Thursday, May 31, 2007

Where's the Money?

Access to Capital Business Expo

Only $10.00 to Register! (Includes: Breakfast, Expo, Lunch, Workshops and One-on-one consultation.)

Saturday, June 2, 2007
8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sheraton Los Angeles, Downtown
711 S. Hope St.
L.A., CA 90017

Join us for a day of Education, Resources & Business Growth!

* Business Lending Expo
* Educational Financial Workshops
* Retail Opportunities in Downtown L.A.
* One-on-one Consultation
* Loan Pavilion
* Success Strategies for Business Growth
* Talleres En Espanol

Call (213) 488-3599; Fax (213) 430-0652
Email: swhite@vedc.org

Commemorative Coin

Coin honors Ark. students' 1957 struggle
From the Associated Press - May 20, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. — Fifty years ago, nine black students faced down a mob to integrate Little Rock Central High School. Now, they are being honored on a commemorative silver coin.

The U.S. Mint introduced the coin Saturday at the NAACP's Daisy Bates Education Summit, which pays tribute to the Arkansas NAACP leader who served as advisor to the Little Rock Nine.

One side of the $1 coin depicts a group of students being escorted by a soldier. It features the phrase "Desegregation in Education" and contains nine stars. The other side depicts Central High as it looked in 1957.

Integration at Central was the first major test of the Supreme Court's ruling, three years earlier, against racial discrimination in public schools.

Now We're Cooking!

Tasty Traditions "Reel Creative Meals"

Lawry's is sponsoring Tasty Traditions "Reel Creative Meals" contest. Submitting an original recipe using Lawry's products and then video taping you and the family preparing the recipe makes the entry eligible for the grand prize of $25,000 or one of ten $1,000 first place prizes. To assist people with their entries, selected Ralphs and Food4Less stores will host Lawry's grilling demonstrations once a month starting in May and ending in August.

Demonstration attendees will get grilling tips, filming tips and could instantly win a "Reel Creative Meals" Production Kit that includes:

* $100 worth of Lawry's products,
* a $100 grocery gift card from Ralphs or Food4Less,
* a Lawry's signature apron and
* a camcorder to help entrants record the video portion of their submission.

The "Reel Creative Meals" contest runs from May 21-August 31. Beginning May 21, visit lawrysfoodtube.com for official rules and contest information.

Losing Affordable Housing in L.A.?

Loophole Allowed Demolition of Affordable Units to Escape Rent Stabilization

By a unanimous vote, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an ordinance to close a loophole threatening the city's supply of rent-stabilized apartments.

Under a California law known as the Ellis Act, landlords may exit the business of renting residential property by converting their property to commercial or for-sale residential, with some restrictions. This has resulted in a loophole allowing property owners to demolish their rent-stabilized apartment buildings and build new apartment buildings with no rent restrictions.

"Los Angeles has the country's worst housing crisis," said Council President Eric Garcetti. "By hearing from all interested
parties in a series of open hearings, this council has passed a law that, without placing undue burden on property owners, will stop people from bending the rules to evict low-income tenants and will encourage the production of new affordable housing."

"Our goal was to find something that was balanced and fair without penalizing the most vulnerable residents of this city, who are running out of options on where they can live," said Councilmember Ed P. Reyes.

"Democracy and public policy were well-served by this ordinance," said Councilmember Bernard C. Parks. "It allows for the preservation of necessary critical and affordable housing, but does not eliminate the issues that create the construction of new housing."

"The new revision clarifies the rights of tenants and the rights of property owners," Councilmember Bill Rosendahl said. "We now have more options to protect renters and preserve affordable housing."

If a landlord evicts the tenants of an apartment building with the intent of leaving the rental property business, demolishes the building, and builds a new rental building, the ordinance adopted by the council provides two options:

1. The owner may raise the initial rents to market levels. Further rent increases in the new building are then regulated under the terms of the Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
2. The owner may designate up to 20% of the building's units affordable to tenants earning 80% or less of the area median income. A building with 20% affordable units may then take advantage of the available building-envelope incentives regarding parking, setbacks, and height.

Properties with four units or fewer where the owner occupies one of the units are exempt from these provisions.

Contacts:
Garcetti/Josh Kamensky, (213) 473 7013
Reyes/Tony Perez, (213) 473 7001
Parks/Purvi Doshi, (213) 473 7008
Rosendahl/Safiya Jones (213 473 7011)