles launched Safe Sidewalks LA, “a 30-year, $1.4 billion program to make sidewalks accessible to everyone.” Angelenos can submit a sidewalk for repair through MyLA311 or the Safe Sidewalks website, but it’s unlikely the request will be completed anytime soon.
According to the Los Angeles Sidewalk Repair Program, over 3,500 sidewalks are in queue for repair, and no official plans have been made. Since the program was launched in 2016, less than 1,300 repairs have been completed.
According to LA City, “The Bureau of Engineering’s Sidewalk Division is responsible for implementing, administering and managing the City’s Sidewalk Repair Program, which was initiated in response to the Willits v. City of Los Angeles Settlement Agreement.”
In January 2016, the City of Los Angeles settled against The Willits Plaintiffs and Communities Actively Living Independent and Free (CALIF), requiring the city to spend approximately $1.37 billion over thirty years to remedy sidewalks and other barriers to disability access. The settlement officially calls for (among other things) the repair of residential and commercial sidewalk walkways damaged by tree roots and the installation of tree grates.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2010, alleged that “The City of Los Angeles (“City”) violated federal and state disability access laws by denying individuals with mobility disabilities access to sidewalks, intersections, crosswalks, streets, curbs, curb ramps, walkways, pedestrian rights of way, pedestrian undercrossings, or other pedestrian pathways or walks owned, controlled, and maintained by the city in whole or in part.”
According to the 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from then City Controller Ron Galperin, the city did not repair sidewalk walkways from 2010 to 2015.
In addition to the $1.37 billion dedicated to repairs, within 30 days of this judgment, the city was required to pay $5,000 to each of the Willits Plaintiffs, $25,000 to CALIF, and $15 million to the plaintiff class council for attorney fees, costs, and other expenses.
Since the settlement eight years ago, the City of Los Angeles must have spent a total of $226.4 million on repairs. However, according to the city’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year 2023, the city spent only $130.6—half of the requirement.
The main webpage for Safe Sidewalks LA states, “the City of Los Angeles is committed to repairing sidewalks and improving accessibility. However, this is a large undertaking that will take time, effort and resources.”
With Los Angeles also set to host the Paralympics in 2028, there’s potential for a major liability and more lawsuits to come if more isn’t done about this issue soon.
