In 2007, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa released the city’s master plan to revitalize the Los Angeles River. Today, the concrete channel is seeing an influx of investment aimed at transforming the concrete flood channel. Many disparate stakeholders have an interest in the river’s future — their competing visions and interests have emerged as one of the primary hurdles facing the revitalization effort.
Our team will identify and address inconsistencies among these plans and how the plans interact with local community goals and concerns, including access, gentrification, displacement and climate resilience. While past river revitalization projects have often focused on economic and beautification improvements, there is an opportunity to go further and re-establish the river’s ecological, social and cultural significance.
In partnership with Los Angeles Waterkeeper, we will conduct historical research and interview current residents who live along the river and surrounding areas. Our findings will be used to inform the various planning processes and provide a comprehensive assessment that represents the diverse communities surrounding the River.
Students: Kamryn Kubose, Nathan Lopez, James Javelosa, Scott Brown, Andrew Nguyen, Corey Ly, Camila Tipan
Advisor: Liz Koslov
Client: L.A. Waterkeeper