Background

In Los Angeles and nation-wide, neighborhood main streets which once served as centers of community life have been degraded by economic decline, physical deterioration, auto-oriented development, and crime. Residents and businesses struggle, often without adequate resources, to combat empty store-fronts, litter, vacant lots, graffiti, and crime. Without safe sidewalks, vital businesses and accessible public spaces, many communities have lost their identity and sense of place.

Despite these poor conditions, transit and pedestrian-oriented commercial districts still represent the economic and symbolic heart of their communities. They identify neighborhoods: "I'm from Vermont Square," or "Fairfax Village." They contain bus stops, community services, churches, schools and some businesses and gathering places - assets which can serve as the seeds for revitalization.

Program Summary

A non-profit organization established in 1994, Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative strives to restore a sense of community ownership and identity to neighborhood main streets located along transportation corridors. This ground-breaking program, now replicated across the City and nation, is based on unprecedented community decision-making and public-private partnerships.

LANI is a catalytic program designed to jump-start neighborhood revitalization in transit-dependent urban neighborhoods. LANI achieves this by providing designated communities with:

• Seed funding for improvement projects;
• Hands-on training in project planning and implementation; and
• Technical assistance in the development and support of sustainable community organizations.

Dedicated to the principle that communities know best what they need, LANI mobilizes stakeholders determined to turn their neighborhoods around and builds their capacity to lead ongoing efforts through sustainable community organizations. LANI's improvement projects - installing trees, street lights, pocket parks, murals and bus shelters - transform blighted sidewalks, improving community quality of life and building neighborhood main streets that reflect local pride and character. This unique combination of capacity building and "streetscape" improvements has attracted new businesses, jobs and customers, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in new development to LANI communities.

LANI is currently making a difference in over 20 diverse neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, from the West Valley to East and South LA.

Community Decision-Making

Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative has garnered national attention for delivering fast-track projects with an unparalleled degree of community decision-making. President Clinton, Mayor Riordan, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Southern California Association of Governments have recognized LANI as a national model for stakeholder empowerment. What sets LANI apart from other programs is the unprecedented extent and consistency of stakeholder participation - going beyond "community input" to community decision-making and empowerment.

Working with city councilmembers, each LANI neighborhood convenes a Recognized Community Organization (RCO) composed of local residents, business and property owners, and representatives from community organizations. The RCOs make substantive decisions at every stage of both planning and implementation - from budgeting funds, to approving designs, to co-signing construction contracts.

LANI recognizes that neighborhood stakeholders, with their strong ties to the community and detailed knowledge of its strengths and needs, are uniquely qualified to lead revitalization effort and to sustain them.

Partnerships

LANI crosses traditional public/private boundaries to build links between local stakeholders, elected officials, community organizations and public agencies. An independent non-profit, LANI has forged unprecedented partnerships with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the City of Los Angeles, as well as federal funding agencies. LANI broke new ground by partnering with city departments to jointly address pressing community needs - like increased street lighting for safer sidewalks.

Between 1994 and 2003, such collaborations helped LANI leverage its grant funding with an additional $30 million in private, public and in-kind neighborhood improvements.

The LANI Process

1. Community Work Plan
Including a description and assessment of the neighborhood; achievable long-term goals; and a plan for quick, visible improvements.

2. Improvement Projects
LANI installs neighborhood-scale improvements to give an immediate economic boost to local businesses, attract further public and private investment, and create a safe, attractive pedestrian and transit environment. Click here for more on Projects.

3. Sustaining Revitalization
With LANI's support, the RCOs develop Sustainable Community Organizations (such as Community Development Corporations or Business Improvement Districts) which will maintain and continue the revitalization initiated by LANI. Click here for more on Sustainability Program.