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Coalition Seeks to Designate South L.A. as 'Promise Zone'

By City News Service
November 20, 2014
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The proposed Promise Zone for South L.A. shaded in light blue. The current Promise Zone is shaded in gray.
The proposed Promise Zone for South L.A. shaded in light blue. The current Promise Zone is shaded in gray.  | Photo: Courtesy Los Angeles Trade-Technical College

A coalition led by Los Angeles Trade-Technical College signed and submitted an application today seeking to make South Los Angeles a "Promise Zone," a designation that would give the area an edge when applying for federal funding for anti-poverty programs.

The group's proposal would form a South Los Angeles Transit Empowerment Zone, or SLATE-Z, that would receive help under President Barack Obama's Promise Zone program, which focuses federal resources on areas struggling with poverty.

The area has an aggregate poverty rate approaching 50 percent and a 12 percent unemployment rate. The coalition hopes to focus investment into transit centers, educational programs, business assistance, and redevelopment.

South Los Angeles would get preference on some competitive federal grant applications, as well as technical assistance and other non-competitive support, according to the resolution.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas was expected to join the coalition as its members signed and submitted the application ahead of today's deadline.

The coalition's application earned the official support of the Los Angeles City Council last week.

Portions of Los Angeles were identified last year as a Promise Zone, but the help was limited to East Hollywood, Thai Town, Little Armenia, Pico-Union/Westlake, and Koreatown. The application that led to the designation was submitted by nonprofit Youth Policy Institute, and was announced in January by Mayor Eric Garcetti with much fanfare.

None of the help was aimed at South Los Angeles, however, prompting outcries from the City Council and community members who complained that the area of the city with the highest need was being ignored.

Funding announced recently for Safe Passages -- a program aimed at protecting students walking or bicycling to a Hollywood-area middle school -- was attributed to the area being designated a Promise Zone.

More: The Future of L.A.'s Thai Town and Koreatown Communities Ride on a 'Promise'

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