HAVE. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO
GET STARTED WHEN WE CAN. MIGUEL.
YEAH OVER HERE WOULD BE GOOD FOR
HIM. YEAH. DO I GAMBLE DOWN OR.
ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO GET
STARTED. NOW, IF I DON'T HAVE A
GAVEL. BUT WE WILL, CALL THIS A
SELECT COMMITTEE, TO ORDER, I
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS
HERE WHO HAS JOINED US THIS
MORNING. GOOD MORNING. AND
BUENOS DIAS. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR WORK AND
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE A PART OF
THIS, CRITICAL AND URGENT
CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN
TOWNS. MY NAME IS MATT HANEY. I
AM THE CHAIR OF THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON DOWNTOWN RECOVERY,
I AM ALSO THE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
THAT REPRESENTS DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO. I REPRESENT MOST OF
THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN
FRANCISCO, INCLUDING OUR
FINANCIAL DISTRICT, AND WHICH
HAS MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES
THAT ARE FACING DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES AND OUR DOWNTOWNS ACROSS
THE STATE. THIS PARTICULAR
HEARING, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON
INVESTING IN OUR DOWNTOWNS
ESSENTIAL WORKFORCE. THIS
COMMITTEE WAS CREATED TO
UNDERSTAND EACH DOWNTOWN TOWN'S
UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND STRENGTHS.
SO THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAN
CREATE AND SUPPORT POLICIES THAT
WILL DIRECTLY HELP OUR
STRUGGLING URBAN COMMUNITIES.
THE EFFECTS OF THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC HAVE BEEN RESOUNDING
FOR OUR DOWNTOWNS. EVEN AFTER
MANY ASPECTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL. WHAT
THIS COMMITTEE HAS LEARNED IS
THAT ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE
ISSUES IMPACTING OUR DOWNTOWNS
ARE THE PREVALENCE OF VACANT
OFFICE BUILDINGS WITH A
TRANSITION TO REMOTE WORK, AND
IN TURN, THE PREVALENCE OF EMPTY
OFFICE BUILDINGS OUR DOWNTOWNS
ARE SEEING SKYROCKETED OFFICE
VACANCY RATES AT THE END OF LAST
YEAR, DOWNTOWN LÀ SAW AN OFFICE
VACANCY RATE OF 26. AT THE SAME
TIME, IN MY HOME CITY OF SAN
FRANCISCO, WE HAVE AN OFFICE
VACANCY RATE OF OVER 35% AND
OVER 30,000 SERVICE INDUSTRY
JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST SINCE THE
ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC. DESPITE
THIS ALARMING STATISTIC, WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE STATE OF
DOWNTOWNS AND THE RECOVERY,
THESE CONVERSATIONS OFTEN TEND
TO FOCUS ON BRINGING OFFICE
WORKERS BACK DOWNTOWN TO BOOST
FOOT LEVEL TRAFFIC, FOOT TRAFFIC
LEVELS. BUT THERE'S A GLARINGLY
OBVIOUS GROUP OF PEOPLE MISSING
OFTEN FROM THESE CONVERSATIONS
WORKERS WHO COME DOWNTOWN EVERY
DAY, THE WORKERS WHO NEVER HAD
THE OPTION OR ABILITY TO NOT
RETURN TO THE OFFICE. THESE
WORKERS HAVE BUILT THEIR CAREERS
AND LIFE AROUND KEEPING OUR OUR
BUILDINGS AND OUR CITIES
OPERATIONAL AND THRIVING. THIS
WORKFORCE IS THE CORE OF OUR
DOWNTOWN OPERATIONS AND RECOVERY
SUCCESS BECAUSE COMPARED TO 30%
IN PERSON RATES FOR WHITE COLLAR
INDUSTRY WORKERS, NEARLY 80% OF
SERVICE WORKERS COME IN EVERY
SINGLE DAY. BEFORE WE CAN DIVE
FURTHER INTO HOW WE CAN
REIMAGINE OUR DOWNTOWNS, WE MUST
DISCUSS HOW THE CHANGES TO WORK
AND THE CHANGES TO OUR DOWNTOWNS
ARE IMPACTING THE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS WHO DEDICATE THEIR TIME
TO MAINTAINING THE PHYSICAL
LANDSCAPE, THE CULTURAL AND
ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF OUR CENTRAL
CITIES. AND THERE IS NO BETTER
PLACE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION
THAN HERE IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES. THIS HEARING WILL
CONVENE WORKERS AND EXPERTS AND
BUSINESS LEADERS WHO ARE ON THE
FRONT LINES OF KEEPING DOWNTOWNS
CLEAN, SAFE AND VIBRANT. IT WILL
ALSO INCLUDE PERSPECTIVES FROM
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS AND
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE OWNERS.
ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR DOWNTOWN.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND
ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE
SUCCESS OF CALIFORNIA'S
DOWNTOWNS IS A REALITY BECAUSE
OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT
POSSIBLE, THE PEOPLE WHO COME IN
EVERY SINGLE DAY AND ENSURE THAT
OUR WORKPLACES ARE CLEAN AND
HEALTHY AND SAFE, WHO PROTECT
ALL OF THE ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS
IN OUR DOWNTOWNS, WHETHER YOU'RE
A TOURIST, WHETHER YOU'RE AN
OFFICE WORKER, NOTHING HERE IS
POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE PEOPLE WHO
MAKE OUR DOWNTOWNS THRIVE. AND
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED
TO DO TO BRING BACK OUR
DOWNTOWNS POST-PANDEMIC, THE
CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, THE
SUPPORT THAT THE STATE NEEDS TO
PROVIDE, WE HAVE TO PUT AT THE
CENTER OF THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
ENSURE OUR DOWNTOWNS ARE
SUCCESSFUL AND THRIVING. TO
BEGIN WITH, WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
THERE, MAKING OUR DOWNTOWNS A
PLACE THAT BUILD TREMENDOUS
REVENUE FOR OUR CITIES AND OUR
STATE. BILLIONS OF DOLLARS COME
AS A RESULT OF THE WORK THAT
PEOPLE HERE IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES DO. AND SO WE HAVE A LOT
OF WORK TO DO TO SUPPORT OUR
DOWNTOWNS, INCLUDING DOWNTOWN
LOS ANGELES. WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE FILL BACK UP THESE
OFFICE BUILDINGS, THAT WE
CONVERT SOME OF THEM TO HOUSING,
THAT WE FILL UP OUR VACANT
RETAIL, THAT WE SUPPORT OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES AND
RESTAURANTS. BUT IN ALL OF THAT,
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT IN
A WAY THAT UPLIFTS THE PEOPLE
WHO DO THAT WORK, AND THAT WE
PUT THEM AT THE CENTER OF THE
RECOVERY, SOMETIMES WE TALK
ABOUT PRE-PANDEMIC AND
POST-PANDEMIC. THIS ISN'T ABOUT
GOING BACK TO THE WAY THINGS
WERE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. THERE
WAS A LOT ABOUT THAT REALITY
THAT WAS NOT FAIR TO MANY
PEOPLE. PEOPLE WHO WERE
COMMUTING HOURS AND HOURS TO GET
TO WORK WITHOUT ACCESS TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WITHOUT
ACCESS TO JOBS THAT ALLOW THEM
TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES
WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE RETIREMENT
AND PENSIONS AND SICK DAYS AND
VACATION DAYS, ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT EVERY PERSON IN OUR CITY
WHO CONTRIBUTES IN OUR STATE,
WHO CONTRIBUTES TO OUR SUCCESS
AND OUR VITALITY DESERVES. SO
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED
TO DO TO BRING OUR DOWNTOWNS
BACK AND UPLIFT OUR DOWNTOWN SO
THAT THEY CAN FULFILL THEIR
POTENTIAL FULLY IN THE WORLD
THAT WE NOW LIVE IN, WE HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT HOW WE DO THAT IN A
WAY THAT UPLIFTS THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE THE BEDROCK FOUNDATION OF
THE SUCCESS OF OUR DOWNTOWNS AND
BRING THEM BACK EVEN STRONGER,
AND IN A MORE FAIR AND EQUITABLE
WAY THAN BEFORE. SO WE HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE GROUP OF FOLKS. I
WANT TO THANK SEIU CALIFORNIA,
WHO WAS SO CRITICAL TO IN
PARTNERING WITH US ON THIS. AND
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM A NUMBER OF LEADERS, I WANT
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
HERE WHO REPRESENT THE LOS
ANGELES AREA ASSEMBLY MEMBER,
SANTIAGO, WHO I BELIEVE WERE IN
HIS DISTRICT, RIGHT NOW. AND
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRIAN, WHO ARE
HERE, WHO ARE LOS ANGELES
REPRESENTATIVES. AND I WANT TO
GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY
A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE START THIS
HEARING. MISTER BRIAN. WELL,
THANK YOU, CHAIR HANEY. I THINK
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION, FROM THE BAY TO
LOS ANGELES, WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED IN
OUR DOWNTOWN CITY CENTERS, BOTH
PRE PANDEMIC AND POST PANDEMIC,
IT'S DOWNTOWN WHERE CULTURE IS
CREATED AND THRIVES. AND THAT
ONLY HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE
THRIVING BUSINESSES AND A
DIVERSITY OF INDUSTRIES THAT ARE
EXCITED TO LOCATE DOWNTOWN. BUT
EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE
THRIVING BUSINESSES ARE THE
WORKERS WHO GENERATE, THE KIND
OF SAFEGUARDS THAT ALLOW FOR A
DOWNTOWN TO BE THRIVING. WE HAVE
WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK
DOWNTOWN IN LOS ANGELES, WHO
CLEAN UP DOWNTOWN IN LOS
ANGELES, WHO PROTECT DOWNTOWN
LOS ANGELES, WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO
LIVE DOWNTOWN IN LOS ANGELES.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'VE
GOT TO TALK ABOUT. WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY. I SAW A RECENT STUDY
JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT
SHOWED THAT THERE WERE MORE
VACANT UNITS HERE DOWNTOWN THAN
THERE WERE PEOPLE SLEEPING ON
THE STREETS. THEY JUST CAN'T
AFFORD TO LIVE IN THEM. RIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK WE'VE GOT
TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
BUILDING, A CITY CENTER THAT
ALLOWS FOR THE IT TO BE
SHOWCASED NOT JUST ACROSS THE
STATE, BUT ACROSS THE NATION AND
ACROSS THE WORLD. AND AS WE
PREPARE FOR THESE OLYMPICS HERE
IN 2028, I THINK THIS
CONVERSATION IS ESPECIALLY
TIMELY. WE HAVE TO DO THIS WORK
NOW. WE HAVE TO MAKE THOSE
INVESTMENTS NOW. AND ONE OF
THOSE KEY INVESTMENTS IS IN THE
WORKERS, THE WORKERS WHO HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN SEEN, WHO HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN ESSENTIAL, WHO HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN HEROES AND HAVEN'T
ALWAYS BEEN TREATED THAT WAY. SO
THANK YOU FOR BRIDGING THIS
CONVERSATION AND BRINGING IT
HOME FOR ALL OF US. I'M GRATEFUL
TO JOIN YOU TODAY. THANK YOU,
MR. HANEY. I WANT TO START OFF
BY THANKING EVERYBODY WHO CAME
HERE TODAY. BOTH OF MY
COLLEAGUES SAID IT TAKES A
COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY SIT HERE
THROUGH A HEARING FOR SOME TIME.
AND, AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU,
FOLKS FOR DOING IT, MR. HANEY,
FOR REALLY COMING DOWN AND DOING
THIS, ON A DAY WHERE YOU COULD
BE BACK HOME IN YOUR DISTRICT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND FOR
THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHERE MR.
HANEY COMES FROM, HE COMES FROM
SAN FRANCISCO. SO IT'S A LITTLE
BIT OF A TRIP FOR HIM, AND TO
SET UP A COMMITTEE STRUCTURE SO
THAT WE COULD BE HEARD HERE IN
LOS ANGELES. ONE OF THE VERY
FIRST, REQUESTS THAT WE MADE OF
THIS COMMITTEE, AND I WANNA
THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE, I
KNOW FROM MY OWN BACKYARD
CENTRAL CITY ASSOCIATION, US,
WW, SEIU, I SEE UNITE HERE,
FOLKS HERE, AND PROBABLY A BUNCH
OF OTHER FOLKS THAT I MISSED. SO
IF I MISSED YOU, I APOLOGIZE.
AND AS I AND AS I SEE FOLKS
THERE NOW, WE WILL RECOGNIZE
THEM. AND THE COUPLE OF THINGS I
WANT TO SAY ABOUT DOWNTOWNS.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE AND THE
HONOR OF REPRESENTING A
DOWNTOWN, AREA FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE AND HAD
ALSO WORKED IN THIS DISTRICT
BEFORE. SO ALMOST GIVES THIS
ABOUT TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
IN DOWNTOWNS. AND WHEN YOU TAKE
A LOOK AT DOWNTOWNS, THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY, FOR ECONOMIC
STIMULUS ACROSS THE CITY. AND
THAT'S, I THINK, APPROPRIATE TO
SAY ABOUT DOWNTOWNS, ALL UP AND
DOWN THE STATE. SO THERE'S A
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
UPLIFT, ENTIRE CITIES WHEN YOU
TAKE A LOOK AT DOWNTOWN REGIONS
AND THEY'RE ALL GOING THROUGH
SIMILAR THINGS. BUT I THINK IT'S
ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT AFTER COVID, WE'VE SEEN A
SIMILAR, THING HAPPEN IN
DOWNTOWNS ACROSS, CALIFORNIA
WHERE DOWNTOWNS WERE VIBRANT
CENTERS OF COMMUNITIES. AFTER
COVID, WE SAW THEM EMPTY OUT,
AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO,
BRING BACK ALL THAT WAS THERE.
AND SO I THINK, A HEARING LIKE
THIS HELPS US TO BRING PARTNERS,
THAT ARE IN THE ECONOMIC PORTION
OF IT, LIKE A, CENTRAL CITY
ASSOCIATION THÀNH, BUT ALSO
THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE
WORKED IN DOWNTOWNS, WHO HAVE
ALSO BEEN DEVASTATED BY WHAT'S
HAPPENED AFTER COVID, WHICH IS
OUR WORKERS, OUR WORKFORCE, AND
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS
WE BEGIN TO BUILD DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES AND DOWNTOWNS ACROSS THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THEY MAY
LOOK DIFFERENT. WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, BUT THAT
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, WE
CAN KEEP IN MIND AT CENTER HOW
WE SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT
CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY.
ONE IS HOUSING, TWO IS ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, ALL THAT HAPPENS
WITH TOURISM AND THE FOOT
TRAFFIC. AND AS WE PREPARE FOR
THE OLYMPICS, SPECIFICALLY HERE
IN LOS ANGELES, BUT ALSO THAT IT
DOES LEAVE A WORKFORCE BEHIND,
BECAUSE WHERE WE SAW A WORKFORCE
STRUGGLE IN THE PAST AND I WAS
PARTICIPATING IN THIS, TODAY, WE
AS WE BUILD, CENTERS OF
CALIFORNIA, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WORKFORCES ARE NOT LEFT
BEHIND, THAT THEY'RE PAID AN
APPROPRIATE WAGE, THAT THEY CAN
ACTUALLY SHOP IN THE PLACES, OR
NEAR PLACES WHERE THEY WORK,
THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO
PAY RENT, SO THESE ARE ALL
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE EAGER
TO HAVE, BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE
TO RECOGNIZE ONE THING IS THAT
AS WE'RE BUILDING NOW CENTERS OF
CALIFORNIA, THAT HAS TO BE
UNIQUELY DONE DIFFERENTLY THAN
THE VISION THAT WE MAY HAVE HAD
BEFORE, COVID HAD HAPPENED. SO
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
OPPORTUNITY. AND LOOK FORWARD TO
CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
SANTIAGO. AND HE'S BEEN A CLOSE
PARTNER ON THIS EFFORT, AND
WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE
HAVING OUR FIRST HEARING OUTSIDE
OF THE CAPITOL, HERE IN LOS
ANGELES IN YOUR DISTRICT. AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR
STAFF, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON
THIS EFFORT, WE, A FEW THINGS
BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE FIRST
PANEL, A FEW HOUSEKEEPING NOTES,
WE HAVE THREE PANELS TODAY,
WITNESSES OF EACH PANEL WILL
COME UP TOGETHER AND PROVIDE
THEIR TESTIMONY BY ORDER OF
INTRODUCTION. AFTER EACH WITNESS
HAS TESTIFIED, THE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE MAY ASK THAT PANEL
QUESTIONS OR TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY REMARKS.
AT THE END OF THE HEARING. THERE
WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS
IN THE HEARING ROOM. PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE LIMITED TO 30S
PER PERSON. WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING
PUBLIC COMMENT OVER THE PHONE
TODAY, BUT YOU CAN SUBMIT
WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE
COMMITTEE AT ASSEMBLYMEMBERS.
HANEY AT ASSEMBLY CA.GOV. AND
THIS EMAIL IS ALSO ON OUR
WEBSITE, WITH THAT, I WANT TO
WELCOME UP THE FIRST PANEL, WHO
WILL BE SPEAKING ON THE STATE OF
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AND HELPING
TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW. BOTH OF
THESE FOLKS AND THEIR
ORGANIZATION HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY CENTRAL AS PARTNERS
OF ON THIS HEARING AND ALSO ON
WORKING TOGETHER FOR SOLUTIONS
TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK
AND LIVE HERE, PLEASE JOIN ME IN
WELCOMING THE PRESIDENT OF
CALIFORNIA SEIU STATE COUNCIL,
DAVID HUERTA, AND THE CEO OF THE
CENTRAL CITY ASSOCIATION OF LOS
ANGELES, NELA MCOSKER.
GREAT. ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING,
CHAIR HANEY, AS WELL AS
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BRYANT AND
SANTIAGO. AND THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY
BEFORE YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE SELECT COMMITTEE FOR
CONVENING THIS MEETING HERE IN
THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, MY
COMMENTS TODAY ARE BOTH TO
UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF
STRUGGLE, A HISTORY OF THE
STRUGGLE IT HAS BEEN TO MAKE
THESE SERVICE SECTOR JOBS, IN
THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
INDUSTRY, GOOD JOBS AND THE
VALUE OF THESE JOBS TO
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, IN
PARTICULAR LATINO IMMIGRANT AND
BLACK WORKING BLACK COMMUNITY IN
JUNE 15TH. ON JUNE 15TH, 1990,
JANITORS, MAINLY IMMIGRANTS FROM
CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO, TOOK
TO THE STREETS OF THIS CITY,
DEMANDING AN END TO EXPLOITATION
AND THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND
FORM A UNION. THE DREAM OF
JUSTICE OF IMMIGRANTS WAS MET
WITH RUTHLESS, RUTHLESS
OPPOSITION LAW ENFORCEMENT USED
BATONS AND BRUTALITY IN ATTEMPT
TO QUENCH THE JUSTICE FOR
JANITORS MOVEMENT. THE VIOLENT
REACTION FROM THE WEALTHY AND
THE POLICE FAILED. OUR LOCAL IS
NOW 50,000 WORKERS. WORKERS
STRONG ACROSS THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, AND WE HAVE
ORGANIZED JANITORS, SECURITY
OFFICERS, AIRPORT WORKERS AND
EVENT WORKERS ACROSS THE STATE.
THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE
OF THE UNION, WE HAVE IMPROVED
STANDARDS IN THE JANITORIAL
INDUSTRY TO END WAGE THEFT TO
ENSURE THAT IRRESPONSIBLE
CONTRACTORS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE
AND DISMANTLED. THE PERVASIVE
AND HEINOUS PRACTICE OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND ASSAULT AGAINST
JANITORS THROUGH THE VOICES OF
IMMIGRANT WOMEN IN NEVADA, THE
SECURITY INDUSTRY WILL LAUNCH
THE BLACK WORKER JUSTICE
CAMPAIGN, THE FOUNDATION OF
ORGANIZING SECURITY OFFICE IN
OUR STATE, RAISING THE ECONOMIC
STANDARDS FOR SECURITY OFFICERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND AT THE
SAME TIME CALLING OUT
DISCRIMINATION AND WORKING WITH
THE SECURITY INDUSTRY TO
PRESERVE JOBS FOR BLACK WORKERS.
WE ARE PROUD OF THE WORK WE HAVE
DONE TO ENSURE THAT WORKERS IN
LOW PAID INDUSTRIES, MAINLY
BLACK AND BROWN FOLKS, ARE
AFFORDED THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT
THEY DESERVE. I ALSO WANT TO
DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN LOW
WAGE WORKERS AND LOW WAGE JOBS.
WE BELIEVE THAT NO WORKER SHOULD
BE LABELED A LOW WAGE WORKER.
WORKERS MAY WORK IN A LOW WAGE
JOB, BUT WHEN THEY WHEN WE TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THE INDUSTRY AND
THE WEALTH OF THE INDUSTRY, THEN
IT'S REALLY THE INDUSTRY THAT IS
PAYING THE LOW WAGES, AND NOT
BECAUSE THESE WORKERS ARE LOW
WAGE WORKERS. THAT IS WHY IT IS
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR, OUR
UNION AND THE COMMERCIAL REAL
ESTATE INDUSTRY. IT HAS TAKEN US
OVER 30 YEARS TO ORGANIZE THESE
JOBS INTO BETTER JOBS. JOBS THAT
INCLUDE LIVABLE WAGES, HEALTH
CARE, SECURED RETIREMENT. AND WE
HAVE DONE THIS BOTH IN THE BEST
OF TIMES AND THE WORST OF TIMES.
WE EXPERIENCING THIS. WE
EXPERIENCED THE DISMANTLING OF
THE UNION BY THE COMMERCIAL REAL
ESTATE INDUSTRY IN THE 80S, THE
REBUILDING OF THE UNION IN THE
90S, THE STRIKE OF 2000, THE
RAPID COST OF HEALTH CARE IN
2000 AND THE GREAT RECESSION,
AND NOW THE POST-PANDEMIC
ECONOMY. WE KNOW THAT DOWNTURNS
ARE DOWNTOWNS ARE STRUGGLING AND
THAT PARTICULARLY COMMERCIAL
REAL ESTATE HAS BEEN SLOW TO
BOUNCE BACK IN THIS LATE, LATE
PANDEMIC ERA. WE ARE ALSO
CONCERNED OUR MEMBERS WHO CLEAN,
DISINFECT AND GUARD DOWNTOWN
PROPERTIES ARE THE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS OF THIS INDUSTRY. WE ARE
EQUALLY VESTED IN SEEING A
RECOVERY OF DOWNTOWNS FROM THE
FROM THE BORDERLANDS TO THE BAY
TO SACRAMENTO. HOWEVER, RECOVERY
CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT INVOLVING
PROPERTY SERVICE WORKERS. THIS
COMMITTEE MUST KNOW THAT DURING
A MUCH MORE SEVERE CRISIS THAN
THE ONE FACED, THIS COMMITTEE
MUST KNOW THAT DURING A MUCH
MORE SEVERE CRISIS THAN THE ONE
FACING US CURRENTLY IN DOWNTOWNS
ACROSS THE STATE, WE PARTNERED
WITH CONTRACTORS, BUILDING
OWNERS, AND THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA TO KEEP JANITORIAL
AND SECURITY SERVICES
OPERATIONAL. OUR MEMBERS WERE
ESSENTIAL TO KEEPING DOWNTOWN
DISINFECTED AND SAFE. BY FINDING
CREATIVE WAYS OF WORKING
TOGETHER, WE WERE ABLE TO
VACCINATE ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND
PROVIDE INCENTIVES TO BUILDING
OWNERS AND BUILDING OWNERS AND
EMPLOYERS WHO PARTNERED WITH
WITH WORKERS AND THEIR UNIONS TO
KEEP SECURITY OFFICERS AND
JANITORS EMPLOYED. OUR MEMBERS
PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR
THIS INDUSTRY. MANY FELL ILL TO
COVID. SOME ARE DEALING WITH
THE. SOME ARE STILL DEALING WITH
THE DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF LONG
COVID AND OTHER DEAR FRIENDS AND
LOVED ONES DIDN'T MAKE IT. AS
THIS COMMITTEE DISCUSSES
CREATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY MUST WE MUST
HOLD TRUE TO A PACIFIC PRINCIPLE
THAT DURING A CRISIS, WE MUST
HOLD ON TO OUR SHARED VALUES OF
RESPECTING THE WORTH AND DIGNITY
OF WORKERS. NOW IS NOT THE TIME
TO TURN THE CLOCK BACK TO THE
DAYS WHEN JANITORS AND SECURITY
OFFICERS WERE EXPLOITED AND OUR
RIGHTS TRAMPLED UPON, AND OUR
DREAMS OF JUSTICE REPRESSED,
EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD IS SPREADING
ACROSS THE JANITORIAL INDUSTRY,
BREAKING DOWN THE BODIES OF
MAINLY IMMIGRANT WOMEN. MANY OF
THE MANY, MANY OF THEM NEAR OR
PAST RETIREMENT AGE SECURITY
OFFICERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH
SOMETIMES DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
WHEN DEALING WITH UNSHELTERED
FOLKS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH
EPISODES OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE
OF DRUGS. NOW IS NOT THE TIME
FOR THE INDUSTRY LEADERS TO TURN
THEIR BACK ON OUR SHARED,
RESPONSIBLE K¾T, TO CONTRIBUTE
EQUALLY TO OUR TAX OBLIGATIONS
AND NOT TO ERODE LOCAL AND STATE
GOVERNMENTS. IF WE ARE GOING TO
PROMPT THE RECOVERY OF DOWNTOWN,
LET'S KEEP WORKING TO ESTABLISH
STANDARDS FOR THE INDUSTRY TO
RECOVER AND SAFEGUARD PUBLIC AND
PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
GOALS. THEY MUST BE PART AND
PARCEL OF DOWNTOWN
REVITALIZATION. HOWEVER, WE SEE
A SERIOUS THREAT TO OUR GOAL OF
REVITALIZING DOWNTOWNS IN THE
FORM OF A BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT
IS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER,
WHICH WOULD STRIP STATE, LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS FROM THE ABILITY TO
MAINTAIN PUBLIC SERVICES AT A
LEVEL NEEDED FOR FULL RECOVERY.
SUCCESSFUL DOWNTOWNS REQUIRE
MAINTENANCE AND INVESTMENT, BUT
THIS INITIATIVE WILL DEPRIVE
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS OVERNIGHT OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY BY
RETURNING, OVERTURNING OVER 250
LOCAL REVENUE MEASURES THAT
VOTERS PASSED TO FUND CRITICAL
LOCAL NEEDS, RANGING FROM FIRE
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
AND HOMELESS HOMELESSNESS
PREVENTION, NOT TO MENTION
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS CUT, CUT
STATE GOVERNMENT. MUCH OF WOULD
GO TO LOCAL, WHICH MUCH OF WHICH
WOULD GO TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
EVEN WORSE, IN THE LONG RUN, IT
WILL THROTTLE CITIES ABILITY TO
CHARGE FEES FOR SERVICES, AND IT
BLOCKS EFFORTS TO MAKE UP FOR
THIS LOST REVENUE. IT IS IN THE
SINGLE GREATEST. IT IS THE
SINGLE GREATEST THREAT THAT WE
SEE ON THE HORIZON TO THE FULL
RECOVERY OF THE DOWNTOWN CENTERS
THAT OUR MEMBERS AND MEMBERS
CLEAN AND MAKE SECURE. NEARLY 30
YEARS AGO, THE SWEAT, BLOOD AND
TEARS OF JANITORS WERE SPILLED
ON THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES,
AND THE CRY OF JUSTICE FOR
JANITORS WAS BORN THROUGH THAT.
THROUGH THAT STRUGGLE, WE SAW
ALSO STANFORD SECURITY, AND WE
SAW AIRPORTS WERE UNITED AIRPORT
WORKERS, UNITED. THAT MADE NOW
MAKE THE 50,000 MEMBERS STRONG
US TODAY. SO TODAY, LET'S
RECOMMIT TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING
WORKERS, TO BUILD DOWNTOWNS THAT
WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. THANK
YOU. THANK THANK YOU, MR.
HUERTA, MISS MCOSKER. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS NELA
MCOSKER. I'M PRESIDENT AND CEO
OF CENTRAL CITY ASSOCIATION,
ALSO KNOWN AS CA AND CA
ADVOCATES FOR A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN
LOS ANGELES. WE REPRESENT OVER
300 MEMBERS ACROSS VARIOUS
SECTORS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I
WANT TO THANK, COMMITTEE CHAIR
MATT HANEY, AND OTHER ASSEMBLY
MEMBERS SANTIAGO AND BRYANT, FOR
PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR
US TO SHARE OUR PERSPECTIVE AND
EXPERIENCE IN DOWNTOWN. I'M
HONORED TO SHARE THE STAGE. ALSO
WITH DAVID, QUICKLY, I'D LIKE TO
SHARE A BIT OF A SNAPSHOT OF
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, AS THIS IS
WHAT CA LOOKS AT AND FOCUSES ON,
THROUGHOUT OUR WORK. SO DTLA HAS
UPWARD OF 95,000 RESIDENTS WITH
APARTMENT OCCUPANCY AT ABOUT 90,
IN 2022, DOWNTOWN WELCOMED MORE
THAN 17 MILLION VISITORS. AND SO
WHEN YOU TAKE THESE FIGURES INTO
CONSIDERATION, IT'S NATURAL THAT
YOU THINK OF DOWNTOWN AS A
SOURCE OF MANY TYPES OF JOBS TO
SUPPORT THOSE VISITORS AND
RESIDENTS JOBS AND TOURISM
SERVICE, FOOD AND BEVERAGE,
RETAIL, TO NAME A FEW, THIS IS
IN ADDITION TO MORE TRADITIONAL
OFFICE JOBS THAT ARE TYPICALLY
SEEN IN A CITY CENTER. WE HAVE
OVER 40,000,000FT² OF OFFICE
SPACE, AND THE OFFICE SPACE OR
OFFICE VACANCY RATE CURRENTLY IS
UNDER 30. WHILE THESE NUMBERS
APPEAR LARGE AND THEY ARE, THEY
PALE IN COMPARISON TO
PRE-PANDEMIC TIMES, IT'S NO
SECRET THAT OUR DOWNTOWN, LIKE
OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE AND
COUNTRY, ARE LINGERING, ARE
EXPERIENCING LINGERING ECONOMIC
IMPACTS BROUGHT ON BY THE
PANDEMIC, SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR
THIS COMMITTEE'S FOCUSED
ATTENTION ON THIS ISSUE. SO
DOWNTOWN'S, FOOT TRAFFIC
DOWNTOWN LA IS FOOT TRAFFIC
LEVELS ARE IMPROVING TO SOME
DEGREE. ONE STUDY FROM
PHILADELPHIA'S CENTER CITY
DISTRICT USED CELL PHONE
TRACKING DATA TO DETERMINE THAT
DOWNTOWN LA WAS AT 80% OF FOOT
TRAFFIC. WHEN YOU COMPARED C¯
TWO, 2019, TO THEN LATER QUÊ
TWO, 2023. BUT WE STILL HAVE A
LONG WAY TO GO, FOOT TRAFFIC IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT
BECAUSE IT GETS AT THE HEART OF
REALLY TWO MAIN ISSUES. ONE IS
WHAT IT MEANS FOR BUSINESSES IN
DOWNTOWN, THOSE THAT RELY ON A
STEADY STREAM OF CUSTOMERS AND
THEN ALSO WHAT IT MEANS FROM A
PUBLIC SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. AND
THAT APPLIES TO BOTH REALITY AND
PERCEPTION OF SAFETY, AS YOU
CONSIDER THE FORMER I WANT FOLKS
TO THINK ABOUT, AND I'M SURE
THEY HAVE, AS THEY SORT OF MADE
THEIR WAY EVEN TO THIS OFFICE,
RIGHT? THIS SPACE IN IN
DOWNTOWN, YOU PROBABLY
ENCOUNTERED MANY SHUTTERED
STOREFRONTS. WE SEE A LOT OF
THEM ALONG SPRING MAIN, THIS,
PARTICULAR CORRIDOR OF DOWNTOWN,
ACCORDING TO THE QUARTERLY
REPORT BY COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL
, THE NATIONAL RETAIL VACANCY
RATE IS 4.0. AND WHEN YOU LOOK
AT LOS ANGELES, IT'S 5.2, AND
YOU ZOOM INTO DOWNTOWN. IT'S
7.2. ACCORDING TO, NUMBERS FROM
DTLA ALLIANCE, WHO I KNOW IS
HERE, AND LOOKS AT THIS STUFF
VERY CAREFULLY IN THE DOWNTOWN
CORRIDOR. THESE ARE STOREFRONTS
THAT WERE ONCE THRIVING
BUSINESSES WHICH MANY OF US
CONSIDER AS WE LOOK TO SORT OF
THE PEAK OF DOWNTOWN LA'S
RENAISSANCE IN 2019, NOW
REPRESENT RIGHT, COMPLETE
UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR JOBS, FOR
ECONOMIC GROWTH, FOR THE WHOLE
ECOSYSTEM THAT HELPS SUPPORT
THIS THIS VIBRANT PART OF THE
CITY, THERE IS A HARSH REALITY
TO WHICH I KNOW WILL BE
DISCUSSED FURTHER TODAY FOR THE
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MANAGED TO
STAY OPEN, I HEAR REGULARLY FROM
FROM MEMBERS OF CA WHO REPRESENT
OR OWN THESE BUSINESSES THAT
THEY ARE ON RAZOR THIN MARGINS,
THAT THEY WANT TO DO ANYTHING
POSSIBLE TO KEEP THEIR EMPLOYEES
PAID AND THAT THEY ENDURE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRESS
KNOWING THAT A BAD QUARTER OR A
BAD MONTH, OR EVEN SOMETIMES A
BAD WEEK, RIGHT, WILL PUT THEM
UNDER, SO THE, THE STATE OF
EXISTING BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN IS
SAFE TO SAY, IS VERY FRAGILE. SO
I WANT TO MOVE TO THAT SECOND
POINT, RIGHT. THAT IS WHEN YOU
HAVE SORT OF LOW FOOT TRAFFIC
AND STRUGGLING BUSINESSES AND
SHUTTERED STOREFRONTS. IT'S NOT
ONLY BAD FOR THE ECONOMY, BUT
IT'S BAD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, AT
CA, WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT
ACTIVE PUBLIC SPACES ARE SAFE
PUBLIC SPACES. MANY OF US FEEL
AS WE WALK THE STREETS OF
DOWNTOWN THAT WHEN THERE'S NOT
MANY OTHERS AROUND, IT CAN IT
CAN CREATE A FEELING OF GREATER
VULNERABILITY, AND SO IT'S
ABSOLUTELY THE CASE THAT THERE
IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS. THIS
APPLIES TO SORT OF ALL SPACES
ACROSS OUR CITY CENTER. AND THE
PROBLEM IS CHALLENGING BECAUSE
IT BECOMES CYCLICAL, RIGHT? THE
LESS PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IN
DOWNTOWN, THE LESS LIKELY THEY
ARE TO COME AND THE LESS PEOPLE
COME. THE MORE THAT INCREASES
THAT FEELING, WE FIND OURSELVES
IN THIS MOMENT AT A TIPPING
POINT. WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO
ENCOURAGE MORE FOOT TRAFFIC FROM
VISITORS, RESIDENTS AND WORKERS
ALIKE, AND WHAT HAS MADE
DOWNTOWN SUCH A VIBRANT PART OF
OUR CITY IS THAT IT REALLY IS A
PLACE OF CONVENING. I
APPRECIATED OPENING REMARKS
ABOUT REALLY THE PEOPLE ARE WHAT
MAKE DOWNTOWN SUCCESSFUL, AND
THAT IS WORKERS FROM ALL
DIFFERENT SECTORS WHO ARE
THOUGHTFUL OF IN THE CONTEXT OF
THIS CONVERSATION, ALL WALKS OF
LIFE JOINING TOGETHER OFTEN IN
THE CITY CENTER FOR CELEBRATION,
REASON AND SOMETIMES STRIFE.
RIGHT. THAT IS WHERE WE CONVENE
OAN, AND SO ENCOURAGING THAT
SORT OF COMPLEX AND SORT OF
BEAUTIFUL DYNAMIC, RIGHT, IS KEY
TO RESTORING THE HEALTH OF OUR
LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, TO
STRENGTHENING THE SAFETY OF OUR
PUBLIC SPACES AND INCREASING THE
VITALITY OF DOWNTOWN. I REALLY
THANK THIS COMMITTEE AGAIN FOR
YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES.
AND WE STAND READY TO, YOU KNOW,
HELP TACKLE THEM IMMEDIATELY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MR. HUERTA AND MISS MCCUSKER FOR
REALLY SETTING THE CONVERSATION
FOR US ABOUT THE CURRENT
REALITIES AND THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE, AND ALSO THE WAYS
THAT, EVERYONE WHO WORKS HERE,
WHO LIVES HERE, WHO VISITS HERE,
WE ARE INTERCONNECTED. WE SEE,
WILL RISE AND FALL TOGETHER.
THERE'S NO, DOWNTOWN WITHOUT
BUSINESSES THAT CAN OPEN HERE
AND THRIVE HERE, WITHOUT
BUILDINGS THAT ARE FULL OF
TENANTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING
HERE AND WALKING AROUND AND
THERE'S NO DOWNTOWN WITHOUT THE
PEOPLE WHO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
PLACE IS OPERATIONAL, THAT IT'S
SAFE, THAT IT'S CLEAN, THE
SECURITY OFFICERS, THE JANITORS,
THE HOTEL WORKERS. I KNOW THERE
ARE FOLKS FROM FROM UNITE HERE,
HERE, THE SERVICE WORKERS THAT
ARE REALLY THE BEDROCK OF WHAT
HAPPENS HERE. AND SO THE
CONNECTION BETWEEN, THE, THE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND THE
WORKERS THAT, THAT YOU SPOKE OF,
MR. HUERTA, IS SOMETHING THAT I
WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION
ABOUT. AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP
TO, TO MY COLLEAGUES. AND IT'S
REALLY A TWO PART QUESTION. ONE
IS, AS WE THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE
BRING PEOPLE BACK INTO OUR
OFFICE BUILDING SO THAT THEY
FILL UP AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE
LEVEL OF VACANCY RATES AND THE
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A
CITY, AS A STATE TO PROVIDE THE
SUPPORT TO DO THAT. HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THAT,
THAT WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT
LIFTS UP EVERYBODY WHO IS A PART
OF THOSE BUILDINGS AND THOSE
BUSINESSES, HOW DO WE HAVE A
RECOVERY THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF
ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO YOU FIGHT
WITH AND ALONGSIDE, AND ARE
THERE EXAMPLES OF THAT THAT
YOU'RE SEEING OF, OF BUSINESSES
AND REAL ESTATE FOLKS THAT
YOU'RE WORKING WITH WHO
UNDERSTAND THAT INTERCONNECTION?
BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HERE. WE
WANT TO FILL THOSE BUILDINGS
BACK UP. WE WANT TO GET THESE
BUSINESSES THRIVING AGAIN. WE
ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE
AT THE SAME TIME. AND SO CAN YOU
GIVE US ANY INSIGHT INTO HOW TO
DO THAT? WELL, SURE. SO THANK
YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW,
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WILL BE
HONEST. WHEN THIS FIRST STARTED,
WE CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE
POST PANDEMIC, I WOULD SAY,
THERE WAS A SENSE OF PANIC, IN
MYSELF AND AMONGST OUR
MEMBERSHIP AS TO WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN. PEOPLE SAW FOLKS NOT
COMING BACK TO THE BUILDINGS,
PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED. WE JUST
CAME OFF A CONTRACT RIGHT NOW.
WE WERE PREPARING FOR A CONTRACT
, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS AN
MOMENT FOR ME ABOUT, I WOULD SAY
ABOUT TEN, 12 MONTHS AGO, WHEN
WE, I WAS, WE WERE IN A MEETING
WITH LEADERS AND ONE OF OUR
MEMBERS WAS COMING HERE, YOU
KNOW, HE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY
AFTER I GAVE A DOOM AND GLOOM
TYPE OF REPORT TO FOLKS SAYING,
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE STEPPING
INTO. WE'RE STEPPING INTO 30%
INCREASE IN VACANCIES. WE'RE
STEPPING INTO, A, YOU KNOW, THE,
THE, THE, THE, THE LOSS OF VALUE
AND BUILDINGS, ETC. AND HIS
RESPONSE TO ME, SO WHAT'S OUR
PLAN? HIS RESPONSE WAS, LET'S
NOT PANIC. WHAT'S OUR PLAN? AND
THAT KIND OF FORCED ME TO TAKE A
STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT, I
HAVE TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS.
THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING MORE
THAN JUST DOOM, RIGHT? AND
THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED, REALLY
LOOKING AT THIS FROM A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE AND THINKING ABOUT
WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY VERSUS
THE MOMENT WE'RE IN. AND I THINK
, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS
MOMENT RIGHT NOW, BEING ABLE TO
SIT HERE WITH YOU, BEING ABLE TO
SIT HERE WITH THE CITY, CENTRAL
CITY ASSOCIATION, WITH OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH COMMUNITY
AND IN BUSINESS. THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE
PROBLEM, TO REALLY IDENTIFY HOW
WE APPROACH THIS, NOT JUST FROM
PROFIT AND LOSSES, FROM THE
BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO
THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GOOD JOBS
AND WHAT THESE WHAT THIS
INDUSTRY MEANS TO THE JOBS THAT
ARE BEING THAT HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED AND HAVE BEEN,
ORGANIZED. RIGHT. AND SO I THINK
OF THIS AND, YOU KNOW, MY, MY,
MY FORMER PRESIDENT ALWAYS SAY
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN EVERY, IN
EVERY CRISIS, THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S A
MATTER OF US BEING ABLE TO LOOK
AT THE CRISIS AND FIND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING
DIFFERENT AND SOMETHING BETTER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO
SAY I HAVE THE ANSWERS RIGHT NOW
, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS CITY
RIGHT NOW AND I LOOK AT
DOWNTOWN, I LOOK AT OTHER PARTS
OF DOWNTOWN, I LOOK AT THIS
POTENTIAL, NOT AT WHERE IT'S AT.
AND I SEE THE ABILITY FOR US TO
BE ABLE TO TRANSITION DOWNTOWNS
INTO GREEN ENERGIES. RIGHT. I
SEE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
LOOK AT HOUSING AND SEE HOW WE
PUT MORE WORKING PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SERVICE
INDUSTRIES AS BIG AS THE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY.
AND IT'S VALUABLE AS A
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY
TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, TO
PUT THEM IN GOOD HOUSING. I SEE
THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO
COLLABORATION BETWEEN,
ASSOCIATIONS, PENSION,
INVESTMENTS, WORKERS, CITY
GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT TO
CREATE A NEW AND BETTER MODEL OF
WHAT OUR CITY CENTERS CAN LOOK
LIKE. AND SO THAT WORKERS WHO
ARE ON THE CUSP OF MAKING
DECISIONS, IF THEY'RE GOING TO
COME BACK OR NOT, IF THEY WISH
TO COME BACK OR NOT, THAT
THEY'RE MOTIVATED TO WANT TO
COME BACK BECAUSE THEY SEE
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT A PLACE
WHERE THEY'RE JUST COMING TO
PUNCH THE CLOCK. BUT IT'S A
DESTINATION TO COME TO WORK TO.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO CREATE
CITY CENTERS THAT ARE
DESTINATIONS AND PLACES PEOPLE
WANT TO COME BACK TO, BUT IT'S
GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK, BUT
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A STAKEHOLDER
TABLE THAT VOICES THAT I
REPRESENT ARE AT THAT SAME
TABLE, ALONG WITH PROPERTY
OWNERS, INVESTORS, CITY
ASSOCIATIONS, CITY LEADERSHIP,
COUNTY LEADERSHIP, STATE
LEADERSHIP. TO REALLY START
LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THOSE
POLICIES AND WHAT ARE THOSE,
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT IS
GOING TO ENSURE A FUTURE FOR,
FOR, FOR ALL OF US? AND SO I
THINK THOSE, YOU KNOW, ARE THE
THINGS THAT I'VE COME AWAY WITH,
I WOULD SAY DURING, DURING OUR,
OUR BARGAINING, WE HAD WE MET
WE, WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH A LOT OF Kò OWNERS, ONE OF
THEM WHO'S HERE TODAY, HUDSON,
AND WANT TO APPRECIATE THE TIME
THAT THEY TOOK TO LISTEN TO US,
TO TAKE OUR CALLS, AND OTHERS
WHO WHO, IF NOT WITHIN THEIR
WITH WITH THEM, NOT IF IT
WEREN'T FOR THEM COMING TOGETHER
, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A, A ZERO
SUM NEGOTIATIONS AS, AS OPPOSED
TO A ZERO PLUS A PLUS
NEGOTIATION. AND SO I THINK
THAT'S THE TYPE OF RIGHT NOW
WE'RE IN THAT MOMENT. I THINK
THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
NOT A ZERO SUM BUT A ZERO PLUS.
THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S
THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO BE AT
WITH WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE, WE
WANT TO SEE GET DONE. COLLEAGUES
DEFINITELY. YEP. MISTER BRYANT,
I MEAN, MISS MCOSKER, YOU SAID
SOMETHING THAT WAS INCREDIBLY
PROFOUND AND I ENJOYED HEARING
IT, WHICH IS KIND OF THE
VIBRANCY OF WALKABILITY AND
COMMUNITY SPACES AND GATHERING
SPACES DOWNTOWN, MY FIANCE, MÀ,
AND I CAME DOWN HERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC AND WE
THOUGHT IT'D BE COOL TO BRING
CAMERAS AND TAKE PICTURES OF
THIS WASTELAND THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, A DESOLATE DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES. AND WHILE THOSE ARE
COOL TO HAVE IN THE ARCHIVES,
THAT'S NOT THE REALITY THAT WE
SHOULD STILL BE LIVING IN. AND
SO, YOU KNOW, ONE, I'M CURIOUS
WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON WHAT
WE COULD DO TO HELP ENCOURAGE
THAT GROWTH IN RESURGENCE AND
FOOT TRAFFIC. BUT ALSO, I THINK
THAT POINT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY
IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, SAFER
DOWNTOWNS ARE DOWNTOWNS THAT
HAVE MORE PEOPLE, IT'S NOT JUST
A PERCEPTION, AND I APPRECIATE
THAT FRAMING, BUT IT IS ALSO A
REALITY. AND WE KNOW THAT, TOO.
AND IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, DEEPLY
CONCERNING THAT WHEN WE HAVE
THIS DECLINE IN FOOT TRAFFIC, WE
THEN HAVE INVESTMENTS IN
ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC SAFETY
STRUCTURES INSTEAD OF INVESTING
IN THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT
WOULD DRAW PEOPLE. TO THESE
SPACES. RIGHT. AND SO YOU'RE
RIGHT, IT'S CYCLICAL AND, AND IT
COMPLETELY TRADES OFF ONE
ANOTHER. AND SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT
YOU THINK WE COULD DO TO BRING
BACK THE KIND OF FOOT TRAFFIC,
THE EXCITABILITY, THE NOT JUST
FOR ANGELENOS, BUT FOR FOLKS
FROM SAN FRANCISCO WHO WANT TO
FLY DOWN AND VISIT OR FOLKS FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO WOULD
LIKE TO COME, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN
TO LOS ANGELES. I'M JUST CURIOUS
WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON HOW WE
COULD BETTER BRING BACK THAT
RESURGENCE. THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION, I'LL ANSWER IT IN A
COUPLE OF WAYS. ONE IS BECAUSE I
KNOW THAT THE MISSION AND SORT
OF GOAL OF THIS SELECT COMMITTEE
IS TO SORT OF LOOK AT BEST
PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE,
ACROSS OTHER DOWNTOWNS. AND I
KNOW THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF WORK IN, ACTUALLY,
SECTIONS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
RIGHT. AND, AND OTHERS THAT HAVE
LOOKED AT SORT OF WHAT THOSE
PUBLIC SPACE ACTIVATION PROGRAMS
COULD BE, TO A LOT OF SUCCESS.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S LOOKING AT
JUST A COUPLE OF STREETS OR, ONE
PARK. RIGHT THAT HAS A GREAT
POTENTIAL. AND REALLY DOUBLING
DOWN IN THOSE INVESTMENTS, WHAT
WE SEE AND KNOW TO BE TRUE IS
THAT AN EMPLOYEE WHO MIGHT HAVE
CHOICE IN WHETHER OR NOT THEY GO
INTO THE OFFICE, WHICH IS AN
IMPORTANT DISTINCTION, DOES SO
BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING COOL
HAPPENING THAT DAY, RIGHT? MUCH
MORE SO BECAUSE THERE'S A, YOU
KNOW, GREAT SHOW OR SORT OF
COLLECTION OF FOOD TRUCKS OR
WHATEVER THE EXPERIENCE MIGHT
BE. OR THERE ARE THERE, YOU
KNOW, LÀ IS SO LUCKY TO HAVE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CULTURAL,
SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ASSETS,
RIGHT, IN ITS VERY SORT OF
FABRIC. AND SO IF YOU'RE GOING
TO CATCH A LAKER GAME LATER,
RIGHT, YOU COME INTO THE OFFICE
THAT DAY. AND SO THAT REALLY,
REALLY IS KEY TO THINK ABOUT
THOSE THOSE PUBLIC SPACE
ACTIVATIONS. A LOT OF KI¾M
MEMBERS ARE I WANT TO UPLIFT
LIKE DOING THAT WORK RIGHT NOW.
BUT I THINK THERE COULD BE A
MORE, THOUGHTFUL AND COORDINATED
STRATEGY IN THINKING ABOUT WHAT
SPACES ARE BEST IN DOWNTOWN LA
TO DO THAT WORK, AND I WANT TO
ONCE AGAIN SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGE,
SOMETHING MR. MR. HAS SAID THAT
LIKE, PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMING INTO DOWNTOWN EVERY DAY
ARE AT THE FRONT LINES OF SOME
OF THOSE TOUGHER EXPERIENCES AND
ENCOUNTERS THAT WE KNOW ARE
HAPPENING. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, YOU KNOW,
IT'S THERE'S A QUESTION OF
EQUITY, TOO, RIGHT? AND WHO IS
HAVING TO HANDLE SOME OF THOSE
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS OR
SITUATIONS, AT THE STREET LEVEL
OF A, OF AN OFFICE AND ACTIVE,
YOU KNOW, EXCITING PUBLIC SPACES
ARE A WAY THAT SORT OF MITIGATES
THAT, WHILE WE STILL WORK ON A
REALLY COORDINATED EFFORT TO
PROVIDE THAT PERSON THE SUPPORT
THEY NEED, THE ONE OTHER THING
THAT I THINK YOU RAISED ALSO IN
THE OPEN IS MASSIVE EVENTS LIKE
OLYMPICS, WORLD CUP. RIGHT. WE
HAVE THIS MOMENT TO LEVERAGE,
BIG EVENTS, WHICH WILL BE A
TARGETED SORT OF TIME PERIOD.
BUT OUR OPPORTUNITY TO, TO
USHER, FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL
RESOURCES TOWARDS WHATEVER THAT
REIMAGINED INFRASTRUCTURE IS
THAT THEN CAN SUSTAIN OVER TIME
THOSE KINDS OF PROGRAMING AND
PUBLIC SPACE ACTIVATIONS. YOU
KNOW, I STRUGGLED WITH HOW TO
APPROACH IT. RIGHT. AND ON ON
ONE HAND, WE ALL AGREE THAT
FOLKS OUGHT TO HAVE A DECENT
WAGE, A LIVABLE WAGE, AND LIVING
IN A GARAGE AND HAVING TWO JOBS
AND SLEEPING IN A CAR IS NOT A
WAY TO EXIST, RIGHT? I MEAN, I
WENT THROUGH IT MYSELF WITH MY
PARENTS WHEN THEY ARRIVED HERE
FROM MEXICO, AND WE LIVED IN A
GARAGE AND EVENTUALLY WE MADE IT
WHEN WE GOT SECTION EIGHT
HOUSING AND WE DID THIS SAME
SORT OF WORK. AND I'VE SHARED
VERY PUBLICLY IN MANY WAYS. BUT,
YOU KNOW, MR. HUERTA AND I'VE
TALKED MY DAD WAS A MEMBER OF
THE UNION, AND, AND THAT'S HOW
THAT'S HOW, WE WERE ABLE TO PAY,
AT LEAST FOR WHAT WE HAD AT THE
TIME. SO WE WANT GOOD UNION JOBS
, GOOD PAYING JOBS. WE WANT TO
SEE AN INDUSTRY THAT THRIVES.
AND IF FOLKS ARE ON REYES OR
MARGIN PROFITS, IT'S NOT GOING
TO WORK. I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE
THIS ARGUMENT ALL DAY LONG. WE
HAVE IT IN IN THE CAPITAL. WE
HAVE IT ON THE STREETS. AND
EVERYBODY ASSUMES BIG BUILDING,
BIG CORPORATION, LOTS OF MONEY.
I WANT MORE WAGE, BUT IF THERE'S
NOTHING THERE, THERE'S NOTHING
THERE. I MEAN, LET'S BE VERY,
VERY HONEST ABOUT A
CONVERSATION. SO NOW THAT WE'RE
MOVING, I ALWAYS WONDER, LIKE,
WHERE ARE THE POINTS THAT WHERE
ARE THE POINTS THAT MEET BETWEEN
A WORKFORCE, AND, AND DOWNTOWNS
AND THAT IS THAT IF THEY THRIVE,
IF THEY'RE HEALTHY ECONOMICALLY,
THEN THEY SHOULD BE PAYING A
FAIR WAGE. BUT THEN IDENTIFYING
THOSE PIECES IN DETAIL TO ALLOW
FOR THAT INVESTMENT TO COME IN
AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT THIS PARTNERSHIP. RIGHT.
BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT
A THRIVING ECONOMY IF IT DOESN'T
PROVIDE FAIR WAGES. I'M ALWAYS
GOING TO DO THAT. AND I KNOW
THAT EVERYBODY'S HEART HERE'S IN
THE RIGHT PLACE. RIGHT? SO THEN
WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS? I MEAN,
BECAUSE AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, WE
CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND WE HAVE AND
THEY'RE IMPORTANT. BUT THEN WHEN
YOU GET TO A REAL CONVERSATION
ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE THREE
THINGS? I'M JUST MAKING THIS UP,
RIGHT? BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I
ALWAYS SAY IN EVERY
CONVERSATION. RIGHT. LIKE, WHAT
ARE THE THREE THINGS
SPECIFICALLY THAT CAN I CAN DO
EVEN IF THEY'RE ASPIRATIONAL, TO
GET THIS DONE AND WE'RE NOT
GOING TO GET CRA AGAIN. SO
THAT'S OFF THE TABLE. YOU KNOW,
I'VE ALWAYS A LOT OF NOW NO
ONE'S HERE SAID IT. RIGHT. BUT I
KNOW USUALLY WHEN WE GET INTO
THOSE CONVERSATIONS EVERYBODY
SAY, WELL, IF WE HAD IT, WELL
THAT'S NOT GOING TO EVER HAPPEN
BECAUSE IT JUST HASN'T
HISTORICALLY. SO I CAN'T AIM AT
PIE IN THE SKY, BUT I CAN AIM AT
LIKE DETAILED ONE, MAYBE ONE
THING, MAYBE THREE THINGS. AND
THAT'S WHERE I REALLY STRUGGLE
FOR IN ORDER TO PINPOINT. AND
WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION,
IF I MAY, SHARE A PRIVATE
CONVERSATION THAT THAT MR. HANEY
AND I WERE HAVING YESTERDAY
REVOLVING AROUND THE STRUGGLE IN
SACRAMENTO TO GET PEOPLE INTO A
DOWNTOWN. RIGHT. THE, YOU KNOW,
DO YOU GET A WORKFORCE BACK INTO
DOWNTOWN? DO YOU ALLOW FOR, THE
ELIMINATION OF REMOTE WORKING,
OR DO YOU REIMAGINE MAYBE HOW IT
LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY?
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT ARE
THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU DO? SO
I WANT TO CHALLENGE, YOU KNOW, I
CAN CHALLENGE MYSELF AND THINK
ABOUT THREE THINGS AS WELL. AS
CONTROVERSIAL AS THEY MAY BE,
RIGHT. BUT JUST FOR THE FOR THE
SAKE OF HAVING A REAL DETAILED
CONVERSATION, YOU GO FIRST. I GO
SECOND. I KNOW THREE THINGS THAT
YOU WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IN 30S
THAT MAY HELP. I MEAN, THAT'S
REALLY THE WAY THINGS GET DONE,
RIGHT? YOU THROW SOMETHING AT
THE WALL AND THEN YOU TRY TO
FIGURE IT OUT, RIGHT? THAT WAS
MY LONG WINDED LATINO WAY OF
SAYING, HEY, MAN, WHAT'S UP?
SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS. YEAH
RIGHT. LOOK, LOOK, I THINK ONE
IS, THIS THESE DOWN, BY THE WAY.
WELL, ONE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER.
RIGHT. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE FIND
OURSELVES RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW,
OUR CITY CENTERS ARE NOT GOING
TO REVITALIZE UNLESS WE HAVE. WE
FIGURE OUT THEN HOW WE NAVIGATE
OUTSIDE OF THIS CRISIS, AWAY
FROM THIS CRISIS. HOW DO WE
CHANGE WHAT WE DO? RIGHT. AND
I'VE SAID THIS RIGHT, AND I
THINK IT STARTS FIRST BY NOT
BEING IN SILOS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE CANNOT OPERATE IN SILOS,
RIGHT? I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, I JUST
THINK TOO OFTEN WE SEE, YOU
KNOW, SHOTS OVER THE BOW COMING
FROM, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION,
OURSELVES, OTHERS. AND YOU SEE
SHOTS GOING OVER THE BOW FROM
BUSINESSES BACK OVER. AND WE'RE
SHOOTING OVER THE BOW OF EACH
OTHER AS IF SOMEHOW WE DON'T
HAVE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND, HOW WE
HAVE TO COEXIST AND HOW WE HAVE
TO HAVE WE ALL HAVE A SHARED
INTEREST. RIGHT? SO I ALWAYS I
ALWAYS LIKE TO LOOK AT THE
INTERSECTION OF THE INTEREST OF
WORKERS. I REPRESENT AND ALSO
THE INTEREST OF THE, THE
BUILDINGS AND, AND THE COMPANIES
THEY WORK FOR. AND WHERE DOES
THAT INTERSECTION? HOW DO WE
FIND WHAT'S THE BEST OUTCOMES.
AND SO I THINK RIGHT NOW WE HAVE
TO GET OUT OF SILOS. I THINK
THERE IS POWER IN GOVERNMENT.
THERE IS POWER IN CITY, COUNTY,
STATE GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO,
PULL INTEREST TOGETHER AND START
A CONVERSATION ON WHAT IS WHAT
IS THE TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE
YEAR PLAN IN ORDER TO REALLY
COME OUT OF THIS IN A WAY THAT
IS NOT JUST SURVIVING, BUT
ACTUALLY THRIVING? AND I THINK
ALSO, I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE
ARE IN A CRISIS. IT'S IMPORTANT
TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE YOU
HAVE TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE
YOU'RE STARTING FROM AND WHAT
ARE YOU, WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS
THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE IN TO BE ABLE
TO THEN, FIGURE OUT HOW YOU
RESPOND TO IT, AND SO I THINK
THOSE ARE TWO THINGS. AND I
WOULD JUST SAY THE THIRD THING I
THINK FOR ME IS, IS WE HAVE TO
KNOW THAT WHAT WAS OUR CULTURE
OF WORK PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC IS
NOT GOING TO IS WE'RE NOT GOING
BACK TO IT. IT'S NO GOING BACK
TO THAT CULTURE OF WORK. WHAT
WHAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW
, I THINK THE ASSUMPTION THAT
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO
PRE-PANDEMIC CONDITIONS OF
CHAINING THEMSELVES TO THEIR
DESK, IT'S JUST NOT A REALITY. I
THINK MOST WORKERS, WHETHER YOU
HAVE PRIVILEGE OR NOT, AND I SAY
PRIVILEGE BY THOSE WHO ARE ABLE
TO WORK FROM HOME VERSUS THOSE
WHO DON'T HAVE PRIVILEGE, WHO
HAVE TO PUNCH THE CLOCK AND COME
TO WORK, WHICH ARE ALL THE
WORKERS YOU SEE RIGHT NOW IN THE
AUDIENCE, THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND
THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BUT
THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE FOR ALL OF
US. AND IT CAN'T JUST BE ONE
GROUP. BENEFITS AT THE COST OF
ANOTHER. THERE HAS TO BE SOME
SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW THE
ECONOMY THIS ECONOMY THRIVES
LIVES NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE
CEO OF APPLE OR THE CEO OF
GOOGLE, OR THE CEO OF ANY OF THE
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. BUT IT
THRIVES BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY
OFFICERS AND JANITORS WHO
ACTUALLY MAKE THAT PRODUCT
THRIVE. AND SO HOW DO WE SEE HOW
DO WE REIMAGINE? AND I THINK
THAT'S THE KEY RIGHT HERE, I
WOULD SAY, HOW DO WE REIMAGINE
THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE SENSE
OF SPACE THAT WE ALL COME
TOGETHER AT? AND SO I KNOW I'M
SPEAKING PROBABLY IN VERY BIG
YOU KNOW, VERY LIKE NON
DESCRIPTIVE OR NON, BUT I THINK
THAT'S WHERE IT STARTS. IF WE
DON'T START THAT CONVERSATION,
THEN I THINK WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING IS EVERYBODY'S GOING
TO BE LEFT TO OUR OWN DEMISE TO
FIGURE THIS THING OUT. AND
THAT'S WHEN I THINK IT STARTS
BREAKING DOWN. AND WE, WE TALK
PAST EACH OTHER AS OPPOSED TO
WORKING WITH EACH OTHER. THANK
YOU. NOT BRAND NEW IDEAS, SORT
OF SUMMARIZING WHAT WE'VE
ALREADY DISCUSSED, IF DOWNTOWN,
IS A SAFE AND CLEAN PLACE TO BE,
THE REST WILL WORK ITSELF OUT,
BUT PEOPLE WILL LIKE THIS WILL
ALWAYS BE, A SECTION OF THE CITY
THAT VISITORS, RESIDENTS AND
WORKERS COME BECAUSE THAT'S THE
VERY NATURE. THAT'S THE SORT OF
MAGIC OF A OF A CBD. THE SECOND
THING IS BACK TO WHAT WE WERE
SAYING ABOUT ACTIVATIONS AND
HUGE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT.
EITHER THROUGH PRIVATE OR PUBLIC
INVESTMENT, EITHER AROUND EVENTS
OR IN CONTINUED WAYS. AND THE
THIRD ONE, WHICH HAS ALREADY
BEEN ADDRESSED, I KNOW SORT OF
NOT THE FOCUS OF THIS,
PARTICULAR HEARING, BUT HOUSING.
RIGHT, JUST THOSE ARE, THAT
THERE'S MASSIVE POTENTIAL IN
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. IT IS THE
GREATEST PLACE TO BUILD WITH ITS
ACCESS TO TRANSIT, WITH ITS,
MORE FLEXIBLE CODES RIGHT AROUND
DENSITY, WITH A KIND OF THRIVING
, MARKET AS IT, AS IT STANDS,
CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S HOUSING
AVAILABLE AT ALL INCOME LEVELS.
RIGHT. BUT SORT OF THE MASS OF
POTENTIAL OF HOUSING FOR
DOWNTOWN TO BECOME EVER MORE A
TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEN YOU
TALK ABOUT HOW ALL THOSE THINGS
THAT ARE GOOD FOR RESIDENTS ARE
GOOD FOR WORKERS. AND, AND
VISITORS. I THINK THOSE ARE THE
THREE, I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION
FOR YOU. I MEAN, ALSO, THIS IS
THIS REALLY IS PHENOMENAL. AND
YOU'VE GOT ME THINKING ABOUT
THESE ACTIVATIONS AND THIS
YEAR'S WAY BECAUSE WE PUT SO
MUCH PUBLIC MONEY INTO KIND OF
ACTIVATING THE PUBLIC AWARENESS
AROUND THE PANDEMIC. RIGHT, BOTH
IN TERMS OF, OF MOVING MONEY
INTO GRASSROOTS, COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO BE CREDIBLE
MESSENGERS TO LITERAL
BILLBOARDS, TO JUST OTHER WAYS.
AND WE SHOULDN'T JUST DO THAT
KIND OF WORK DURING A CRISIS.
THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC INTEREST
IN PUTTING RESOURCES TO BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER. AND SO THAT'S
DEFINITELY SOMETHING YOU'VE GOT
ME THINKING ABOUT. HOW DO WE
ENCOURAGE THIS KIND OF
COLLABORATION? BECAUSE THIS IS
ALSO EXCITING TO SEE. RIGHT THE
IDEA THAT WE KNOW THAT THRIVING
BUSINESSES, THAT HAVE HEALTHY
BOTTOM LINES THAT ARE NOT ONE
WEEK OF, OF BAD, TRANSACTIONS
AWAY FROM CLOSING, ARE THE KIND
OF BUSINESSES THAT CAN PAY
THRIVING WAGES. RIGHT? BUT WE
OFTEN GET PITTED AGAINST EACH
OTHER, SHOOTING BOWZ, YOU KNOW,
SHOOTING SHOTS ACROSS THE BOWS
AND, AND WE'RE ALL WATCHING
THEM, TRYING TO DECIDE WHO SHOT
FIRST AND WHETHER THERE'S A ROLE
FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST IN THIS
KIND OF DISPUTE. HOW DO WE BRING
THIS GREATER COLLABORATION
TOGETHER? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S
GOING TO BE NEEDED TO BUILD UP
OUR CITY CENTERS. THAT'S GOING
TO BE NEEDED TO BUILD OUR
DOWNTOWNS. AND I'M EXCITED THAT
YOU ARE NOT BOTH JUST PANELISTS
TODAY, BUT BUT SEEM TO BE IN
GREATER COLLABORATION THAN I'VE
SEEN BEFORE. SO I WILL MEET WITH
MR. WORKED AT ANY TIME, ANY DAY.
AND HONESTLY THIS THE IMPETUS OF
THIS HEARING HAS ALSO, HELPED. I
KNOW THERE'S BEEN MANY
CONVERSATIONS AND GOOD WORK
BETWEEN HIM AND SOME OF CSEA'S
MEMBERS, BUT, YOU CAN YOU CAN
SORT OF YOU BELIEVE THAT WE WILL
BE DOING THIS WORK TOGETHER
THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE PROCESS
AND BEYOND, BECAUSE IT IS SO
IMPORTANT TO HAVE SHARED GOALS
AROUND THIS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF
VERSION OF AN ACTIVATION CONCEPT
AND MANY OTHERS. SO, YEAH, I
WOULD ECHO THAT. I MEAN, I
THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY
YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACT WE JUST
NEGOTIATED, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF
THE BEST CONTRACTS WE'VE HAD IN
A MOMENT OF CRISIS, INDUSTRIAL
IN THE COMMERCIAL CRISIS. AND
THAT WAS BY DESIGN AND BY
PRESSURE, RIGHT. PRESSURE FROM
OUR MEMBERS SAYING WE, YOU KNOW,
IN ORDER FOR US TO SURVIVE WITH
THE COST OF HOUSING, THE COST OF
INFLATION, YOU KNOW WHAT IT
MEANS TO LIVE IN LOS ANGELES. WE
NEED BETTER WAGES. BUT IT WAS
ALSO THE CONVERSATION. AND AS WE
PUSHED THAT PUBLICLY, IT WAS
ALSO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I
WAS ABLE TO HAVE WITH MANY
PROPERTY OWNERS WHO UNDERSTOOD
THAT THE VALUE THAT OUR MEMBERS
PROVIDE AND CONTRIBUTE THROUGH
THEIR WORK INTO THESE INDUSTRIES
. RIGHT. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE TO TAKE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS OUT OF JUST A
TRANSACTION THÀNH, AND CREATE A
CONVERSATION ON HOW DO WE
TRANSFORM. AND WE HAVE TO BE
INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE MAKE
THAT HAPPEN. I THINK TOO MANY
TIMES WE'VE WE OPERATE, WE
OPERATE FROM OPPOSING INTERESTS.
WHEN ALL WHEN WE BUT WHEN WE SIT
DOWN AND TALK, WE'VE KIND OF
FIGURED OUT THAT THERE'S A
MUTUAL INTEREST. RIGHT. AND I
KNOW IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND
THAT. AND I'M PROBABLY BREAKING
ALL THE LAWS OF A UNION
ORGANIZER HERE SAYING THAT. BUT
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW,
THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SIT DOWN
AND HAVE A HUMAN CONVERSATION
WITH PEOPLE AND WITH PEOPLE WHO
HAVE THEIR THEY HAVE THE
DECISION MAKERS, THEY UNDERSTAND
THAT THE SERVICE, THE SERVICE
SECURITY OFFICERS AND JANITORS
PROVIDE IS ESSENTIAL TO THEIR
PRODUCT. WHEN CONFRONTED WITH
THAT QUESTION, AND I THINK A LOT
OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST
THINK THAT'S AND I WOULD JUST
PUT IT BACK ON, ON OUR
LEADERSHIP. I LOOK TO YOU AS
LEADERS AS WELL. RIGHT. IT'S
LIKE HOW DO WE HOW DO WE USE
YOUR LEADERSHIP, WITH THAT
INTENTION OF SAYING, OKAY, AS A
LEADER, WHAT CAN I DO TO CREATE
THE, THE, THE SPACE OR THE
ENVIRONMENT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
THESE CONVERSATIONS? I KNOW I'VE
TALKED TO THE GOVERNOR, I'VE
TALKED TO OUR CITY MAYORS, I'VE
TALKED TO OUR COUNTY SUPERVISORS
ABOUT THIS NEEDS WE NEED TO HAVE
A MORE, MORE COLLECTIVE
STAKEHOLDER CONVERSATION THAT
PUTS US INTO A SPACE TO REALLY
LOOK AT IT FROM THE INTEREST,
NOT JUST OF BUSINESS, BUT FROM
OUR INTEREST AS WELL. AND SO I
THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S
WHAT I WOULD I WOULD SAY THANK
YOU BOTH FOR, FOR NOT ONLY YOUR
COMMENTS TODAY AND YOUR
PARTICIPATION THÀNH, BUT FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR
COURAGE TO EVEN BREAK OUT OF
SOME OF THOSE SILOS AND TO WORK
WITH FOLKS IN THIS MOMENT,
BECAUSE THERE IS THERE IS NO WAY
TO MEET THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN
AND THE OPPORTUNITY K¾T THAT WE
HAVE AND THE CRISIS THAT WE'RE
FACING SEPARATELY AND IN AND IN
A WAY THAT FIGHTS EACH OTHER
BECAUSE THAT IS ONLY GOING TO
TAKE US FURTHER DOWN AND NOT UP,
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, DOWN IN
OUR DOWNTOWNS THAT THAT SHOULD
GIVE US TREMENDOUS URGENCY TO
WHAT WE'RE FACING, IS THAT THERE
REALLY IS A SNOWBALL EFFECT.
BOTH BOTH OF YOU SPOKE ABOUT
THIS IN SOME WAY, THAT WHEN
BUSINESSES CLOSE, WHEN THERE'S
EMPTY RETAIL, WHEN THERE'S
VACANCIES, LESS PEOPLE WANT TO
COME DOWNTOWN, LESS PEOPLE WANT
TO COME INTO WORK, LESS PEOPLE
WANT TO VISIT. AND THEN THAT
MAKES THINGS WORSE AND WORSE AND
WORSE. AND SO EVERY DAY THAT
GOES BY WHERE WE'RE NOT STARTING
TO BUILD BACK AND REIMAGINE IN A
WAY THAT BRINGS PEOPLE HERE AND
SUPPORTS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE
, IT GETS THAT MUCH HARDER IN
THE FUTURE. AND I AND I DO THINK
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU,
YOU SPOKE ABOUT IS THE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS SAFE AND
CLEAN AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
INVESTMENTS. AND SO THESE KIND
OF EFFORTS THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT
THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR
CITIES IN THE STATE TO PROVIDE
FOR THOSE INVESTMENTS, WHETHER
IT'S IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR
HOUSING OR THE SORT OF SERVICES
THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT A
THRIVING DOWNTOWN, THAT'S GOING
TO MAKE IT A LOT HARDER FOR ALL
OF US. AND SO I REALLY THINK IN
TERMS OF WORKING TOGETHER, THOSE
KIND OF THINGS ARE NOT HELPFUL.
AND, AND, AND AS WE MAKE
TRANSITIONS, THIS IS THE LAST
THING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IF YOU
HAVE A COMMERCIAL OFFICE
BUILDING AND YOU TURN IT TO
HOUSING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LOT, WHEN
YOU HAVE CHANGES THAT ARE
HAPPENING DOWNTOWN, LET'S NOT
LEAVE THE PEOPLE BEHIND. WHEN WE
WHEN WE DO THAT, LET'S FIND A
WAY TO BRING THEM ALONG. AND
ALSO LIFT THEM UP. AND SO I
THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT NOT
ONLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR
LEADERS IN THAT WHO ARE BUSINESS
LEADERS AND OTHERS, BUT OUR
POLICY CHANGES THAT NEED TO TAKE
PLACE. WE HAVE A DISPLACED
JANITORS ACT THAT REALLY DEALS
WITH CONTRACTOR CHANGES, OFTEN
WITHIN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.
IT OUR POLICIES DON'T
NECESSARILY REFLECT THE REALITY
OF THE TYPE OF REIMAGINATION
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR
CITY, AND A WAY THAT WE MAKE IT
A WIN WIN FOR EVERYONE, BECAUSE
WE DO NEED TO SUPPORT OUR
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND
BUSINESSES AND HOTELS AND ALL OF
THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO
STRUGGLING, AND WE WANT THEM TO
HAVE A HEALTHY BOTTOM LINE, BUT
WE WANT THE PEOPLE WHO WHO, WHO,
WHO MAKE UP THOSE BUSINESSES AND
MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL TO ALSO BE
HEALTHY AND THRIVE AS WELL.
THANK YOU BOTH, JUST THE
BEGINNING OF OUR WORK TOGETHER
AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH
BEING HERE TODAY AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. I WANT TO MOVE ON TO OUR
SECOND PANEL, WHO WILL PROVIDE,
THE COMMITTEE WITH TESTIMONY ON
THE STATE OF ESSENTIAL WORKERS
IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. I WANT
TO WELCOME THE DIRECTOR OF
RESEARCH AND POLICY AT THE
KOREATOWN IMMIGRANT WORKERS
ALLIANCE, BRADY COLLINS. WARREN
REED, WHO IS A SECURITY OFFICER
WITH ALLIED UNIVERSAL, AND MARIA
ESTRADA, A JANITOR WITH ABM.
PLEASE JOIN US UP, UP HERE IN
THE FRONT.
ALL RIGHT. WELCOME TO THE THREE
OF YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE, WE ARE GOING TO
START, WITH MR. COLLINS. THANKS
FOR HAVING ME, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, AGAIN, I'M WITH
KIOWA, I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR
ORGANIZATION AND THEN CAN GO
INTO TALKING ABOUT THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, WHICH I
THINK IS WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS CONVERSATION.
SO KIOWA HAS BEEN PART OF THE
LABOR MOVEMENT SINCE 1992. WE'RE
ROOTED IN KOREATOWN, BUT WE
ORGANIZE ACROSS THE CITY OF LOS
ANGELES, PRIMARILY IN THE
RESTAURANT AND RETAIL
INDUSTRIES. AND WE KNOW THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY REALLY WELL.
KOREATOWN HAS ABOUT 700
RESTAURANTS IN LESS THAN TWO
SQUARE MILES, EMPLOYING 10,000
WORKERS. AND DOWNTOWN IS VERY
SIMILAR, KIOWA IS ALSO PROUD TO
HAVE HELPED WORKERS UNIONIZE AT
THE FIRST KOREAN RESTAURANT IN
THE COUNTRY, JUST DOWN THE
STREET HERE, GENOA BARBECUE. GO
CHECK IT OUT AND EAT THERE, AND
FOR US, YOU KNOW, DURING THE
PANDEMIC OF COURSE, THERE WAS A
NEW, TITLE FOR RESTAURANT
WORKERS. ESSENTIAL WORKERS,
WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THEY ARE
ESSENTIAL. THEY FEED US. BUT I
THINK WHAT WE SAW DURING THE
PANDEMIC WAS THAT THIS WORKFORCE
HAD TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE
CHOICE OF, DO I GO TO WORK AND
RISK BECOMING INFECTED OR DO I
NOT GO TO WORK AND NOT BE ABLE
TO PAY RENT, AND SO I THINK
WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT,
RESTAURANT WORKERS AND, AND
RESTAURANT BUSINESSES, TOGETHER.
AND SO WHAT WE DID AND, LAST
YEAR WAS DO A STUDY ON THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY WITH THE
UCLA LABOR CENTER AND SO I'LL
JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND I WANT TO UPLIFT A COUPLE OF
THE STORIES OF, OF WORKERS, THAT
WE HIGHLIGHT IN THE REPORT. AND
I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, I'VE,
BEFORE BEING AT QUÊ, I SPENT
ALMOST A DECADE MYSELF IN THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. I'VE
PROBABLY HAD EVERY POSITION IN A
RESTAURANT OTHER THAN A CHEF, SO
I'M A PRETTY GOOD COOK. I CAN
SAY, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE
SEE IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY,
DESPITE A LOT OF THE PROGRESS
THAT WE'VE MADE WITH OUR LABOR
ALLIES TO ADDRESS WAGE THEFT, IT
STILL HAPPENS. AND WHAT WE'RE
SEEING MORE AND MORE IS TIP
STEALING AS A KIND OF UNIQUE
FORM OF WAGE THEFT THAT'S HARDER
TO DETECT. WE ALSO SEE,
RETALIATION AGAINST WORKERS. AND
ON TOP OF THAT, RESTAURANT
WORKERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE
UNINSURED AND NOT HAVE HEALTH
INSURANCE, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY
TO LIVE IN OVERCROWDED HOUSING,
WHICH BOTH TOGETHER CAN TELL YOU
ABOUT WHAT THE PANDEMIC WAS LIKE
FOR THEM. AND WE ALSO SEE A WAGE
CEILING, MEANING THAT WHETHER
WORKERS HAVE WORKED FOR TWO
DECADES OR TWO MONTHS IN THE
RESTAURANT, WHERE THEY'RE
WORKING, THEY ARE STILL PAID THE
BARE MINIMUM WAGE, AND SO FOR US
, WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN THIS
REPORT SOME POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I CAN
TALK ABOUT, BUT ALSO LIFT UP
SOME OF THE WORKERS STORIES AND
RESTAURANT OWNER STORIES. AND SO
ONE WORKER, JOSE MICHELLE, WHO
IS A MEMBER OF CUA, HE WORKS AT
TWO RESTAURANTS. HE WORKS SEVEN
DAYS A WEEK, AND HE LIVES WITH
HIS BROTHER AND THREE OTHER
ROOMMATES IN A ONE BEDROOM.
RIGHT. THEY ALL WORK IN THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. THEY'RE ALL
BUDDIES, BUT THEY HAVE TO LIVE
UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES IN
ORDER TO REMAIN HOUSED, ANOTHER
WORKER, SUNNY TROY, WHO WORKS AT
A NOODLE RESTAURANT NEARBY, HAS
WORKED FOR THAT RESTAURANT FOR
OVER A DECADE, HAS NEVER SEEN A
RAISE, HAS NEVER HAD A PAID
VACATION DAY, HAS TO COMMUTE AN
HOUR TO GET TO WORK BECAUSE THEY
CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY
OF LOS ANGELES. SO I THINK, WHAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN, YOU
KNOW, THINKING ABOUT DOWNTOWN'S,
YOU KNOW, WHY DO PEOPLE COME
DOWNTOWN? PERHAPS MORE THAN
ANYTHING, IT'S TO EAT. RIGHT?
AND HAVE FUN. SO WE'VE GOT TO
THINK ABOUT THE ROLE THAT THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY PLAYS IN
DOWNTOWN REVIVAL. AND SO I THINK
IF I CAN TAKE YOU UP,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER SANTIAGO, ON WHAT
ARE SOME WHAT ARE THREE THINGS
THAT WE CAN DO? I CAN LIST MAYBE
5 OR 6 THAT THAT WE WERE
THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I
THINK WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY,
YOU KNOW, IN LA, PERHAPS MORE
THAN ANYTHING, WE HAVE THIS
QUESTION. IT'S ALWAYS A QUESTION
THAT I ASK EVERYBODY BECAUSE
AFTER BEING IN POLICY FOR SO
LONG, YOU'RE LIKE, NOT YOU. BUT
PEOPLE COME IN AND, YOU KNOW,
AIM AT PIE IN THE SKY AND YOU'RE
LIKE, OKAY, WHAT DOES THAT
REALLY MEAN IN REAL ENGLISH? IN
30S, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE
VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SAY
IT. SO I ALWAYS CHALLENGE
EVERYBODY. OKAY SINCE YOU
BROUGHT ME UP. ALL RIGHT. NAME
THE THREE THINGS, BUT THAT ARE
REAL, TANGIBLE, THAT CAN GET
DONE. BECAUSE HOW MANY TIMES
HAVE YOU GUYS WALKED IN THE
MEETINGS AND POLICY AND
EVERYBODY THROWS ALL THESE BIG
WORDS AND ALL THIS THING AND
YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, MAN. TELL
ME THREE THINGS IN REAL ENGLISH
OF WHAT IS TANGIBLE. NOW YOU'RE
GOING TO BE ASKING FOR SIX
THINGS. NO, NO, THREE, THREE,
THREE. THAT'S FINE. I'LL DO MY
BEST, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT,
WE'VE GOT TO REPEAL COSTA KI¾M.
WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL
RENT INCREASES FOR COMMERCIAL
TENANTS, ESPECIALLY IN AN
INDUSTRY WHERE MARGINS ARE RAZOR
THIN, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
SB 1103 FROM SENATOR MENUBAR,
WHICH IS GOING TO MAKE, LEASES,
MUCH MORE TRANSPARENT FOR
COMMERCIAL TENANTS AND TRANSLATE
THEM FOR IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEURS
WHO MAY NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, WE
THINK THAT OUTDOOR DINING NEEDS
TO BE MUCH EASIER FOR, FOR
RESTAURANTS TO APPLY FOR. I'M
SURE FOLKS KNOW ABOUT THE
ALFRESCO DINING PROGRAM HERE IN
LA, IT IS A VERY BURDENSOME
APPLICATION PROCESS. I WAS
TALKING TO A RESTAURANT OWNER
JUST THE OTHER DAY. SHE SAID
SHE'S GOT TEN MINUTES A DAY FREE
BECAUSE SHE'S RUNNING AROUND
LIKE CRAZY TO KEEP HER
RESTAURANT OPEN. DOESN'T HAVE
TIME TO NAVIGATE, IS IT? DOT OR
IS IT STREET SERVICES OR IS IT,
OFFICE OF, PUBLIC WORKS THAT I
NEED TO SPEAK TO IN ORDER TO GET
A PERMIT. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT
TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE MAKE IT
EASIER FOR ALFRESCO DINING OR
PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, I THINK
WE'VE ALSO GOT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WORK, WORK ING CONDITIONS
ARE IS A HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION
STRATEGY, RIGHT? WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THE HOMELESSNESS CRISIS,
WE'VE GOT TO BUILD MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. ABSOLUTELY
WE'VE ALSO GOT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT, HAVING A GOOD WAGE AND
ENFORCING THE WAGE IS GOING TO
PREVENT HOMELESSNESS. SO I THINK
WE'VE GOT TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS
AS WELL, SO I THINK THAT WAS FOR
SAU. I COULD MAYBE THINK OF MORE
IF I, IF I HAVE SOME MORE TIME,
SO I MISSED ONE, I GOT OUTDOOR,
COSTA SB 1103. OKAY. I LIVE IN
THE TWO. OKAY. COMMERCIAL AND I
PUT OUTDOOR DINING AND WAGES.
OKAY, OKAY. AND THEN I JUST I'LL
SAY LASTLY, I DON'T THINK THIS
IS PIE IN THE SKY, BUT, I THINK
IN LA WE OFTEN THINK OF, YOU
KNOW, THE RESTAURANT WORKERS,
OH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STRUGGLING
ACTORS. AND THIS IS JUST THEIR
JOB ON THE SIDE. RIGHT,
RESTAURANT, RESTAURANT JOBS ARE
CAREER JOBS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THEM
GOOD JOBS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, MR. COLLINS. MR. REED
. DO YOU WANT TO, THE BUTTON ON
THE. CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
US. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY BEFORE
YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS WARREN
REED, AND I HAVE DEDICATED MOST
OF MY CAREER TO ENSURE THE
SAFETY OF SECURITY OFFICERS. I'M
A SECURITY OFFICER AND PROUD
MEMBER OF SEIU. I HAVE SPENT MY
PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS A
SECURITY OFFICER FOR THE PAST
TEN YEARS. WE NOW HAVE A
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT,
AND I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED
OUR RIGHT TO ORGANIZE. OUR UNION
IS STRONGER THAN EVER AND
CONTINUES TO GROW ACROSS THE
STATE, IMPROVING THE LIVES OF
OUR MEMBERS AND OUR FAMILIES.
DURING COVID 19 CRISIS, SECURITY
OFFICERS WERE AMONG THE FIRST TO
REPORT TO WORK, OFTEN WITHOUT
ADEQUATE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT, PUTTING THEIR LIVES
AT RISK TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
BUILDINGS AND THE PUBLIC. MANY
OF OUR COLLEAGUES FELL ILL AS A
RESULT. I THINK AT ONE TIME WE
HAD 11 OFFICERS OUT AT ONE TIME.
THAT MADE IT VERY, VERY
DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THESE
BUILDINGS. WE'RE SHORT STAFFED.
OVERTIME WAS TECHNICALLY IT'S
THEY CAN'T FORCE YOU, BUT YOU
UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING WAS
PRETTY MUCH YOU FELT OBLIGATED
BECAUSE AT THAT TIME, YOUR JOB
WAS NOT PROMISED. SO WHEN THEY
ASK YOU TO WORK OVERTIME,
BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OFFICERS
THAT ARE OUT, YOU COULD SAY NO
LEGALLY. BUT WE KNOW HOW THINGS
HAPPEN. YOU START SAYING NO TOO
MUCH, THINGS START TO HAPPEN.
YOU NEVER KNOW. WE WERE TOLD ON
A WEEKLY BASIS WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO LOOK
LIKE. WE DON'T KNOW IF
MANAGEMENT IS GOING TO COME IN
AND THEY'RE GOING TO CUT POST.
SO YOU HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU
WERE GOING TO HAVE A JOB THE
NEXT DAY. OVER THE PAST DECADE,
I HAVE WITNESSED THE CHANGING
LANDSCAPE OF DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES WITH ISSUES SUCH AS
MENTAL ILLNESS, DRUG USE AND
DESPAIR AFFECTING MANY WHO CALL
THE DOWNTOWN STREETS HOME. AS
SECURITY OFFICERS, OUR JOB IS TO
PROTECT PROPERTY. HOWEVER, WHEN
INDIVIDUALS FACING THESE
CHALLENGES APPROACH THE
PROPERTIES WE GUARD, WE ARE
EXPECTED TO MAKE CONTACT AND
ENGAGE WITH THEM. WE SERVE AS
FIRST RESPONDERS. YET UNLIKE
TRADITIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS, WE
LACK ESSENTIAL TOOLS SUCH AS
BATONS, PEPPER SPRAY, AND
ADEQUATE TRAINING TO HANDLE
INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE INFLUENCE
OF DRUGS OR EXPERIENCING MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS. THIS HAS RESULTED
IN MANY SECURITY OFFICERS BEING
ATTACKED AND SERIOUSLY INJURED.
WHILE I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE
RECEIVED TRAINING IN THE MARINE
CORPS, EQUIPPING ME WITH THE
ABILITY TO USE MY ENERGY AND
PRESENCE TO PREVENT PROPERTY
DAMAGE, MANY OF MY FELLOW
SECURITY OFFICERS DO NOT HAVE
THE SAME BACKGROUND. EVERY DAY I
GO TO WORK WITH THE WORRY AND
STRESS OF POTENTIALLY BEING
INJURED. WE, AS SECURITY
OFFICERS, FACE THIS CONCERN ON A
DAILY BASIS. IT IS UNDENIABLE
THAT DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES NEEDS
TO RECOVER AND SECURITY OFFICERS
WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN
ENSURING THE SAFETY OF BOTH THE
PUBLIC AND PROPERTY. HOWEVER, WE
NEED BETTER JOBS AND WE NEED
BETTER TOOLS, IMPROVE TRAINING
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED TO
BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND
DIGNITY. I HOPE TO NEVER SEE THE
DAY WHEN A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL IS
HELD IN FRONT OF OUR BUILDINGS,
LAMENTING THE DEATH OF A
SECURITY OFFICER, QUESTIONING
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO
PREVENT IT. SECURITY OFFICERS
ARE PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE TO
THE SOLUTION AND HAVE BEEN A
CONSTANT PRESENCE THROUGH
CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS. I URGE
YOU TO ENSURE. THAT WE DO
SOMETHING IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES TO KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY
AND SAFE. NOW, I SPOKE A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT SAFETY EQUIPMENT. THE
SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND OUR BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT DEAL WITH.
WE DEAL WITH AS SECURITY
OFFICERS IN THESE BUILDINGS. WE
DON'T HAVE BODY ARMOR. WE DON'T
HAVE THE PEPPER SPRAY, WE DON'T
HAVE BATONS. THESE ARE THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO KEEP US SAFE.
AND WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE
ATTENTION TO THE OUR COMPANY'S
MANAGEMENT. BUT THEY HAVE
NEGLECTED TO EVEN HAVE A SIT
DOWN WITH US IN A MEETING WITH
US ABOUT IT. IT JUST MAKES SENSE
. WE DON'T LIVE IN THE WORLD
THAT WE DID. YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO
WHERE SECURITY IN HIGH RISE
BUILDINGS WERE MORE CUSTOMER
SERVICE. WE STILL DO THAT. THAT
IS THAT IS ONE OF THE BACKBONES
OF WHAT WE DO. BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, THE ELEMENT AROUND
DOWNTOWN SECURITY HAS CHANGED
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE
BEING ATTACKED AND HURT ON A
REGULAR BASIS. WHAT OUR FEAR IS
WE'RE GOING TO END UP WAITING
UNTIL A SECURITY OFFICER LOSES
HIS OR HER JOB, AND THEN WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE THE NEWS MEDIA
REPORTING. AND IMAGINE SITTING
AT HOME IN YOUR LIVING ROOM WITH
YOUR FAMILIES, AND YOU'RE
WATCHING THE NEWS AND IT COMES
ON AND YOU SEE THESE NEWS VANS
WITH THE SATELLITE DISH ON TOP.
YOU SEE THE CANDLES OUTSIDE OF
THE BUILDINGS AND YOU SEE
COMMUNITY LEADERS COMING BEFORE
US AND A PODIUM WITH A FEW
MICROPHONES IN FRONT OF THEM
SAYING, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WHAT
ARE WE GOING TO DO TO STOP IT?
THEN YOU HAVE THE FAMILIES
THERE, THEY'RE GRIEVING, AND
THAT'S A REALITY THAT'S RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER. I DON'T WANT
US TO WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN
THAT SOMEONE HAS TO LOSE THEIR
LIFE. I CATCH THE SUBWAY TO WORK
EVERY DAY. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE
SHOOTING UP WITH DRUGS, USING
NEEDLES. I'M SEEING A SMALL
DIFFERENCE WITH THE SUBWAY
SYSTEM, BUT THAT WAS ONLY AFTER
PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES. PEOPLE
WERE KILLED DOWN IN THE SUBWAY
AND ATTACKED. WHY DO WE HAVE TO
WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO LOSE THEIR
LIFE? AND FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE TO
BURY THEIR LOVED ONES BEFORE WE
ACT? WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO
BETTER, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF COMING
TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY CARRYING
CARING ABOUT THE SECURITY
OFFICERS. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE
OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS. IT'S
THE LACK OF ACTUALLY CARING
WHERE I WORK IS THE GAS COMPANY
TOWER RIGHT NEXT TO PERSHING
SQUARE. WE'VE HAD EMPLOYEES
ATTACKED WITH STARBUCKS BECAUSE
STARBUCKS HAS A HANDS OFF POLICY
. THEY COME IN, THEY STEAL, THEY
DO WHAT THEY WANT. WE'VE HAD
EMPLOYEES WHERE A HOT COFFEE WAS
THROWN ON THEM, AND THEY HAVE TO
LEAVE AND GO TO THE HOSPITAL. WE
HAVE THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS
WHERE IN MY BUILDING WE'RE ASKED
TO APPROACH PEOPLE THAT ARE
HOMELESS, MENTALLY ILL. 6:00 IN
THE MORNING BECAUSE ALL NIGHT
THEY'VE BEEN SLEEP. AND A LOT OF
THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEY HAVE
MENTAL PROBLEMS. SO WHEN YOU GO
TO WAKE THEM UP, YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
DEAL WITH WHEN YOU'RE WAKING
THEM UP. AND THIS IS EVERY
SINGLE MORNING BECAUSE
MANAGEMENT WANTS THEM REMOVED
BEFORE TENANTS START COMING IN
TO WORK. SO OFTENTIMES WE'VE HAD
SECURITY OFFICERS CHASE, ATTACK,
CHASE WITH WEAPONS. THIS IS A
HUGE PROBLEM. BUT THE THREAT IS
NOT JUST THE PROBLEM. UNDER THE
SECURITY UMBRELLA, WE LOST ONE
OF OUR UNION BROTHERS, OUR
BROTHER TOMAS, WHO WAS A JANITOR
WHO WAS ATTACKED AND KILLED. HE
WASN'T WORKING SECURITY. HE WAS
A JANITOR. THIS IS A PROBLEM. SO
THIS IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM BASED
ON DEPENDS ON WHAT OCCUPATION
YOU HAVE. THIS IS JUST A PROBLEM
ACROSS THE BOARD AND IT NEEDS TO
BE ADDRESSED. BUT WE HAD
NEGOTIATIONS FOR OUR CONTRACT,
AND WE SAT DOWN WITH THE OWNERS
AND THE EXECUTIVES WITH THESE
SECURITY COMPANIES. AND IN OUR
CONTRACT, WHAT WE PUT FORTH WAS
TO ADDRESS SAFETY CONCERNS BODY
ARMOR, BATON, PEPPER SPRAY. WE
DIDN'T GET IT. THEY PUSHED BACK.
THEY GAVE ALL THESE EXCUSES. WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE IS
GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THE CLIENTS
MIGHT NOT WANT IT. BASICALLY, IT
SHOWED ME THAT THEY WERE NOT
CONCERNED. THEY DID NOT CARE
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT GET UP EVERY
SINGLE DAY AND GO TO WORK FOR
THEM. THEY DEBATED US FOR SIX
MONTHS. WE GOT DOWN TO THE LAST
HOUR BEFORE WE AGREED, FIGHTING
OVER $0.15. LITERALLY. THAT WAS
AN HOUR. BUT WAGE, THAT'S A
WHOLE NOTHER CONVERSATION. BUT
REGARDING SAFETY, THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO HAVE THIS IMPLEMENTED,
SO WE ENDED UP HAVING A CONTRACT
AND IT WASN'T ADDRESSED. BUT
WHAT THEY PROMISED US WAS THAT
WE WOULD HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING
AND WE WOULD SIT DOWN WITH YOU
GUYS TO DISCUSS SAFETY
PROTECTION ON THE JOB. IT HASN'T
HAPPENED. THAT WAS IN THE END OF
2022, 2022. WE STILL HAVEN'T HAD
THAT MEETING. SO FOR ME, IT'S
NOT JUST MY OPINION. I'M LOOKING
AT THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THE
BEHAVIOR TELLS ME THEY DON'T
CARE ABOUT US. THAT'S NOT REALLY
UP FOR DEBATE. WE BROUGHT THIS
TO THEIR ATTENTION. IT'S NOT
JUST AN OPINION OUT OF THE AIR.
THEY'RE THE POWERS THAT BE. DO
NOT CARE ABOUT THE SECURITY
OFFICERS THAT GET UP EVERY
SINGLE DAY, GO TO WORK BEING
ATTACKED. LIVES ARE ON THE LINE
AND THEY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THEY HEAR ABOUT IT. THEY SEE IT
IN IN OUR REPORTS, THE INCIDENT
REPORTS, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING
ON. BUT THEY DON'T CARE. AND
THAT'S A BIG ISSUE. AND THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS,
TO CHANGE THE MINDSET. PROBABLY
WON'T HAPPEN. WE MIGHT NEED
LEGISLATURE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
CHANGE THE HEART. THERE'S NO WAY
YOU CAN CHANGE AN ADULT TO CARE
ABOUT ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHEN
THEY'RE PRACTICING THIS TYPE OF
BEHAVIOR. SO TRYING TO CONVINCE
SOMEONE THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK
BECAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW. SO
THERE NEEDS TO BE LEGISLATION
BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN
WITH CHANGE OF THEIR HEARTS AND
THEIR MINDS. THESE ARE GROWN
ADULTS. THEY DON'T CARE. THEY
PROBABLY NEVER WILL. BUT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS, THE WAY YOU HAVE TO
GO AT THEM IS THERE NEEDS TO BE
SOMETHING, A LAW TO MAKE PEOPLE
BEHAVE AND TREAT PEOPLE WITH
DIGNITY AND RESPECT. AND UNTIL
THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE GOING TO
STILL HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. REED.
MISS ESTRADA. ARE YOU. BUENOS
DIAS. A TODOS ESTE SENORES
SENORAS DE LA FAMILIA. SO I
THINK THE TIME IS THAT I'M GOING
TO READ A NOVEL TO VOIGTS. OKAY.
ESTRADA. SO YOU'RE GOING TO UNA
MUJER INMIGRANTE ORGULLOSAMENTE
Y ORGULLOSAMENTE SER PARTE DEL
SINDICATO SEIU US W-W SIDO POR
MAS VEINTE ANOS. PRESIDENT HANEY
, MEMBERS OF THE OF THE ASSEMBLY
. MY NAME IS MARIA ESTRADA. I'M
A PROUD WOMAN, IMMIGRANT WOMAN.
I'M PROUD TO BE A JANITOR. I'M
PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
UNION, SEIU, US, WW. I'VE BEEN A
JANITOR FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
AND BUSCANDO COMO MUCHOS
INMIGRANTES MAS UNA VIDA MEJOR.
I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY IN 1989
LOOKING LIKE MANY OTHER
IMMIGRANTS, A BETTER LIFE. ME,
HERMANA FUE JANITOR Y LEADER DE
SU UNION EN EL ANO. HERMANA
PARTICIPAR EN UN MOVIMIENTO PARA
TENER MEJORES SALARIOS EN LA
INDUSTRIA DE LA LIMPIEZA. YO ME
FAMILIA, LA PAJAMAS Y UNA HUELGA
, PERO LOGRARON SU OBJETIVO. MY
SISTER WAS A JANITOR AND A UNION
LEADER. IN THE YEAR 2000, MY
SISTER PARTICIPATED IN A
MOVEMENT TO ACHIEVE BETTER WAGES
IN THE CLEANING INDUSTRY. MY
FAMILY AND I SUPPORTED HER. IT
WAS A DIFFICULT STRIKE, BUT WE
BUT THEY ACHIEVED THEIR
OBJECTIVE. DOS ANOS DESPUÉS EN
EL DOS MIL DOS MAIENSCHEIN
INDUSTRIA DE LA LIMPIEZA
HACIENDO LA SALLE DE LOS
ESTUDIOS DE LA ABC EN EL CANAL
SIETE. TWO YEARS LATER, IN 2002,
I BEGAN TO WORK IN THE CLEANING
INDUSTRY, DOING THE CLEANING
SERVICES AT ABC STUDIOS FOR
CHANNEL SEVEN. CONOZCO ESTA
INDUSTRIA MUY BIEN Y CONOZCO EL
CENTRO DE LOS ANGELES Y LA
CIUDAD A LA PERFECCION. YO VIVO
EN EL CENTRO DE LOS ANGELES Y
AQUI TAMBIÉN TRABAJO. I KNOW THE
INDUSTRY VERY WELL. I KNOW THE
DOWNTOWN AREA BY HEART. I LIVE
IN DOWNTOWN LA AND I ALSO WORK
HERE IN EL ANO Y ASI NADA
LIMPIAR LA UNION STATION A UNAS
QUADRAS DE ESTE SALON. AHI CON
LOS ANGELES CAÑADA QUIERE VER VÆ
EXTREMADAMENTE DE LA POBREZA.
RECUERDO VER A FAMILIA SENTIRAS
INGRESAR A LA UNION STATION A
USAR LOS BUENOS PUBLICOS PARA S¼
Y SU LOS HIJOS A LA ESCUELA A
LAS TRES DE LA MANANA IN 2014, I
WAS ASSIGNED TO CLEAN THE UNION
STATION BLOCKS AWAY FROM THIS
ROOM. THERE I SAW THE LOS
ANGELES THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE
. I SAW EXTREME POVERTY. I
REMEMBER SEEING WHOLE ENTIRE
FAMILIES GO INTO UNION STATION
TO USE THE PUBLIC BATHROOMS TO
BATHE AND TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO
SCHOOL AT 3 A.M. CONOCI EL
ABANDONO DEL GOBIERNO HACIA LA
GENTE MAS NECESITA A ME ME TOCO
LIMPIA ES COMO VOMITO SANGRE,
CHINCHES Y PIOJOS. I SAW HOW THE
GOVERNMENT ABANDONED PEOPLE THAT
WERE IN MAJOR NEED. I HAD TO
CLEAN UP FECES, VOMIT, BLOOD,
FLEAS AND LICE. NUNCA FUI
CAPACIDAD PARA LIMPIAR LA
SOCIEDAD HUMANA. I WAS NEVER
TRAINED TO CLEAN HUMAN FECES.
NUNCA RECIBI EL EQUIPO NECESARIO
PARA PROTEGER ME. I NEVER
RECEIVED THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY
TO PROTECT MYSELF. NUNCA ME
DIERON CAPACITACION DE QUÉ HACER
EN CASO DE EMERGENCIA Y ME
QUIEREN MUCHAS EMERGENCIAS MIS
COMPANEROS JANITOR SIDO VICTIMAS
DE VIOLENCIA IN LA UNION STATION
ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. I WAS
NEVER GIVEN TRAINING ON WHAT TO
DO IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND
BELIEVE ME, THERE WERE EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS. MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS JANITORS HAVE BEEN
VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AT UNION
STATIONS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,
AND UNION STATION TRABAJA HASTA
EL INICIO DE LA PANDEMIA. CUANDO
VARIOS JANITOR PERDIMOS NUESTRO
TRABAJO Y AUNQUE FUE MUY DIFICIL
Y PELIGROSO LIMPIAR LA UNION
STATION APRENDI A ALGO C¯ NUNCA
OLVIDARÉ C¯ LA GENTE QUÊ VIVE EN
LAS CALLES. A PESAR DEL PELIGRO.
QUÉ CREEMOS NÓ SON PERSONAS
MALAS CONOCI MÉDICOS C¯
TERMINARON EN LAS CALLES AND
DEPRESSION PERSONAS C¯
URGENTEMENTE NECESITABAN EL
APOYO EMOCIONAL DE FAMILIAS
ESTABAN EN LA POBREZA A
VETERANOS DE GUERRA DE EDAD EN
EL COMPLETO ABANDONO. AT UNION
STATION I WORKED UP UNTIL THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WHEN
SEVERAL JANITORS, MANY OF US,
LOST OUR JOBS. AND ALTHOUGH IT
WAS A VERY DIFFICULT AND
DANGEROUS JOB TO CLEAN UNION
STATION, I LEARNED SOMETHING
THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO FORGET.
I LEARNED THAT THAT THE PEOPLE
THAT LIVE ON THE STREETS, IN
SPITE OF THE DANGER THAT WE FACE
WITH THEM, THEY'RE NOT BAD
PEOPLE. I MET DOCTORS THAT ENDED
UP ON THE STREETS DUE TO
DEPRESSION. I MET PEOPLE THAT
URGENTLY NEEDED EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT. I SAW FAMILIES LIVING
IN POVERTY AND VETERANS THAT
FOUGHT, AND THE IRAQ WAR THAT
WERE ABANDONED. NOS ARGELINOS
CON RESPECTO Y DIGNIDAD. I
LEARNED TO TREAT MY ANGELINO
NEIGHBORS WITH DIGNITY AND
RESPECT. Ó TRABAJO EN EL U.S.
BANK LOS JANITOR LÀ PUSIMOS A
EDIFICIO DE APOYO. EL PASTOR.
TODAY I WORK AT US BANK TOWER.
THE JANITORS HAVE NICKNAMED THIS
BUILDING THE CAKE HAYA RECIBIDO
CAPACITACION DE CæA QUIMICOS
HIÂU UTILIZAR PARA PARA NÓ EL
MEDIO AMBIENTE Y NUESTRA SALUD A
ENTRENAMIENTO DE QUÉ HACER EN
CASO DE EMERGENCIA Y TAMBIÉN
ALGUNOS ENTRENAMIENTOS DE COMO
HACER NUESTRO TRABAJO DE MANERA
MAS SEGURA. THERE, I HAVE
RECEIVED TRAINING ON WHAT
CHEMICALS TO USE TO AVOID
DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR
HEALTH, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED
TRAINING ON WHAT TO DO IN CASES
OF EMERGENCY AND SOME TRAINING
ON HOW TO DO OUR JOB IN A SAFER
WAY. EL TRABAJO ES DURO UN DIA.
QUIERO INVITADOS Y ESPERO C¯ NOS
ACOMPANA PARA LAS REGLAS C¯ NOS
EMOS, PERO EN LOS TI¾N Y LOS
TRABAJADORES DE LIMPIEZA
TRABAJAMOS EN UN AMBIENTE SEGURO
LIMPIO ENTERO. QUIZAS SI IN OTRO
CIERRAN LO MISMO MAS GENTE
REGRESAR A TRABAJAR A SUS
OFICINAS AL CENTRO DE LOS
ANGELES. THE JOB IS HARD, AND
ONE DAY I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE
YOU TO COME AND SEE HOW WE BUST
OUR BUTTS AND AT US BANK TOWER,
THE TENANTS, THE WORKERS AND THE
JANITORS, WE WORK IN A CLEAN
ENVIRONMENT AND A SAFE AND A
PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT THAT
PERHAPS OTHER BUILDINGS CAN DO
THE SAME. AND THEN MORE PEOPLE
WILL RETURN TO THEIR OFFICES IN
DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN. SALGA.
ADELANTE AQUI TRABAJO ES MUY
COMUNIDAD. AQUI ESTOY AQUI AQUI
ADELANTE A MIS HIJOS. I WANT
DOWNTOWN TO THRIVE. HERE IS
WHERE I WORK. THIS IS MY
COMMUNITY. THIS IS MY HOME. AND
THIS IS WHERE I HAVE GIVEN MY
CHILDREN A BETTER LIFE. PERO
PARA QUÉ SALGA ADELANTE. EL
CENTRO DE LOS ANGELES LOS DUENOS
DE LAS COMPANIAS Y DE LOS
EDIFICIOS NOS TIENEN C¯ VER COMO
PARTE DE LA SOLUCION NO COMO SI
FUERA DE LOS GALGIANI. SI LOS
BONITOS SIEMPRE HEMOS ESTADO
AQUI PARA LIMPIAR LES ESTE ES UN
PRIMER PASO PARA ASEGURAR QUÊ
NUNCA MAS SE TOMAN DECISIONS. ÉL
NOSOTROS LOS TRABAJADORES
JANITOR. BUT IN ORDER FOR
DOWNTOWNS TO THRIVE OF COMPANY
OWNERS AND BUILDING OWNERS HAVE
TO SEE US AS PART OF THE
SOLUTION, NOT AS DISPOSABLE.
JANITORS HAVE ALWAYS. BEEN HERE
TO CLEAN, AND THAT IS THE FIRST
STEP TO HAVING SAFETY. AND THERE
SHOULD NEVER BE ANY DECISIONS
THAT BE MADE WITHOUT US. THE
JANITORS WORK ON THOSE BUILDINGS
.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU
FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR YOUR
WORK AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. I
THINK YOU PUT PERFECTLY INTO
WORDS WITH YOUR EXPERIENCES AND
YOUR STORIES ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU
AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AND THE
PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR DOWNTOWNS
EVERY DAY, HOW THERE HAVE BEEN A
NEW CHALLENGES, THAT, OUR
WORKERS DOWNTOWN ARE
EXPERIENCING, WHETHER THAT'S
HEALTH AND SAFETY, HOMELESSNESS,
MENTAL ILLNESS, DRUG USE, AND
THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO FACE A
FUTURE TOGETHER DOWNTOWN WHERE
EVERYBODY CAN BE SAFE AND
EVERYBODY CAN THRIVE AND
CONTRIBUTE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE DOING THE
WORK EVERY DAY, AND I THINK WE
DID HEAR SOME SOME BAD EXAMPLES
OF THAT WHERE OUR SECURITY
OFFICERS ARE BEING PUT OUT AND
EXPECTED TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS
WHERE THEY ARE NOT PROVIDED WITH
THE EQUIPMENT, NOT PROVIDED WITH
THE TRAINING, AND ARE ARE PUT IN
SITUATIONS WHERE THEY'RE IN
DANGER, AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND AS WE
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO
AS A STATE AND A CITY, WE HAVE
TO, CONFRONT THAT. WE ALSO HEARD
ABOUT HOW THERE ARE SOME
BUILDING OWNERS WHO ARE
SUPPORTING JANITORS IN ENSURING
THAT THEY HAVE THE TRAINING AND
THE SUPPORT AND THE PROTECTION
THAT THEY NEED. AND SOME OF THAT
WAS FOUGHT AND WON BY THE UNION.
THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN
SIMPLY OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF
FOLKS HEART. IT SOMETIMES IS
SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES CHANGES
IN LAWS, AND IT REQUIRES
REPRESENTATION THAT HELPS TO
ENSURE THAT AND PROTECT IT FOR
OUR WORKERS. I REALLY APPRECIATE
ALL THREE OF YOU. I KNOW THAT
MR. COLLINS WAS ABLE TO GIVE HIS
FIVE THINGS TO SO WE'RE, ABLE TO
HAVE THAT, ON OUR LIST. I DO
WANT TO OPEN IT UP IF THERE ARE
ANY QUESTIONS, AND THEN WE'LL
NEED TO MOVE TO THE NEXT PANEL
TO RESPECT EVERYONE'S TIME AS
WELL. YEAH, DEFINITELY. I MEAN,
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY QUICK,
BRADY. THANK YOU, I WORKED IN
RESTAURANTS FOR SIX YEARS, MOST
RECENTLY I WAS SLANG IN AT THE
FOX HILLS MALL AT BJ'S, I NOW
REPRESENT THAT SAME AREA IN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. YOUR COMMENTS
ABOUT COMMERCIAL RENT CONTROL.
WE HAVE MANY FOLKS WHO DON'T
HAVE LEASES AT ALL. THERE ARE
CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY
BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN AND IN
OTHER PARTS OF LOS ANGELES THAT
ARE DOING SEVEN FIGURES IN GROSS
SALES ON A MONTH TO MONTH LEASE,
TERRIFIED THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE
THE NEXT TRANSIT LINE GETS BUILT
UP, STARBUCKS OR SOMETHING
THAT'S COMING IN TO DISPLACE
THEM. AND SO I THINK YOU'VE
BROUGHT UP SOME INCREDIBLE
POINTS, WARREN, WE HAVE LET YOU
DOWN, YOU AND YOUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS ON THE JOB, WE'RE ASKING
YOU TO PICK UP THE FAILURES OF
US NOT BUILDING UP THE MENTAL
HEALTH AND SAFETY SECURITY
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN PUT THE
WEIGHT ON YOU WITHOUT THE
SUPPLIES THAT YOU NEED. SO THANK
YOU FOR SHARING THAT AND PUTTING
THAT BACK ON OUR FOCUS. YOU
SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS ALONE,
AND CERTAINLY WITH THOSE OF US
WHO ARE HERE TODAY, YOU ARE NOT
ALONE, SENORA ESTRADA MUCHO
GUSTO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY AND
YOUR TESTIMONY, AND THE WAY THAT
YOU APPROACH THE WORK, YOU DO
THE JOB WITH SO MUCH DIGNITY AND
SO MUCH RESPECT AND STILL CAN
SEE THAT HUMANITY AND OTHER
PEOPLE, EVEN IN TIMES OF
EMERGENCY AND TIMES OF CRISIS,
THAT'S REALLY POWERFUL. THAT IS
THE BEST OF LOS ANGELES. THAT IS
THE BEST OF DOWNTOWN. THAT IS
THE BEST OF OUR STATE. SO THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR
SHARING THAT TESTIMONY WITH US
TODAY. I'M JUST GOING TO GO SAY
THAT THE QUESTIONS I WOULD HAVE
ASKED, YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED.
SO I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR
TIME. AND, I'LL SEE YOU OUT ON
THE STREETS AGAIN. WE WANT TO
THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP,
FOR US, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE
NEED TO HEAR AND TO LEARN AS
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS,
TO THE CHALLENGES THAT OUR
DOWNTOWN IS FACING, WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT
YOU BROUGHT UP AS WELL. HOW DO
WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO THAT THEY
DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH FIVE,
SIX PEOPLE IN A ONE BEDROOM
APARTMENT, PEOPLE ARE COMMUTING
HOURS AWAY IN ORDER TO COME DOWN
HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT LÀ CAN
BE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN COME
SAFELY, FOR THE WORKERS WHO ARE
HERE AND THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES
THAT THEY'RE FACING, NOT ONLY
WITH VACANCIES. AND WE TALKED
ABOUT VACANCIES, BUT ALSO THE
ISSUES OF SAFETY AND
HOMELESSNESS AND ADDICTION, YOU
ALL ARE SO MUCH ON THE FRONT
LINES OF THAT. AND EVEN AS WE
THINK ABOUT HOW THE STATE AND
THE CITY CAN DO A BETTER JOB TO
TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE, THIS IS A
REALITY THAT YOU'RE FACING EVERY
DAY. AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE
THOSE CHANGES TO SUPPORT YOU
NOW. AND YOU HAVE OUR GRATITUDE
FOR YOUR WORK, FOR EVERYONE WHO
IS HERE, WHO WHO'S, WHOSE
STORIES ARE, ARE REPRESENTED IN
THE PEOPLE UP HERE, WE SEE YOU,
WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE DID THIS
AS OUR FIRST HEARING BECAUSE ANY
CONVERSATION ABOUT DOWNTOWN HAS
TO CENTER YOUR EXPERIENCES. AND
AS WE WORK TO BRING OUR STATE
BACK, OUR CITIES BACK, WE HAVE
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LIVES,
ARE ONES THAT ARE SAFER. ARE
YOUR JOBS ARE ONES THAT ALLOW
YOU TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR
FAMILIES, AND THAT WE REALLY,
CREATE AN ECONOMY THAT IS MORE
INCLUSIVE FOR EVERYONE HERE WHO
CONTRIBUTES SO MUCH TO BE ABLE
TO THRIVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME TODAY. AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, ON
ALL OF THESE ISSUES. AND WE
REALLY APPRECIATE THE THREE OF
YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
GRACIAS, GRACIAS. THANK YOU, ALL
RIGHT, I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR
LAST PANEL HERE TODAY, UP, UP.
AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S
PATIENCE. I'M GOING TO TRY TO
GET US, DONE AS CLOSE AS
POSSIBLE, TO 12, BUT WE DO WANT
TO BRING UP OUR LAST PANEL HERE,
AND WE HAVE, THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE INDEPENDENT
HOSPITAL COALITION, EDDIE
NAVARRO. NAVARETTE AND SENIOR
VICE PRESIDENT AT HUDSON PACIFIC
PROPERTIES, CHRIS PEARSON,
WELCOME.
ALL RIGHT, I LEARNED. THANK YOU,
HONORABLE MEMBERS, HERE IN THE
PUBLIC. MY NAME IS EDDIE
NAVARETTE. I AM A RESIDENT OF
DOWNTOWN LA, ALSO EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR AT THE INDEPENDENT
HOSPITALITY COALITION. AND ALSO
BOARD PRESIDENT OF ARTS CHIRLA
IN THE ARTS DISTRICT. MY
BACKGROUND IS OWNER OF ÁP DESIGN
AND CONSULTING, PROVIDING
ARCHITECTURE AND LAND USE
SERVICES FOR OUR RETAIL SMALL
BUSINESS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20
YEARS. WE ARE A BOUTIQUE
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY THAT HELPS
PRIMARILY HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES
GET THEIR DOORS OPEN. WE HAVE
SEEN WITHIN THOSE YEARS THE
DYNAMICS OF THE SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT WITHIN DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT LOS
ANGELES. I CAN'T SAY WE HAVE
EVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE
WE ARE EXPERIENCING TODAY.
DURING OUR LAST RESURGENCE OF
DOWNTOWN LA BACK IN 2005,
HOSPITALITY WAS OPEN FOR
BUSINESS, STARTING IN LARGE PART
BY OUR BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS,
RESTAURANTS WERE SOON TO FOLLOW.
WE SURVIVED THE RECESSION. IN
FACT, WE BOOMED POST RECESSION.
MOST OF LOS ANGELES DID, BUT
DOWNTOWN L.A. WAS GOING AT ITS
PEAK. OF COURSE, UNTIL MARCH
2020, WHEN EVERYTHING CHANGED.
UNLIKE ANYTHING WE HAD EVER
SEEN. BUSINESS JUST STOPPED.
HOSPITAL WE COULDN'T JUST WORK
FROM HOME. RULES CHANGED SEEMED
DAILY ON HOW WE COULD OPERATE.
OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT GAVE US
NEW REGULATIONS, LIKE CANDY
SPIKING TEAR INTO OUR CUSTOMERS
AND THE LITTLE STAFF WE COULD
MANAGE TO KEEP AROUND EXPOSING
THE DYSFUNCTION OF OUR HEALTH
DEPARTMENT BY GIVING THESE
REGULATIONS WITH NO TRAINING TO
INSPECTORS, THE SAME DAY AS THEY
WERE GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC, THE
PROTEST TOOK THE HEART RIGHT OUT
OF US, WITH STOREFRONTS GETTING
LOOTED. I MEAN, 2020 BEAT US
INTO THE GROUND AS WE STOOD BY
AND WATCHED OUR BUSINESSES GET
RAVAGED WITH NO SUPPORT. BUT
THEN OUR COMMUNITY WENT INTO
ACTION, WHERE THE INDEPENDENT
HOSPITALITY COALITION WAS BORN.
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS, LIKE
REGARDING HER SUPPORTING WOMEN
OWNED RESTAURANTS. ALSO, I KNOW
US WITHOUT YOU SUPPORTING OUR
SERVICE WORKERS. WE WERE FEEDING
HOSPITALITY, A HOSPITAL,
WORKERS, OUR ELDERLY. YOU
STARTED TO SEE THE RESILIENCE OF
OUR COMMUNITY RISE FROM THE
GROUND WE WERE SEVERELY STOMPED
INTO. THANK GOD FOR THE PGP.
THEN LATER THE RESTAURANT
RESILIENCE FUND, WHICH HELPED
TREMENDOUSLY, BUT ONLY FOR SOME.
THERE WAS A TON OF RENT RELIEF
FOR RESIDENTS, BUT NOT FOR OUR
COMMERCIAL STOREFRONTS. WE
COULDN'T GET OUR STAFF BACK TO
WORK BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDN'T
HAVE TO. FOR SOME, A SMALL
PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS
ISSUED RENT RELIEF, BUT MANY
MORE WITHOUT THE SKIN IN THE
GAME GAVE NOTHING. INSURANCE
COVERED NOTHING. ONE OF THE
BIGGEST LESSONS WE TEACH NOW IS
HOW IMPORTANT HAVING A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR LANDLORD
IS. OUR UNHOUSED HAD ALWAYS BEEN
AN ISSUE IN DOWNTOWN LA, BUT
HERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NORMALCY
TO IT. BUT AFTER 2020, THIS
ISSUE WAS EXACERBATED
EVERYWHERE. SAME WITH CRIME. WE
WERE SEEING MORE BROKEN
STOREFRONTS AND THEFT BACK THEN
DURING THE PROTESTS. SOMETIMES
STOREFRONTS WOULD GET SMASHED
INTO FOR NO REASON, JUST DUE TO
THE MENTALLY ILL LETTING OUT
SOME ENERGY. ALL VERY
DEVASTATING WHEN YOU'RE ALREADY
DEALING WITH ISSUES LIKE LAWSUIT
ABUSE DOUBLED, UTILITIES DOUBLED
INSURANCE IF YOU CAN EVEN GET
IT. ONE OF OUR RESTAURANTS
COULDN'T EVEN GET INSURANCE
BECAUSE THE BUILDING WAS TOO OLD
WITHOUT FIRE SPRINKLERS AND HAD
TOO MUCH CRIME AROUND IT.
LAWSUIT ABUSE HAS GROWN WITH
SERIAL SUITORS PREYING ON
COMMERCIAL STOREFRONTS BY BEING
AN INCH OFF FROM HANDICAP
REQUIREMENTS. WE SAW AN INCREASE
OF LAWSUITS FOR A NON ADA
WEBSITE COMPLIANCE. LABOR SUITS
SLAPPED ACROSS THE FACE AS A
WHOLE, INDUSTRY OF ATTORNEYS
THAT HAVE BEEN ENABLED TO THRIVE
IN CALIFORNIA, ALL WITH NO
REGULATION, INSURANCE COMPANIES
WITH NO REGULATION, RESTAURANTS
HAVE THE MOST REGULATION OF ANY
COMMERCIAL STOREFRONT. AND YET,
WE DO SO MUCH TO ADD TO THE
VIBRANCY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THE
SAFETY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, THE
LOCAL ECONOMY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD.
YET OUR VALUE IS OVERLOOKED.
BACK IN THE RESURGENCE OF
DOWNTOWN LA IN 2008, ISH LA
DEPARTMENTS GOT IN THE ROOM WITH
BUSINESSES AND WE WORKED
TOGETHER TO MAKE IT EASIER TO
OPEN A BUSINESS. NOW, THE ANSWER
BY DEPARTMENT IS TO COME UP WITH
SOLUTIONS. WITHOUT US, THAT JUST
COST THE CITY MORE MONEY. THERE
IS NO COLLABORATION. SEWER FEES
ARE DOUBLING IN LOS ANGELES,
MAKING OUR OUTDOOR DINING
PROGRAM EVEN MORE IMPOSSIBLE
THAN WITH LESS CITY STAFF.
OPENING A RESTAURANT HAS NEVER
BEEN MORE DIFFICULT THAN NOW,
WITH DEPARTMENTS REFUSING TO
REMOVE PROCESS OR RED TAPE AS AN
ANSWER. WE CREATE NOT JUST JOBS,
BUT IMPORTANT JOBS. FIRST TIME
IN LIFE JOBS AND SECOND CHANCE
IN LIFE JOBS. THERE IS NO OTHER
PLACE YOU CAN GO WITHOUT ANY
SKILLS OR EVEN BEING AN
IMMIGRANT TO GET EMPLOYED THAN
IN A RESTAURANT. WE TRULY ARE
THE BACKBONE OF COMMUNITY, YET
WE FEEL OVERLOOKED. WE DO NOT
FEEL SUPPORTED. THERE HAVE BEEN
SEVERAL SUCCESSFUL HOUSING
INITIATIVES, BUT NOTHING FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES, NO ADAPTIVE
REUSE PROGRAMS, NO ADU
STREAMLINE PERMITTING. PEOPLE
THAT COME HERE FROM OTHER STATES
OR EVEN COUNTRIES ARE TOTALLY
BLOWN AWAY BY HOW DIFFICULT IT
IS TO OPEN A RESTAURANT HERE.
RESTAURANTS ARE RESILIENT. WE
ARE PASSIONATE. WE'LL GO
ANYWHERE. JUST DON'T MAKE IT SO
HARD FOR US. IF WE'RE GOING TO
GET DOWNTOWN LA BACK TO WHERE IT
WAS, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO MAKE
SOME CHANGES. SAN DIEGO, I
HEARD, HAS BEEN DOING REMARKABLE
THINGS WITH THE PERMITTING BY
INTRODUCING SELF-CERTIFICATION
PERMITS. NEW YORK CITY DID IT IN
1995 AND PERMIT ISSUANCE WENT,
PERMIT ISSUANCE WAS DOUBLED
THERE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR
TO SEE THE MASS CLOSURES OF
INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS. THESE
DAYS. FOR A RESTAURANT OWNER, IT
JUST ADDS TO THE DISCOURAGEMENT
WE ARE ALL JUST LOOKING AT OUR
BANK ACCOUNTS GETTING LOWER AND
LOWER UNTIL THE TIME TO CLOSE
FOR BUSINESS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR
HAVING ME. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO
BE HERE AMONGST SUCH HONORABLE
PEOPLE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME IN THE CONVERSATION. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. MR. PEARSON,
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHRIS
PEARSON. I'M HERE REPRESENTING
HUDSON PACIFIC PROPERTIES. WE
ARE A PUBLICLY TRADED REIT THAT
OWNS APPROXIMATELY 20,000,000FT²
OF OFFICE FROM VANCOUVER TO LOS
ANGELES, BUT MOSTLY IN DOWNTOWN
AREAS UP AND DOWN THE WEST
COAST. AS WE'VE STRUGGLED TO
REBOUND POST COVID, WE'VE SEEN
THE NEED AND THE DESIRE TO
PARTNER ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. I
THINK HISTORICALLY, WHAT YOU SEE
FROM BUSINESS OWNERS TODAY,
PARTICULARLY OFFICE OWNERS, IS,
IS, WE'VE BEEN TYPICALLY OPPOSED
TO REGULATION, OPPOSED TO
ENGAGEMENT, FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS. AND I THINK THE REALITY
OF WHERE WE SIT AS OFFICE
OWNERS, WE BELIEVE THAT A HEALTH
AND JUST ECONOMY IS NECESSARY
AND REQUIRED. THAT MEANS WE HAVE
TO RESPECT AND HONOR THE WORKERS
THAT HELP KEEP OUR BUILDINGS
SAFE, HELP KEEP OUR BUILDING
CLEAN, HELP KEEP OUR BUILDING
OPERATING, BUT A BIG PIECE OF
THAT IS MAKING SURE WE'RE ABLE
TO ACTUALLY KEEP OUR BUILDING
RUNNING, AND WITH THE OCCUPANCY
STRUGGLES THAT WE SEE, AS YOU'VE
HEARD, DOWNTOWN OCCUPANCY IS
JUST HOVERING ABOUT 70. BUT IF I
TOLD YOU WHAT REAL OCCUPANCY IS,
MEANING BUTTS IN SEATS, WE'RE
PROBABLY CLOSER TO 60, AS I
SAID, WE OWN BUILDINGS
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. WE OWN
QUITE A FEW BUILDINGS IN SAN
FRANCISCO. ONE OF THOSE
BUILDINGS IS THE FERRY BUILDING.
I JUST USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE.
THE FERRY BUILDING IS THE NUMBER
ONE TOURIST DESTINATION IN SAN
FRANCISCO. WE'VE RETURNED TO OUR
PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS AS IT
RELATES TO TOURISM VISITORS ON
SITE. BUT OUR SALES FOR OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE
FERRY BUILDING ARE STILL DOWN
20, AND THAT'S WHOLLY
CONTRIBUTING AND REALLY
CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF
OFFICE WORKERS WITHIN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA. I THINK DOWNTOWN
LOS ANGELES IS EXPERIENCING
SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR, IF NOT
WORSE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE SAME
TYPE OF TOURIST ATTRACTION THAT
THE FERRY BUILDING HISTORICALLY
HAS BEEN. I THINK OUR ABILITY TO
CONTINUE TO INVEST IN OUR
WORKERS AND SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH
AND AN EQUITABLE ECONOMY IS
PREDICATED ON OUR ABILITY TO
BRING BACK OFFICE WORKERS TO OUR
BUILDINGS AS THE TOP THREE
THINGS WE CARE ABOUT WHEN IT
COMES TO BRINGING BACK OFFICE
WORKERS. ARE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD
IT SAFETY, CLEANLINESS AND WE
CARE ABOUT IT TO REALLY ATTRACT
OUR TENANTS BACK. BUT WE ALSO
CARE ABOUT IT BECAUSE AS YOU'VE
HEARD FROM THE WORKERS, THEY
HAVE TO LIVE IT DAY IN AND DAY
OUT. I GET TO GO BACK TO MY
OFFICE, IT'S NOT IN DOWNTOWN AND
HEAR ABOUT ISSUES, BUT THEY HAVE
TO DEAL WITH IT AND CONFRONT IT
DAY IN, DAY OUT. AND I THINK THE
EXPECTATION FOR THEM TO DO THAT
IS UNREALISTIC. IF WE ARE NOT
PARTNERING BOTH AS OWNERS, AS
GOVERNMENT AND AS WORKERS TO
REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES HEAD
ON. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM
NELLA AND OTHERS THAT ACTIVATION
IS SOMETHING THAT WE CARE REALLY
HOLISTICALLY ABOUT. WE HAVE TO
GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO COME
BACK TO DOWNTOWN BEFORE THEY
DECIDE TO LEASE SPACE, BEFORE
THEY DECIDE TO LEASE, RESTAURANT
SPACE. BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE
PEOPLE A REASON TO COME DOWN. I
THINK GOVERNMENT PLAYS A BIG
ROLE IN BRIDGING THAT GAP TO
WHETHER IT'S FARMERS MARKETS,
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, MOVIES IN
THE PARK, WHATEVER IT MAY BE,
ACTIVATING OUR PUBLIC SPACE TO
ATTRACT INDIVIDUALS BACK TO
DOWNTOWN IS A PRIORITY. WE DO
HAVE LARGE EVENTS COMING, BUT IT
IS THOSE MICRO ENGAGEMENTS AND
MICRO OPPORTUNITIES THAT I THINK
ARE GOING TO BE, MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND HAVE A LARGER
IMPACT. I THINK IF YOU GÂY WHEN
I WORKED DOWNTOWN IN CITY HALL,
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN LA
ART WALK, WHICH WAS SUPER
SUCCESSFUL FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS. IT'S BRINGING EVENTS LIKE
THAT BACK AND ENSURING THAT WE
HAVE THE PUBLIC RESOURCES TO
KEEP THOSE EVENTS SAFE AND
ENGAGING, THAT WILL ENSURE THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB ON THE
OFFICE SIDE OF BRINGING TENANTS
BACK TO DOWNTOWN LA. SO THAT'S
THOSE ARE THE TOP TWO THINGS. I
THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE
THIRD THING YOU HEARD FROM
EDDIE, REALLY THE REGULATION
SIDE OF ENSURING WE'RE REMOVING
ANY BARRIERS ON THE TIME SIDE TO
DISCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME BACK.
I MEAN, IF SOMEONE'S INVESTING
THEIR MONEY IN OUR DOWNTOWNS, WE
HAVE TO DO WHATEVER IT IS TO
INCENTIVIZE THEM TO DO THAT. AND
SO THE MORE BARRIERS WE CAN
REMOVE, THE MORE BARRIERS LOCAL
OFFICIALS CAN REMOVE TO EXPEDITE
THEIR PERMITTING. FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES, IN PARTICULAR, THOSE
STREET LEVEL BUSINESSES, THE
BETTER. AND WHETHER IT'S
SELF-CERTIFICATION, THOSE ARE
ALL THINGS THAT ALLOW FOR US TO
MOVE QUICKLY. AND WHEN YOU'RE
SPENDING MONEY, THAT'S KIND OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, THE
LAST PIECE THAT I WILL REALLY
HONE IN ON, HELLO?
ASSEMBLYMEMBER FONG. YOU KNOW, I
THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO SORT OF
LOOK TO OUR FUTURE, AS, AS
BUILDING OWNERS, WE DO LOOK TO,
ESPECIALLY IN DOWNTOWN CBDS, WE
LOOK TO OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICES
TO REFILL AS WELL. I THINK
HAVING GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES GO
BACK TO WORK IS SOMETHING THAT
WE ARE A BIG PROPONENT OF ACROSS
OUR OUR MARKETS THAT WE DO
BUSINESS IN, AND THEY'RE AS BIG
A PART OF THE OFFICE MARKET AS
YOUR PRIVATE USERS. AND SO I
KNOW THAT MAY BE A BIT
CONTROVERSIAL DEPENDING ON THE
SETTING, BUT IN OUR MINDS, IT
TAKES ALL OF US TO SACRIFICE A
BIT TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE NEED
TO BE. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO
INVEST IN OUR WORKERS, WHICH
MEANS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
INVEST IN OUR BUILDINGS. AND TO
DO THAT, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO
BE PROFITABLE, THE LAST PIECE,
KIND OF THE FINAL PIECE, IS WITH
FALLING VALUES AS IT RELATED TO
OUR RENTS AND OUR OCCUPANCY.
WE'RE SEEING BUILDINGS, AS MANY
OF YOU KNOW, GO INTO
FORECLOSURE. WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING WHEN THOSE BUILDINGS
GO INTO FORECLOSURE IS YOU END
UP GETTING A RECEIVER WHO TAKES
OVER THOSE BUILDINGS, WHO
TYPICALLY IS NOT LOCAL TO THE
CITY, MAYBE NOT EVEN LOCAL TO
THE STATE. AND SO YOU HAVE
INDIVIDUALS MAKING DECISIONS FOR
THESE BUILDINGS, FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NO TIE
HERE. AND THAT IMPACTS OUR
WORKERS. IT IMPACTS EVERYBODY'S
EXPERIENCE, IT IMPACTS OUR
TENANTS. AND SO FOR US TO BE
SUCCESSFUL, TO HOLD ON TO OUR
BUILDINGS, TO HAVE GOOD OWNERS
WHO ARE CONTINUALLY TO INVEST IN
LOCAL MARKETS, WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR
SUCCESS, AND WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE SHARING IN OUR
SUCCESS TO CONTINUE THAT
ENCOURAGEMENT OF COLLABORATION.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. WE
CAN GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
AS WELL. YOU KNOW, IN, YOU KNOW,
I APPRECIATE IT, FOR YOU, MR.
NAVARRO. RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY,
YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN SORT OF TAKE
FOR GRANTED THAT THAT THE SMALL
BUSINESSES OR RESTAURANTS OR
KIND OF KIND OF FIGURE IT OUT ON
THEIR OWN. AND, AND WE HAVE ALL
THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE
VACANT OFFICE BUILDINGS, AND WE
HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE
WORKFORCE IN THOSE BUILDINGS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I WORKED A LOT,
AS YOU NOTED, ON THE ADAPTIVE
REUSE ON CONVERTING TO HOUSING
AND THEN THE SMALL BUSINESSES
AND THE RESTAURANTS ARE SORT OF
LEFT OUT ON THEIR OWN, EVEN
THOUGH NONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN
WITHOUT THEM. IT FOLKS TALKED
ABOUT EARLY A HUGE REASON WHY
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME BACK
INTO THESE OFFICE BUILDINGS OR
START TO INVEST IN AND BRING
THEIR TENANTS BACK TO THE
OFFICES OR COME BACK AS TOURISTS
OR COME STAY HERE AS HOTELS IS
BECAUSE OF THE RESTAURANTS AND
THE NIGHTLIFE. AND YET IT'S VERY
MUCH NOT CENTERED IN THE
CONVERSATION. I THINK, TO THE
EXTENT THAT IT SHOULD BE AND I
SHOULD SAY I I'LL NOTE THAT OUR
NEXT HEARING IS GOING TO BE IN
SAN DIEGO, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
FOCUSING ON THESE EXACT ISSUES.
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE IN SOME
WAYS, IT'S A IT'S A PREVIEW OF
OUR OF OUR NEXT HEARING. ONE
THING I JUST WANT TO SAY TO, TO
BOTH OF YOU, AND IT'S KIND OF A
CONNECTED QUESTION, THERE'S A
HUGE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE
AROUND REGULATIONS AS IT RELATES
TO, PREDICTABILITY AND
SIMPLICITY. YOU KNOW, IF YOU
WANT TO OPEN A BUSINESS AND YET,
YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER WEEK
THINGS MIGHT CHANGE ON WHAT
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO OR WHO YOU
HAVE TO PAY OR WHO YOU HAVE TO
GO TO, OR WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO
BE ASKED TO DO, THAT
DISINCENTIVE ADVISES PEOPLE FROM
WANTING TO OPEN BUSINESSES OR
COMING BACK TO DOWNTOWN. ARE
THERE ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU
SEE THAT WE CAN DO ON THAT
FRONT? AND IN PARTICULAR, ARE
THERE THINGS THAT YOU THINK THAT
THE STATE CAN BE DOING TO
SUPPORT THAT? I KNOW SOME OF THE
THINGS OUR CITY AS WELL, BUT ARE
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAT YOU
THINK FROM A STATE PERSPECTIVE
TO HAVE MORE PREDICTABILITY SO
THAT WHEN YOU MAKE THESE
INVESTMENTS, YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW,
POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE PULLED
OUT FROM UNDER YOU. YES. THANK
YOU. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AB
2550 IS A GREAT NEW BILL, BY
ASSEMBLY MEMBER GABRIEL, WHICH
IS 13 BUILDING AND HEALTH CODE
UPDATES TO SAVE CALIFORNIA
RESTAURANTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN UNNECESSARY CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S JUST THE START. WE NEED
TO KEEP ON DOING THIS. THESE ARE
BUILDING CODES, AND OUR HEALTH
CODES DO NOT REFLECT THE
PROGRESS OF OUR INDUSTRY. I
THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT
THESE CODES AGAIN AND SEE HOW WE
CAN MAKE CHANGES ANNUALLY UNTIL
WE CAN GET TO THE PLACE THAT
ACTUALLY REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY
THAT WE WANT TO BUILD, AB 2097
WAS A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE THAT
PASSED, I BELIEVE IT WENT INTO
EFFECT IN 2023, WHICH PROHIBITED
LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FROM
REQUIRING PARKING FOR BUSINESSES
NEXT TO TRANSPORTATION AREAS, I
THINK WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING
LIKE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO
PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR SIMPLY
HAVING A RESTAURANT, I DON'T
BELIEVE THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO
HAVE AS MUCH RED TAPE AS WE
HAVE. IF YOU'RE SIMPLY OPENING
UP A 50 SEAT RESTAURANT, I THINK
THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW,
DISTINGUISH WHAT A SMALL
BUSINESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
INCENTIVIZE TO HAVE MORE OF AND
WHAT WE CONSIDER A MUCH LARGER
BUSINESS SO THAT WE DON'T GET
TOO IN THE WEEDS ABOUT WHAT A
LARGER CORPORATE BUSINESS MAY BE
AND WHAT AN INDEPENDENT SMALL
BUSINESS MAY BE. I THINK ALL
THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I THINK ARE
IMPORTANT TO HAVE, BUT I THINK
THOSE ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF
SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST,
JUST LIKE BRADY. GOOD, GOOD, BUT
I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. GOOD, GOOD
GOOD. Ó. DO YOU WANT TO? YES, I
WANT TO GO BACK TO MR. NAVARRO,
AND I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THAT
RIGHT. IF I DON'T, I APOLOGIZE.
BUT, HERE'S TWO THINGS KIND OF I
HEARD RIGHT IN THE PERMITTING
AND IN THE GOVERNMENT SPACE,
WHICH IS OPENING AND OPENING UP
A BUSINESS AND THE SUSTAINMENT
OF A BUSINESS, HAVE YOU SEEN ANY
SUCCESSFUL MODELS? I'VE ALWAYS
KIND OF ASKED PEOPLE THAT. I
REMEMBER ONE TIME SITTING
AROUND, I ASKED, FOLKS WHO WERE
DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT
DIFFERENT SORTS OF MODELS AND
THEY POINTED AT SANTA ANA AT THE
TIME. THAT DID KIND OF
SIMULTANEOUS PERMITTING AS
OPPOSED TO ONE BY ONE BY ONE.
AND THEY DID WHAT THEY SUGGESTED
WAS LIKE TABLESIDE PERMITTING.
RIGHT. THEY'D GO UP AND IT'S NOT
TABLESIDE PERMIT. BUT, YOU KNOW,
THE ANALOGY WAS THAT YOU PUT A
TABLE OUT AND YOU DID IT ALL AT
ONCE. RIGHT? SO IN YOUR KIND OF
INDUSTRY, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN
THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL MODELS
OUTSIDE OF THE HOPE OF
LEGISLATION? AND I'M NOT SAYING
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
RIGHT. BUT BUT WHAT I'M SAYING
IS, ARE THERE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
MODELS THAT YOU HAVE LOOKED AT.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU. WHAT THE
OUTDOOR DINING. I MEAN, I AM AT
THE STATE LEVEL AND WE WERE
CALLING THE COUNTY. WE COULDN'T
FIGURE IT OUT. CALLING THE CITY,
COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. AT SOME
POINT IN TIME, WE JUST TOLD
PEOPLE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO
IT. I MEAN, I WAS GOING TO COME
OUT IN YEARS ANYWAYS, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN? YEAH, BUT BUT BUT I
MEAN, THAT'S THE REALITY OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN, IN DOWNTOWN DURING
COVID, RIGHT. THERE WAS NO
REGULATION. THERE WAS NO THERE
WERE REGULATIONS SET, BUT THERE
WAS NO WAY TO ACHIEVE THEM
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE TO TALK
TO GET THERE, I GET THAT, I
UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT
SUCCESSFUL MODELS HAVE YOU
LOOKED AT, IN AN IN A REAL IF
THERE WAS AN IDEAL WORLD, IS
THERE ONE, YOU KNOW, OR CITY OR
AREA, YOU KNOW. WELL, THE
GENTLEMAN, HAD MENTIONED HOW A
VERY IMPORTANT THING I SAY
OFTEN, WHICH IS CAN'T FORCE YOU
CAN FORCE THE HAND, BUT YOU
CAN'T FORCE THE HEART. AND I
FEEL THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET
THE DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED
IN CREATING THE REGULATION AND
THE RED TAPE IN THE SAME ROOM
WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE
FRONT LINES OF EITHER BUILDING
THESE THINGS OR THAT ARE BEING
IMPACTED BY RESTAURANT, HAS IT
BEEN A SUCCESSFUL MODEL THAT YOU
LOOK AT SAYING, IF WE HAD THAT,
IF WE HAD THAT IN 2008, IN
DOWNTOWN LA, DURING THE LAST
RESURGENCE, AND IT WAS VERY
EFFECTIVE, BUT I THINK THAT SAN
DIEGO IS DOING A WONDERFUL JOB
BY COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE JUST FOR SO THAT I
UNDERSTAND BETTER? WELL, SO
SELF-CERTIFICATION PERMITS HAS
CUT AND BY THE WAY, SORRY TO
JUMP AHEAD OF THE CHAIR AND ASK
THAT QUESTION. I SHOULD HAVE
ASKED THE CHAIR IF I COULD, BUT
BECAUSE IT'S GOOD NATURED I LIKE
TO ASK THAT. NO, DEFINITELY. I
THINK AGAIN, SAN DIEGO HAS DONE
A WONDERFUL JOB OF CUTTING DOWN
THEIR THEIR PERMIT ISSUANCE IN
THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO GET
PERMITS ISSUED IN HALF AND
QUALIFYING PERMITS TO BE ISSUED
THE SAME DAY BY
SELF-CERTIFICATION. I THINK IT'S
A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE. I THINK
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GO SAYING
IT BREAKS IT DOWN BY HALF BY
HALF OF THE TIME. YES.
STREAMLINING PERMITS FOR NOT
ONLY COMMERCIAL BUT ALSO FOR
HOUSING. Kò GIVE ME AN IDEA OF
LIKE RIGHT NOW, OKAY. AND IT
TAKES THIS LONG. WHAT DOES HALF
MEAN IN TERMS OF REAL TIME?
WELL, RIGHT NOW OPEN UP A
RESTAURANT. MAYBE IT TAKES YOU
ABOUT A NINE MONTHS. IF YOU HIRE
SOMEONE LIKE ME TO HELP YOU,
USUALLY IT TAKES ABOUT A YEAR.
AND THEN FOR CONSTRUCTION,
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER
YEAR. THAT'S TWO YEARS TO BUILD
A RESTAURANT. SO HALF IS A YEAR.
AND YOU CONSIDER THAT A SUCCESS,
RIGHT? JUST TO ADD JUST TO
PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT, WHAT WE'RE
SEEING IN SAN FRANCISCO RIGHT
NOW IS THEY'VE DONE A REALLY
GOOD JOB OF MERGING THEIR
DEPARTMENTS TO WORK QUICKLY TO
REOPEN RESTAURANTS. SO THEY'RE
PROCESSING PERMITS LIKE WITHIN
LIKE TWO MONTHS, LIKE TO GET A
PERMIT OPEN. I MEAN, IN THE BIG
PIECE, JUST TO PUT IT IN THE
CONTEXT AS OPPOSED TO WHAT HERE
AS OPPOSED TO A YEAR HERE. SO, I
MEAN, AND JUST WHY DOWNTOWN L.A.
IS SO SIGNIFICANT AND KIND OF
COMPARABLE IS DOWNTOWN HAS WHAT
WE CALL A TON OF LIKE GEN TWO
SPACE, MEANING IT WAS A
RESTAURANT AT SOME POINT. IT'S
JUST NOT A OPERATING RESTAURANT
RIGHT NOW. THE ABILITY TO HAVE
GEN TWO SPACE AND REALLY
EXPEDITE THAT PERMITTING IF YOU
CAN COLLABORATE AND BRING
TOGETHER THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS,
IT'S PREDICTABLE WHAT THE ISSUES
ARE GOING TO BE AND SO THE CITY
CAN GET AHEAD OF IT IF THEY
CHOSE TO, PARTICULARLY FOR GEN
TWO SPACE, WHICH WOULD CUT THAT
TIME IN HALF. IF NOT, YOU KNOW,
A THIRD OF THE TIME. BUT I MEAN,
SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH IN
COMPARISON TO L.A. HAS AS MUCH
RED TAPE AS ANYWHERE ELSE, HAS
FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE IT GO
FROM WHAT WAS A YEAR THERE OR
LONGER TO LIKE TWO MONTHS.
WHAT'S THE WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS
IT THAT THEY DID? AND THEN IN
THAT SAME QUESTION I WOULD ASK,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT IT'S NOT A
CITY MEETING HERE, RIGHT? IT'S
MORE OF A STATE MEETING. IT'S A
STATE MEETING HERE. BUT LIKE IN
YOUR EXPERIENCE, NUMBER ONE OF
WHAT IS IT THAT THEY DID RIGHT.
AND WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT THEY
TOOK OUT OR KEPT IN. AND THEN
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
PERMITTING RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS
WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT
MAKE SENSE? AND SOME OF THOSE
THINGS THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
AND SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY IN THE
WORLD THEY'RE DOING THAT. SO, SO
MR. NAVARETTE PROBABLY CAN TALK
TO THE DETAILS MORE THAN I CAN
BECAUSE HE'S LIVING IN DAY IN
AND DAY OUT. BUT WHAT I WILL SAY
IS, JUST FROM AN OVERALL POLICY
MAKING PERSPECTIVE, HEARING FROM
OUR ELECTED LEADERS THE NEED TO
EXPEDITE GETS DEPARTMENTS
WORKING IN A WAY THAT I DON'T
THINK THEY DO TODAY, WHETHER
THAT'S FROM THE STATE LEVEL OR
LOCALLY AND Tð, I THINK WHETHER
IT'S SELF CERTIFICATION, WHICH
IS A STATE ISSUE THAT YOU GUYS
CAN CONTROL, THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CONTROL OUR
TIMELINE OF OUR CONSULTANTS
PRODUCING THE DOCUMENTS THAT
THEY CAN THEN SELF CERTIFY IN
SOME CAPACITY. AND THEN TWO, I
WOULD LOOK TO HIM TO PROVIDE YOU
REALLY DETAILS ON HEALTH AND
SAFETY CODES THAT CAN BE RELAXED
AND OR ELIMINATED, DEPENDING ON
WHERE THEY SIT TODAY IN
COMPARISON TO WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON THE GROUND WITH WITH OUR
RESTAURANTS. THAT. OH, SURE.
WELL, I'M JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I
THINK, EVERY TIME THAT WE BRING
A POLICY TO A DEPARTMENT ABOUT A
CHANGE, OFTENTIMES THEY ARE NOT
IN THE SAME ROOM AND THEY ARE
GIVING IT TO THEM IN A THIRD
HAND CAPACITY, AND THEY ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO COLLABORATE WITH US.
SO I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY WAY FOR
US TO HAVE THIS KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, WAY OF STREAMLINING
PERMITS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS
HAVING EVERYTHING BEING DONE BY,
YOU KNOW, ONE SUBMITTAL, IF YOU
WILL, IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
COLLABORATE WITH THE
DEPARTMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO HAVE PRIVATE ENGINEERS AND
PUBLIC ENGINEERS IN THE SAME
ROOM, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
HASH OUT THE DETAILS OF PUBLIC
SAFETY AND WHAT'S NOT PUBLIC
SAFETY, AND GET RID OF THE
NONSENSE SO WE CAN MAKE IT MORE
ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE REALLY
LOOKING FOR, WHICH IS TO
PRESERVE PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THEN
WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH
DEPARTMENT REGULATIONS, NEW YORK
DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN CHECK
PROCESS. YOU JUST OPEN UP YOUR
RESTAURANT AND THEY COME AND
THEY INSPECT TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU'RE KEEPING YOUR OPERATIONS
CLEAN. AND THE CLEANLINESS,
THAT'S JUST AN AREA OF RED TAPE
THAT I JUST DON'T THINK WE NEED
TO HAVE ANYMORE. I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING WE CAN COMPLETELY DO
AWAY WITH. THE PLAN CHECK
PROCESS TO SUBMIT PLANS TO THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETELY
CUMBERSOME. YOU HAVE TO BE A
PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN DESIGNER OR
HAVE SOME SORT OF LIKE, HEALTH
SAFETY BACKGROUND. AND WHERE ARE
YOU GOING TO FIND THOSE PEOPLE?
IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS WHO
JUST DOESN'T EVEN BARELY SPEAK
THE LANGUAGE, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. I
FEEL LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME
SORT OF, YOU KNOW, FIX WHEN IT
COMES TO THE PLAN CHECK PROCESS
WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I
WANT TO, ASK ONE LAST QUESTION.
I REALIZE WE'RE OVER TIME HERE,
SO WE. I'M SURE WE COULD GO A
LOT LONGER HERE, BUT I WANTED TO
ASK, MR. PIERSON, YOU KNOW, AS
SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY FAMILIAR
WITH THE OWNERSHIP AND OPERATION
OF THESE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
BUILDINGS, AND I THINK IS WE'RE
ALL ACKNOWLEDGING FOR SURE THAT
THAT YOU ALL ARE, ARE TRYING TO
DO WELL BY THE PEOPLE WHO WHO
WORK FOR YOU AND WHO YOU
CONTRACT WITH. I WONDER IF YOU
COULD SPEAK TO MAYBE IN SOME
WAYS, IN RESPONSE TO THE TO THE
EXPERIENCES THAT WE HEARD FROM
MR. ESTRADA AND, AND MR. REID
ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST
PRACTICES THAT YOU ALL ARE
SEEING OR THAT YOU THINK ABOUT
IN TERMS OF HOW TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE WORKFORCE THAT IS
CONNECTED TO, THE BUILDINGS THAT
YOU ALL OWN AND OPERATE, HOW TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE,
THE SUPPORT, BOTH FOR NOT ONLY
WITH WAGES BUT ALSO HEALTH AND
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. AND HOW
ARE YOU ALL THINKING ABOUT THOSE
THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE
SHARED WITH US EARLIER? YEAH.
AND I THINK IT WAS SHARED THAT
IT IS A MATTER OF HOW YOU
OPERATE VERSUS SETTING UP A
THERE'S NOT I CAN'T GIVE YOU
RULES AND REGS WE USE. BUT WHAT
I CAN SAY IS WE CARE, RIGHT? WE
ENGAGE WITH OUR WORKERS AT A
REAL LEVEL, AND I THINK THAT'S
PROBABLY PARAMOUNT. WE HOLD WE
THINK OUR SUBCONTRACTORS WHO
THEN HIRE OUR WORKERS WHO ARE ON
SITE, WHETHER IT'S CLEANING OR
SECURING OUR BUILDING, OUR
REFLECTION OF WHO WE ARE, WE SO
WHETHER IT WAS DURING COVID AND
OUR BUILDINGS WERE EMPTY, WE
KEPT EVERYBODY EMPLOYED, BECAUSE
THEY ARE A REFLECTION OF US, AND
THEY'RE AS MUCH A PART OF THE
FAMILY AS A HUDSON EMPLOYEE
THAT'S GETTING THAT W-2 EVERY
YEAR. SO, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S
JUST ABOUT PERCEPTION AND HOW WE
VIEW THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR
BUILDINGS. THEY ARE AN EXTENSION
OF ME. THEY'RE AN EXTENSION OF
OUR BOARD, OF OUR CEO. AND IF WE
DON'T VIEW IT THAT WAY, THEN I
DO THINK YOU GET THAT DISCONNECT
ON NOT RECOGNIZING THE HUMANITY
AND WHAT THEY DO AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE YOU'RE
BUILDING SAFE AND CLEAN. AND SO
WE RECOGNIZE THE HUMANITY AND
WHAT THEY DO. THE IMPORTANCE OF
WHAT THEY DO, AND THE SACRIFICE
BY WHICH THEY HAVE TO DO IT, AND
I THINK THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT
COMES FOR THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT
WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROTECTED
DURING WHETHER IT'S NEGOTIATING
AS WE JUST GOT THROUGH WITH WITH
OUR FRIENDS AT SEIU OR
OTHERWISE, IT'S JUST REALLY
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT THEY
MEAN TO OUR BUILDING AND THE
OVERALL SUCCESS OF OUR BUSINESS.
THANK YOU. KNOW, I APPRECIATE
THAT. AND I THINK THAT WAS, SORT
OF THE SENTIMENT THAT WAS
BROUGHT UP IS HOW DO WE CREATE,
THE RIGHT CULTURE, WHERE THERE
IS THAT CARE AND UNDERSTANDING
OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERY
SINGLE PERSON WHO IS A PART OF A
BUSINESS OR A BUILDING OR AN
OPERATION AND, AND THAT THEY'RE
NOT DISCARDED OR THEY'RE NOT PUT
INTO, INTO SITUATIONS THAT ARE
UNFAIR OR DANGEROUS. I THINK ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS
SOMETIMES WITH SOME OF THE
BUILDINGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT
HAPPEN DOWNTOWN ARE, ARE THAT WE
HAVE SO MANY CONTRACTORS AND
SUBCONTRACTORS THAT THE ACTUAL
PEOPLE, ARE SORT OF, TREATED AS
KIND OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S
RESPONSIBILITY. AND IT'S ALWAYS
NOT THEIR FAULT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS ARE
ADEQUATELY CARED FOR AND
PROTECTED, THEY JUST POINT
FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. AND SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE OF SAYING THAT EVEN
IF THEY'RE WORKING FOR A
CONTRACTOR OR A SUBCONTRACTOR,
THAT YOU FEEL IT IS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF AND THAT
IT, AND THAT THEY'RE SAFE, I
WANT TO, WELCOME MY COLLEAGUE,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER FONG AS WELL,
AND GIVE HIM OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU
WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. AND THEN
WE'LL WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
COMMENT. AND THANK YOU BOTH SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU
SO MUCH, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
SIMILAR HANEY. AND TO SUMMER
SANTIAGO AND TO EVERYONE HERE
FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT
INFORMATION HEARING ON THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON DOWNTOWN
RECOVERY. THANK YOU TO MR. HANEY
FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EFFORTS
AROUND THIS. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN
DOING THE HEARINGS UP AND DOWN
THE STATE, FOR ME, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR
TO MY HEART. I WORKED WITH MR.
PEARSON. WAY BACK IN THE DAY,
AND WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW WE
CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN
AND AS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, I.
I'M THINKING, MR. SANTIAGO, FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP AND EFFORTS IN
DOWNTOWN. WE SERVED TOGETHER ON
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND THE
WORK AND EFFORTS AROUND THE
BUILDINGS THERE, BUT ALSO AT
CITY HALL. AND I WORKED AT SIXTH
AND SPRING AT THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN 2001
TO 2005, AND TO SEE THAT
DEVELOPMENT, THE STARBUCKS THAT
CAME IN ON SIXTH AND SPRING TO
SEE THE EVOLUTION OF DOWNTOWN
AND THE CHALLENGES SINCE THE
PANDEMIC, WE KNOW THAT IT'S
CRITICAL TO REVITALIZE OUR
DOWNTOWNS. AND THEN ON THE VERY
NORTHERN EDGE OF DOWNTOWN IS
CHINATOWN, I WENT TO ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AT CASTLE SCHOOL IN
CHINATOWN. SO THIS ECOSYSTEM IN
THE GREATER DOWNTOWN AREA IS SO
CRITICAL TO OUR SERVICE WORKERS
TO KEEPING DOWNTOWN SAFE,
HEALTHY AND VIBRANT. AND I'M SO
GRATEFUL TO MR. PEARSON, MR.
NAVARRO, FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP
AND EFFORTS. WE SEE EACH OTHER
DIFFERENT THINGS AROUND THE
COMMUNITY AND HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE VITALITY
OF DOWNTOWN AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT
LEVEL EIGHT, THAT WAS JUST
DOWNTOWN LA AND OTHER PLACES,
THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
FOR THE RECOVERY OF DOWNTOWN AND
ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A
STATE LEGISLATURE, I WANT TO
PARTNER WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON
THAT, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO
ENGAGING IN FUTURE CONVERSATIONS
AND REALLY GRATEFUL TO, SOME OF
OUR HANEY FOR BRINGING US ALL
HERE TOGETHER. THANK YOU SO MUCH
. THANK YOU, MR. FONG, AND THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
PARTNERSHIP, WE WANT TO THANK
BOTH OF YOU, FOR YOUR WORK. AND
I KNOW THAT WE WE'LL LOOK
FORWARD TO THAT LONG LIST OF
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BE
HELPFUL, BECAUSE THE POINT OF
THIS IS NOT ONLY TO HEAR FROM
YOU ALL, BUT TO TAKE EVERYTHING
THAT WE'VE HEARD AND TO TAKE
ACTION. AND SO WE'LL ALSO MAKE
SURE TO INVITE YOU TO SAN DIEGO
WHEN WE REALLY DIG INTO SOME OF
THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED
HERE, FULLY. AND SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT
CONCLUDES THE PANEL PORTION OF
OUR OF OUR HEARING. I WANT TO
INVITE IF THERE IS ANYBODY WHO
WANTS TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT, WE HAVE A MICROPHONE,
RIGHT HERE. AND, WE ARE GOING TO
ASK THAT IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME,
YOUR ORGANIZATION. AND, PLEASE,
JUST A BRIEF STATEMENT ON THE
ISSUE, NO MORE THAN 30S, SO THAT
WE CAN MAKE SURE TO GET PEOPLE
OUT ON TIME. BUT WE REALLY
WANTED TO GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY
FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE SOME COMMENT
AS WELL. SO PLEASE, YOU CAN COME
ON UP TO THE MIC. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS GIARDINA AARON. I'M
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
MAINTENANCE COOPERATION TRUST
FUND. YOU MAY KNOW US AS MCTV.
IF I CAN GET MY TEAM AND OUR
WORKER JANITOR LEADERS WHO ARE
HERE TODAY TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO RAMOS. THE WORK OF THE MCTV
SPECIALIZES IN DOING WATCHDOG
WORK IN THE NON-UNIONIZED SECTOR
OF THE JANITORIAL INDUSTRY. SO
WHY ARE WE DOING TURNOUT HERE
TODAY? TO TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN?
BECAUSE FOR US, DOWNTOWN SERVES
AS A STANDARD, AS THE BEACON OF
STANDARDS FOR OUR INDUSTRY. WE
LOOK TO THE POLICIES, WE LOOK TO
THE PRACTICES, WE LOOK TO THE
LEADERSHIP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN JANITORIAL CONTRACTING IN OUR
DOWNTOWN CENTERS TO SHOW AND PUT
THE FLOOR OF HOW THE INDUSTRY
SHOULD OPERATE. WE'VE BEEN IN
EXISTENCE FOR 25 YEARS, STOPPING
WAGE THEFT, STOPPING INSURANCE
FRAUD, STOPPING RAPE ON THE
NIGHT SHIFT. WE KNOW THAT MOST
OF OUR JANITORS, ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO ARE WORKING THE NIGHT
SHIFT WITHOUT UNION
REPRESENTATION, ARE EXTRA
VULNERABLE TO ALL OF THESE
ATROCITIES THAT HAPPEN WHILE
THEY'RE WORKING. AND SO WHAT WE
WANT TO DO IS CONTINUE TO
PARTNER WITH RESPONSIBLE
CONTRACTORS, CONTRACTORS WHO ARE
DOING THE RIGHT THING, WHO ARE
NOT BREAKING THE LAW WITH
BUILDING OWNERS WHO ARE DOING
THE RIGHT THING, MAKING SURE
THAT THEY ARE SELECTING
CONTRACTORS WHO ARE NOT BREAKING
THE LAW IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN
RECOVERIES DOES NOT BUILT UPON
THE BACKS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT
REPRESENTED BY COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. I WANT TO
GIVE SOME OTHERS A CHANCE TO
TALK. I SEE THE LINE IS LONG,
BUT ONE THING THAT I'LL ADD IS
THAT IN ADDITION TO THE WORKER
ASPECT THAT'S BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT
EXTENSIVELY HERE, BUT WHO ARE
WE? WE'RE LATINX, WE'RE BIPOC,
WE'RE LGBTQIA, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT
SAFETY DOWNTOWN. WHETHER YOU BE
A WORKER OR A RESIDENT. I MYSELF
GREW UP COMING TO DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE THERE WAS A FEELING OF
SAFETY. YOU COULD BE BLACK AND
BE IN DOWNTOWN. YOU COULD BE A
WOMAN IN A FEMALE BODY AND BE IN
DOWNTOWN. YOU HAD PEOPLE AND
RELATIVES WHO WORKED IN DOWNTOWN
, SO YOU THOUGHT MAYBE WHEN YOU
GOT OLDER YOU COULD WORK IN
DOWNTOWN. SO WE KNOW THAT
GENTRIFICATION HAD ALREADY TAKEN
OFF BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. SO
WE'RE ASKING THAT WE KEEP
AFFORDABILITY IN MIND. DOWNTOWN
HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO CHANGE
PRIOR TO 2020. SO WHETHER THEY
BE IN TERMS OF PROTECTING
RESPONSIBLE WORKFORCES, MAKING
SURE THAT RACISM, SEXISM AND
HATE ARE NOT PREVALENT IN THE
NEW DOWNTOWN, THAT WE TAKE ALL
OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, THAT
THE IMMIGRANT MOTHERS WHO WORK
IN THESE BUILDINGS CAN ALSO LIVE
IN THEM AND EDUCATE THEIR
CHILDREN THAT THE BLACK PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY BLACK MEN, BLACK
WOMEN, CAN WALK THE STREETS AND
AFFORD THE RESTAURANTS AND THE
SERVICES TO MAKE IT A
DESTINATION FOR ALL
INTERGENERATIONALLY FOR ALL
AGES. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO
CONCLUDE AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US HERE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU SO MUCH. VERY, VERY, VERY
WELL. WELL SAID. AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU AND ALL OF THE FOLKS
WHO ARE HERE FROM MCTV, FOR
YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
YOUR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS. I HOPE
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER. AND THIS IS EXACTLY
WHY WE ARE HERE IN DOWNTOWN LA,
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THAT
VISION THAT YOU SHARED, AND IT'S
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF
WHAT WE DO. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO TOGETHER
AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND
FIGHTING FOR EVERY DAY. AND I
REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL OF
YOU FOR THAT WORK. YES. THANK
YOU. MUCHAS GRACIAS. OH, HARD TO
FOLLOW THAT. I LOVE HER, THANK
YOU TO YOU ALL FOR HOSTING AND
ORGANIZING THIS. THIS EVENT. MY
NAME IS ANN LEY. I'M WITH THE
LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER,
HAPPY TO BE A CONSTITUENT OF
ASSEMBLY MEMBER SANTIAGO AND AN
OLD COLLEGE FRIEND OF ASSEMBLY
MEMBER FONG, SO I WORK IN IN
LITTLE TOKYO, AND IT'S JUST A
SEVEN MINUTE WALK FROM HERE.
LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER
ORGANIZES AROUND COMMUNITY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORT
FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
ANTI-GENTRIFICATION POLICIES. WE
ARE ALSO A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATION AND WE DEVELOP
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN LITTLE
TOKYO AND ALSO ACROSS THE CITY.
DURING AND POST COVID, WE'VE
HEARD ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
ESSENTIAL WORKERS, SMALL
BUSINESSES AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. BUT SO FAR WE FACED
UPHILL BATTLES TO PROTECT EACH
OF THESE THAT ARE DEEMED
IMPORTANT. SO IN INCOMING
INEQUALITY HAS REACHED NEW
HEIGHTS, WITH CIVIL SERVICE
WORKERS BEARING THE BRUNT
BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF
HOUSING, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE
STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE WITH
RISING COSTS OF GOODS AND RENTS
AND DECREASED FOOT TRAFFIC IN
DOWNTOWN. WE ARE HEARING A LOT
ABOUT THAT TODAY, AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPERS ARE FACING
OBSTACLES TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN
DEVELOPMENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU ALL SAW, BUT THERE WAS AN
ARTICLE IN THE LA TIMES, THAT
EDITORIAL THAT CAME OUT VERY
RECENTLY, THAT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPERS HAVE BEEN HIT
BY THE INSURANCE CRISIS WITH ONE
LA SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPER
EXPERIENCING A STAGGERING 638%
COST INCREASE IN JUST ONE YEAR.
SO THEY WERE PAYING 240,000. AND
NOW THEIR THEIR BILL WAS, 1.77
MILLION. SO ALL THIS WHILE THE
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS CONTINUES TO
GROW, THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP
REVIVE DOWNTOWN. SO WE NEED
INVESTMENT IN OUR HYPER LOCAL
ECONOMY. WE NEED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. SO WORKERS CAN AFFORD
TO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN
WHICH THEY WORK. WE NEED
COMMERCIAL TENANT PROTECTIONS,
FOR COMMUNITY SERVING SMALL
BUSINESSES. I'M ECHOING BRADY IN
HIS SUGGESTION TO REPEAL CASA
KI¾M, WE NEED REGULATION OF THE
INSURANCE INDUSTRY SO THAT ALL
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS
ARE ABLE TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN
THEIR PROJECTS, AND WE NEED AN
EQUITY BASED REVIVAL OF DOWNTOWN
THAT ALSO PROTECTS AND
PRESERVES, THE HOUSING AND SMALL
BUSINESSES IN OUR ETHNIC
ENCLAVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. HELLO MY
NAME IS NAYELI GOMEZ AND I HAVE
WORKED AS A SERVER AT THE
COURTYARD MARRIOTT, DOWNTOWN IN
LA LIVE FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS,
UNIONIZED HOTELS LIKE MINE BRING
MANY BENEFITS TO THE DOWNTOWNS
BY DRAWING IN VISITORS.
UNIONIZED HOTELS ALSO PROVIDE
BETTER PAYING JOBS, ALLOWING THE
WORKERS LIKE ME, WHO SUPPORT THE
DOWNTOWN TO LIVE CLOSER TO IT.
THIS MODEL IS UNDER THREAT BY
UNREGULATED SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THESE RENTALS ARE OFTEN PROVIDED
PROVIDE A SUBSTANDARD EXPERIENCE
TO TOURISTS, AND TAKE TOURISM
MONEY AWAY FROM SMALL BUSINESSES
IN THE DOWNTOWNS AND WORKERS TO
GIVE IT TO CORPORATE LANDLORDS
AND REAL ESTATE SPECULATORS TO
MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THESE
RENTALS REMOVE DESPERATELY
NEEDED HOUSING NEAR DOWNTOWN
AREAS, MAKING IT HARDER TO BUILD
AND SUSTAIN OUR DOWNTOWN
COMMUNITIES. IF WE WANT TO
REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN, THE PROBLEM
OF UNREGULATED SHORT TERM
RENTALS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GOOD
AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS JUAN
MUNOZ, AND I'M A POLITICAL
COORDINATOR WITH UNITE HERE
LOCAL 11, THE HOSPITALITY
WORKERS, UNION HERE IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, REPRESENTING 32,000
MEMBERS, AND SO REALLY, REALLY
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS, FOR
THIS DISCUSSION. AND, AND AS YOU
JUST HEARD FROM OUR MEMBER, ONE
OF OUR LEADERS, THE ISSUE THAT
WE CAN UNIQUELY TALK ABOUT AND
THAT RELATES TO OUR INDUSTRY IS
SHORT TERM RENTALS. RIGHT, AND
SO, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO
JUST SHARE THAT, FOR OUR UNION,
IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT,
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE
DECISIVE ACTION ON, ARE ON
UNREGULATED CORPORATE SHORT TERM
RENTALS, THESE ARE RENTALS THAT
ARE OWNED OR MANAGED BY
COMMERCIAL OPERATORS, OFTEN IN A
WAY THAT CIRCUMVENTS LOCAL
REGULATIONS THAT THAT THE CITY
OF LÀ AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES
HAVE ADOPTED, LIMITING THE
NUMBER OF STRS, THE LACK OF AND
THE CHALLENGES AND THE LACK OF
EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THESE
OF THESE LOCAL LAWS AND EXISTING
REGULATIONS, SEVERELY AFFECT OUR
DOWNTOWNS. AND SO, BEYOND
POACHING, THE MORE RELIABLE AND
HEAVILY REGULATED BUSINESS OF
DOWNTOWN HOTELS, STRS MAKE,
DOWNTOWN CORES AND OTHER
DESIRABLE URBAN AREAS
INACCESSIBLE TO WORKERS WHO HELP
MAKE THEM FUNCTION, AND ERODE
EXISTING COMMUNITIES AND HOUSING
STOCK. RIGHT. SO IF WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT BUILDING MORE AND
BRINGING MORE FOLKS TO LIVE IN
DOWNTOWNS, THIS IS AN UNDERLYING
PROBLEM THAT WE ARE ALREADY
SEEING, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO
DECIDE. IN OCTOBER 22ND, 2022,
STUDY FROM MCGILL UNIVERSITY,
Kò, THAT TALKS IN DEPTH ABOUT
THIS PROBLEM. SO, COMMERCIAL
STRS HAVE REMOVED 2500 HOMES
FROM THE LONG TERM RENTAL MARKET
IN LOS ANGELES. STRS HAVE RAISED
RENTS AN AVERAGE OF $810 PER
YEAR FOR EACH RENTAL UNIT IN THE
CITY, AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
MORE THAN 5000 EXTRA PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS EACH
NIGHT IN LOS ANGELES SINCE 2015,
SO I'LL JUST WRAP UP BY SAYING
THAT CORPORATE STRS, HOLLOW OUT
HOUSING STOCK, AND IT PRIMARILY
BENEFITS WEALTHY COMPANIES AND
MANY OF THEM WHOM ARE OUT OF
STATE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS AND
COMES AT THE COST OF MAKING OUR
CITIES, PARTICULARLY OUR DENSE,
ECONOMICALLY SENSITIVE
DOWNTOWNS, LESS AFFORDABLE FOR
WORKERS AND LESS SOCIALLY
COHESIVE, SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS YVETTE ARAGON. I AM
THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR FOR
CONGRESSMAN JIMMY GOMEZ. I'M
HERE TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON WHAT
HE'S ON, HIS WORK ON
REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN LA REP
GÓMEZ FUNDED THE FIRST EVER
RENTERS CAUCUS IN CONGRESS TO
FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE
HOUSING CRISIS. IN THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS, REP GOMEZ IS INTRODUCING
A BILL THAT'S PART OF THE
RENTERS CAUCUS GOAL THE
REVITALIZATION, DOWNTOWNS AND
MAIN STREETS ACT. WE'RE FACING
TWO MASSIVE AND PARALLEL
PROBLEMS HERE IN LOS ANGELES AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EMPTY
COMMERCIAL SPACE IN DOWNTOWN,
SUBURBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES,
AND A HOUSING CRISIS THAT IS
FORCING PEOPLE TO LIVE ON THE
STREETS OR PAY HIGH RENTAL COSTS
. THE LEGISLATION IS AN EFFORT
TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE
PROBLEMS WITH ONE SOLUTION A
FEDERAL TAX CREDIT TO FACILITATE
THE CONVERSATION AND THE
CONVERSION OF OLDER,
UNDERUTILIZED OFFICE AND
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS INTO
RESIDENTIAL HOUSING. THIS POLICY
WILL SUPERCHARGE MAIN STREETS BY
INCREASING HOUSING SUPPLY AND
FILLING VACANT REAL ESTATE,
MAKING OUR CITIES AND TOWNS
SAFER AND MORE ECONOMICALLY
PRODUCTIVE. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
LISA NOEL. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR WITH BUILDING SCHOOLS
PARTNERSHIP. I'LL BE BRIEF. I
JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, MARIA
ESTRADA, WHO COMMENTED ABOUT THE
TRAINING. THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF
OUR TRAININGS WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT INFECTIOUS DISEASE
PROGRAM. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T
KNOW, BUILDING SCHOOLS,
PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE AT THE
INTERSECTION OF IDENTIFYING THE
WIN WIN SOLUTIONS THROUGH THE
HCP MODEL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT HTTP HIGH ROAD TRAINING
PARTNERSHIP THROUGH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BOARD. SO OUR MODEL IS REALLY
LOOKING AT THE SWITZERLAND
THAT'S HOW WE PRIDE OURSELVES,
RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU
KNOW, CONVENING THE
UNTRADITIONAL ALLIES, IN THIS
CASE BUILDING OWNERS,
RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYERS,
CONTRACTORS, AS WELL AS
COMMUNITY ALLIES TO IDENTIFY WIN
WIN SOLUTIONS AROUND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT. WE DID THAT REALLY
BEAUTIFULLY DURING COVID, WHERE
WE ADDRESSED THE NEED FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY, BUT ALSO CONSUMER
CONFIDENCE AROUND INFECTIOUS
DISEASE AND ALSO MAKING SURE
THAT WE CLEAN AND DISINFECT
BUILDINGS. WE TRAIN OVER 2000
WORKERS TODAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ADDRESS THE
VERY NEEDS THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE
THAT WE INSTILL TRAINING, BUT
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THESE
PLACES ARE SAFE AND CLEAN AND
DISINFECTED? SO I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO COME AND VISIT. I REALLY
ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE ONE OF OUR
CLASSES THAT TAKE PLACE AT THE
WORKPLACE, THAT WE DO IT JOINTLY
, THAT WE FIND COMMON CONSENSUS
ABOUT HOW TO DO AND UPSKILL THIS
WORKFORCE, WHILE ALSO MAKING
SURE THEY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF
WORKERS AND THE INDUSTRY. SO
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW
HOW TO DO. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT
FOR 15 YEARS. I KNOW THAT WE'VE
WORKED TOGETHER ALREADY AND YOU
KNOW, SEVERAL OF YOU AND YOU
KNOW SENATOR SANTIAGO AND YOU
KNOW, FONG, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN
WORKING TOGETHER ON THESE
ISSUES. SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE
YOU TO COME AND TAKE A LOOK AT
OUR CLASSES, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
MODEL AND CONTINUE TO INVEST AND
THEN COME IN WORKERS. YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE PIECES AROUND THE HRT
MODEL AND THE SERF MODEL IS
REALLY LEAVES OUT A LOT OF
IMMIGRANT WORKERS WHO ARE
INCUMBENT WORKERS. SO I REALLY
ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION,
YOU KNOW, TO THOSE AREAS. BUT
ALSO MAKING SURE THAT YOU INVEST
IN HTTP PROGRAMS LIKE BSP. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR WORK. NEXT SPEAKER. YEAH.
BUENOS TARDES. MY NAME IS LILIA
CARBAJAL. I PERTENEZCO A M K¾T
AVE. YO ESTOY POR SIETE ANOS EN
EL SECTOR LABORAL DE JANITOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS LILITH. LILITH
CARVAJAL. I WORK WITH MCTV. I'VE
BEEN A JANITOR FOR SEVEN YEARS.
YO PIENSO QUÊ ESTAS ESTAS
CONFERENCIAS SON MUY IMPORTANTES
PORQUE ESTAN APOYANDO AQUI. LOS
ANGELES SURGEN E CðC UN LUGAR
BONITO. I THINK THESE MEETINGS
ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT
SUPPORTS FOR LÀ TO BE A PLACE
THAT THRIVES AND A BEAUTIFUL
PLACE, YO OPINO Â PIENSO DE QUÉ
NECESITAMOS NOSOTROS LOS JANITOR
GANAS DE MAS HORAS LABORALES E
C¯ NOS ENAMORING PARA C¯ LA
OFICINA DE LOS EDIFICIOS E
PODEMOS NOSOTROS VENIR A
TRABAJAR NUEVAMENTE OLYMPIAD SU
OFICINAS PORQUE TAMBIÉN NOSOTROS
NECESITAMOS MAS HORAS LABORALES
PARA GANAR MAS DINERO PARA PAGAR
NUESTROS GASTOS. I THINK, AND IT
IS MY OPINION THAT JANITORS NEED
MORE WORKING HOURS. WE NEED TO
BE LOVED SO WE CAN COME AND HELP
THE OFFICES TO OPEN SO THAT WE
CAN COME AND WORK AND CLEAN
THOSE OFFICES. BUT WE NEED MORE
HOURS SO THAT WE, AS JANITORS,
CAN PAY OUR EXPENSES. NO
PREPARAN NINGUNA PREGUNTA ESTOY
UN POCO NERVIOSA, PERO ESPERO C¯
MIS INQUIETUDES COMO JANITOR
PORQUE NO ES FACIL TRABAJAR EN
EL SECTOR DE LIMPIEZA COMO POCAS
HORAS Y ATENDIENDO MUCHOS GASTOS
GRACIAS. I DIDN'T PREPARE ANY
QUESTIONS, AND I'M A BIT
NERVOUS, BUT I HOPE MY CONCERNS
WERE TRANSMITTED ABOUT HOW
THEY'RE WORKING AS A JANITOR AND
HAVING A LOT OF EXPENSES IS NOT
EASY. MUCHAS GRACIAS Y PEDIMOS
MAS SALARIOS DIGNOS. IT IS NOT
VÀ LARA NUESTRO DÍAS. WE ALSO
REQUEST FOR LIVING FOR GOOD
WAGES AND FOR OUR EFFORTS TO BE
APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU. MUCHAS GRACIAS. VERY WELL
DONE. THANK YOU. DEFINITELY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS NELLY AND I'M
ALSO WITH MCTV. AND I'M ALSO
NERVOUS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
THIS AND FOR, YOU KNOW, GIVING
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW,
HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT
ARE IMPORTANT, I KNOW WE TALKED
A LOT ABOUT, LIKE, THE ECONOMIC
AND THE FINANCIAL SIDE, BUT ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY IS IN
THE BACK OF MY MIND, HEARING ALL
OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY
AND THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ALL OF
THESE WORKERS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
EVERY DAY THAT WE WALK INTO
WORK, IT'S BECAUSE OF THEM. THEY
CREATED A SAFE SPACE FOR US TO
HAVE MENTAL HEALTH FOR 80 HOURS
OR 160 HOURS A MONTH. SO LET'S
DO OUR PART AND SUPPORT THEM IN
CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR THEM.
THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME, ALL RIGHT. WELL,
WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENT. I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE WHO WHO JOINED US TODAY
AND EVERYONE WHO SPOKE, THOSE OF
YOU WHO WHO WERE NERVOUS, YOU
HAD NO REASON TO BE YOU ALL
SPOKE INCREDIBLY WELL AND, AND
ADDED SO MUCH TO OUR
CONVERSATION, AND TO BE ABLE TO
HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, HERE IN
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES WITH THE
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN DOWNTOWN LOS
ANGELES EVERY DAY, SOME OF WHOM
HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR DECADES
, IS INCREDIBLY HUMBLING FOR US
AS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AS WE
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO
TO SUPPORT THESE COMMUNITIES
THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY
PEOPLE, WHETHER BECAUSE YOU WORK
HERE, YOUR FAMILY LIVES HERE,
YOU COME HERE TO VISIT, YOU LIVE
NEAR HERE, AND YOU, HAVE YOUR
IDENTITY, YOUR CULTURE, YOUR
COMMUNITY, HERE IN DOWNTOWN, LOS
ANGELES OR DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO, WHERE I'M FROM, IT IS
SO CRITICAL THAT WE WORK
TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
FUTURE OF OUR DOWNTOWNS, ARE A
WIN WIN, THAT THEY THRIVE. SO
MANY PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT WIN
WINS TODAY. I ALSO, LOVED
HEARING ABOUT, A DOWNTOWN
EQUITABLE REVIVAL. I WROTE THAT
DOWN, NOT JUST RECOVERY, BUT
REVIVAL AND THAT THAT WE THINK
ABOUT A FUTURE THAT IS EVEN
MORE, INCLUSIVE, MORE FAIR,
WHERE MORE PEOPLE CAN THRIVE,
WHERE WE BETTER RECOGNIZE AND
APPRECIATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS
THAT EVERYONE MAKES, TO OUR
COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY HERE
DOWNTOWN, AND, AND I THINK
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO LEARN
FROM. AND WE DID LEARN SO MUCH
FROM YOU ALL WHO DO THAT WORK
EVERY DAY, WHO FIGHT FOR NOT
ONLY, YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, BUT
FOR YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO COULD
NOT BE HERE WITH US. YOU BROUGHT
THEIR STORIES AND THEIR
EXPERIENCES INTO THE ROOM TODAY.
I WANT TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY,
IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO,
TO SAY ANYTHING. IN CLOSING, AND
AGAIN, WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF
ALL OF THE, THE, THE
ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS WHO ARE
HERE. I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE FROM, SENATOR
SMALLWOOD CUEVAS'S OFFICE AS
WELL, WHO ARE HERE AND MANY,
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO SEND
THEIR REGARDS AND WILL BE WITH
US AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THE
NEXT STEPS TO FIGHT FOR ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL RAISED
WITH US TODAY. Þ. THE SPEAKER'S
OFFICE IS ALSO HERE WITH US
TODAY AND REPRESENTED. AND THIS
WAS ALSO RECORDED AND WILL BE
MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WHO
CANNOT BE HERE. AND ALL MEMBERS
OF THE LEGISLATURE. AND SO
WE'LL, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE
WHO COULD NOT JOIN US HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE
INCREDIBLE, TESTIMONY THAT WE
HEARD TODAY. AND THIS IS ONLY
THE BEGINNING OF OUR WORK
TOGETHER. THANK YOU. SO MUCH,
AND THIS HEARING IS ADJOURNED.