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Only Way Out of This Mess is Together |
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Affordable Housing LA Can't Afford Part III
By Ken Marsh
(Part Three-The View Moving Forward: In two previous segments, Ken Marsh provided a chronological description and a critical analysis of LA’s affordable housing debacle. Here Marsh proposes a more hopeful future.)
 Political power, business wealth and public interest comprise a triad
upon which our democratic system depends for balance in all matters.
Government's social contract with the people requires our leaders to
meaningfully and thoughtfully confront, debate, discuss, and decide
what the City's policy should be when it comes to, in this case,
housing. If you doubt that neighborhood councils have a significant
role to play in this, read or reread the charter that created them.
In the absence of debate and decision, the special interests and the
City bureaucracy will, by default, make policy. This is not acceptable
because there is little accountability and no simple and timely means
of redress for the public when things go awry. Accusations aside,
special interests, bureaucracy, ineffectual electeds and apathetic
stakeholders share responsibility. Simply recognizing this would be a
step forward.
Among the power, the dollar and the vote, the currency of the vote is the weakest, the dollar the greatest. Thus, it is not difficult to understand why in the process of creating legislation private interest has its own seat at the table, even if only in a back room.
Yet, from a long-term perspective, the enlightened self-interest of all parties would dictate that there be a table around which all three sit, and that the table be situated where any who wish to can observe and provide input; where conflicting economic and political interests can be fairly reconciled.
It is in this direction that all governance needs to move to be able to meet the extreme challenges we are confronting: skyrocketing living costs and quality of life destruction in the face of global warming; the wealth-altering readjustment from a domestic to international economy; and the deterioration of both social welfare and physical infrastructure.
The greed and avarice that earmarked 20th century values aren't translating well into the 21st century. We have a new understanding about the values of interdependence, reinforced by a growing body of knowledge of nature and the universe and we have the ability to disseminate that knowledge using technologies that reach and connect every point of the globe. We certainly should be able to do it within the boundaries of the streets and neighborhoods that comprise the City of Los Angeles.
In a tip of the hat to Pogo, I suggest, "we have met the ally and it is us." Our survival depends on the process of working together. (Ken Marsh is a long-time community activist and a Mar Vista Community Council stakeholder. March is a CityWatch contributor.) ◘
CityWatch
Vol 6 Issue 76
Pub: Sept 19, 2008
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