Kevin De León Is Not Nury Martinez
-by Dorothy Reik
I wondered why the KDL protests were so long-lasting, so well-funded and so full of hatred considering that he was being vilified more for what he didn’t say than what he did say-- which was very little. I wondered why all his friends in government turned against him. Then I saw today’s L.A. Times article which featured developers complaining that they could not get a meeting! Developers run Los Angeles. KDL’s representative responded to the paper’s inquiry as to why the developers had not gotten a meeting. The L.A. Times quotes staffer Pete Brown:
“A representative for De León, Pete Brown, dismissed the developers’ objections as a negotiating tactic. He said the councilman does not routinely meet with developers, to avoid the appearance of favoritism or bias. His predecessor Jose Huizar is accused of orchestrating a pay-to-play scheme by agreeing to accept $1.5 million in bribes from developers who sought his favorable votes to support their projects. Huizar has pleaded not guilty to racketeering, bribery and other charges.
Brown said the developers are using the leaked recording to pressure the councilman to agree to terms that may not benefit public interests.
“The notion that any delays of this project are due to the councilmember and not the developer’s inability to provide a proposal that meets the standards of the City of Los Angeles and the California Redevelopment Agency is outrageous,” Brown said.
“Despite this deeply cynical ploy to give themselves a favorable advantage in negotiations, the council office is committed to continue to work with other city offices toward an agreement that brings a mixed-use project to this long vacant site; following our policy of substantially increasing the provision of affordable housing in all major projects.”
The developers claim that Angels Flight will include enough affordable housing. Here is what they offer: 13 onsite units of the 252 luxury onsite apartments ( the only kind of units they are building)- which represents 5% of the units– and another 65 units at a “separate downtown location in central Los Angeles yet to be selected”!! Really? It’s been sixteen years since the Morrison Hotel’s 111 replacement units were promised after it was shuttered-- they are still not built. AND there are 180 luxury condos and NONE of those will be affordable. In an interesting added amenity the developers also plan to include a charter school– no wonder they want to keep those affordable units off site!!!!
In case there is any confusion, I do NOT think KDL should resign. He is being attacked not for what he said but for not stopping other adults in the room from speaking. He has spent his adult life doing the right thing and he needs to continue. All these "progressives" attacking him want restorative justice for those who break the law but not for a hero who failed to speak up against his colleagues, one of whom was his boss and could easily have stripped him of his committee assignments too. Everyone knows that KDL is not a racist. He supported the Black candidates for City Council over Latinos several times even though Latinos are overwhelmingly under-represented. They are 48% of the population but they only have 26% of the seats on the City Council. His constituents need him. We all need him. From global warming to sanctuary state to state retirement accounts to renters' protections in L.A., Kevin passed legislation that has helped us all. Now he cannot even go home to the first place he has ever owned.
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