First homes; then parks

The City of Los Angeles suffers from a serious lack of recreational green spaces. This is why the mayor’s initiative to build 50 small parks within the next two year is definitely worth considering.

The proposal is that the city would purchase abandoned properties, which are in bad shape, to create small recreational parks on the site so that more than the current one-in-three LA children would be able to walk to a park.

Parks are not only important ways to improve neighborhoods but they provide areas for healthy activity and exercise for children.

It is tragic that our region is one of the hardest hit by the mortgage crisis causing thousands of families to abandon their homes. In many of these situations, the properties continue to deteriorate and become sites full of debris or taken over by gangs.

Of course, the ideal situation would be to return these properties to their owners, and the city is apparently trying to make that happen. We believe that the city’s top priority should be to focus on the homeless and the lack of affordable housing, especially in an era of so many foreclosures.

However, the possibility of more green spaces is also very attractive. Of course, the fact is that these parks for children will require more vigilance on the part of city authorities so they don’t become spaces fro criminals and gangs. This is an investment that the city will need to make.

The proposal is in its initial stage. This city is just now beginning to negotiate to purchase the properties at reduced prices. There are many steps ahead before this will become a reality.

We hope that the first efforts are to help homeless individuals and families with the properties that are acquired and then – if they aren’t usable in that regard – to convert the spaces into green parks that are well monitored.