Councilman Joe Buscaino called Tuesday for a change in leadership at the city’s housing authority, saying the agency lost out on $30 million in federal funding for a major redevelopment project in Watts for the second consecutive year.
The Jordan Downs housing redevelopment project, which is being handled by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, lost out on $30 million in federal funding this year due to a botched application, according to Buscaino aides.
Buscaino’s displeasure with the authority’s handling of the funding application and call for the leadership change was first reported Tuesday by KNX- AM (1070).
Officials of the housing authority could not be immediately reached for comment.
Buscaino, whose district includes Watts, released a statement saying he is “angry and frustrated on behalf of my often ignored and voiceless constituents.”
“I cannot and will not be quiet,” he said. “I do not want my time in office to lead to further disappointment for the residents and stakeholders of Watts.”
Buscaino said he will not “tolerate” any more “failure.”
“I am being vocal about making changes in leadership at HACLA to ensure that a community like Watts is actually given priority to leverage resources its residents so desperately need and deserve,” he said.
This is the second year that the project lost out on funding. Last year the project was not a finalist, but this year the project was disqualified, partly because a support letter from Mayor Eric Garcetti was not included with the application, Buscaino aides said.
Buscaino first mentioned the second unsuccessful grant application during a presentation on Tuesday’s 50th anniversary of the Watts riots.
— City News Service