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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Los Angelenos Propose Changes To Improve The City

Sara Newman |
July 5, 2014 | 11:53 a.m. PDT

Deputy Editor

The question remains as to whether citizens's requests will be answered (Sara Newman/Neon Tommy)
The question remains as to whether citizens's requests will be answered (Sara Newman/Neon Tommy)
Few 20-somethings are willing to pick up their laptop—or god forbid, a pen—and write a letter to their local government representatives, a fact that Los Angeles's  resident Mayor of Technology is well aware of. 

Instead Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti relies heavily on internet platforms to learn from his constitutnets what changes they are hoping to see in the city. 

In addition to being very responsive to comments and suggestions on his Twitter account, Garcetti makes use of a general internet platform to truly encourage Angelenos to weigh in on what improvements they wish to see in the city. 

Below are nine of the most creative proposals by Los Angelenos:

1. Please support the neighborhood small business communities in Atwater and the commercial corridor centered on Hyperion in Silverlake by updating plans for the Hyperion Bridge to include greater pedestrian usability. The Hyperion Bridge spanning the Los Angeles river and the 5 Freeway is the vital connection between these two small business communities. - James Healy

2. There is over 90k sq feet of unused blighted land in the Tujunga-Sunland area…Can this land be bought by the city and turned into a park or community center? - Michelle Nuno

3. I take daily walks in the DTLA area and the number of homeless people continues to increase. We cannot just turn a blind eye. I recommend adopting an idea from Paris: the use of public showers, limited to 15 minutes, at a very nominal price. This is basic hygiene that would provide some level of dignity for these human beings. Someone else posted an idea about planting fruit trees in public areas, and starting vegetable gardens for local use. What a great way to provide some food for the needy. - Norma Gutierrez

4. We are ninth grade students at Gertz-Ressler. As part of a project, We've researched how air pollution in Los Angeles effects people with asthma… Throughout 2008-2010, there has been 332 deaths caused by asthma in Los Angeles and 10,851 hospitalizations…As we all know, the main source for air pollution is the continued use of fossil-fuels…Our idea is to have Car-Free days once a month. There are various methods of transportation that can be used like Metro buses, Metro trains, bicycles etc. for one whole day. The only vehicles allowed would be police cars, ambulances, and Metro buses. If we DO THIS once a month, air pollution won't increase. Therefore, the health of the population in Los Angeles will most likely get better. - Cynthia Cuellar and Maria Cervantes

5. Cap the 101 freeway (which is already below grade), and put grass on top.  Then, you've got a huge park space that will change the face of Hollywood, and make the whole area much more live-able and play-able. - Laura Putney and Jamie Feldman

6. Sponsor after school programs to get our youth (future leaders) to take an interest in making our city and societies better than they are now. If we empower our citizens, then many of our problems, challenges and annoyances will eventually be diminished. - Gordon Myers

7. The city should consider variable rate trash collection to reward homeowners who reduce the amount of trash they throw away. - Rick Laezman

8. LAUSD is very large, and too powerful, I think it should be cut down to size. Each city should have, and is entitled to their own school district, it will be easier to handle, to distribute money, and keep tabs on students, and materials, (many students skip school). Boyle Heights has its own city hall now, we should have our own school district, plus this also opens up job opportunities, we need people to guide the new school districts. - Vera Rios

Contact Deputy Editor Sara Newman here Follow her on Twitter here



 

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