Two Awards for Excellence
City Planning recently received two prestigious awards from the Los Angeles section of the American Planning Association (APA LA). The Department won the Award of Excellence in the Public Outreach category for its work on the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) Community Based Organization (CBO) Outreach. The Department also received the Award of Excellence for the Downtown Community Plan in the Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction) category.
The CHIP outreach conducted with community-based organizations was recognized as a model effort to amplify the voices of those traditionally underrepresented in the planning process through collaborative, inclusive and creative events amidst a historic effort to rezone the City for increased development of affordable housing. The project team included staff from the Housing and Environmental Justice teams in Citywide Planning.
The Downtown Community Plan envisions a sustainable, equitable and inclusive future for downtown. The goals and policies described in this plan seek to address many of the challenges facing downtown and the larger region, such as climate change, housing demand and affordability, and a shifting economy, through strategies that guide thoughtful growth through 2040. The plan includes a comprehensive rezone of more than 15,000 parcels and the implementation of the City’s New Zoning Code. The project team included staff currently and formerly in the Central/East Community Planning Division with support from GIS and Graphics.
Additionally, the Black Planners of Los Angeles (BPLA), whose membership includes many Planning staff, received an Award of Excellence in the Advancing Diversity and Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff. Leading up to the award, BPLA received an official designation as an employee organization within the City of Los Angeles during Black History Month. Moreover, they were recently recognized during Juneteenth by Mayor Karen Bass, Council President-Elect Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and Councilmembers Imelda Padilla and Eunisess Hernandez for their exemplary work representing the interests of Black city employees within the field of planning. BPLA continues to expand professional development opportunities available to City employees and is planning further community engagement events to elevate the interests of BIPOC communities.
All teams were honored at the APA LA 2024 Awards Gala June 25 at the California Science Center.
Photo courtesy Planning
Staff contributors for the CHIP Community Based Organization Outreach, Public Outreach Award of Excellence and Award of Merit by APA LA and APA California:
Staff Contributors
Blair Smith, Sr. City Planner
Wajiha Ibrahim, City Planner
Alisanne Meyers, Planning Assistant
Abigail Thomas, Planning Assistant
Community-Based Organization Contributors
SAJE
Pacoima Beautiful
Esperanza Community Housing
CHIRLA
LA Forward
Abundant Housing
ACT-LA
Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance, KIWA
Staff contributors for the APA LA and APA California Advancing Diversity and Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff Award of Excellence. The BPLA executive team and board positions can be found here: https://blackplanners.la/meet-the-board/
Staff Contributors
Kyle Winston, City Planner
Terri Osbourne, Council Aide VI
Joe Luckey, City Planning Associate
Theodore Irving, Principal City Planner
Umaymah Rashid, Public Relations Specialist
Walidah Williams, Planning Assistant
Leitha Young, Administrative Clerk
Jason Douglas, City Planner
Lamont Cobb, Council Aide VII
Angela Williams, Planning Assistant
Kidada Malloy, Mayoral Aide VI
Staff contributors for the Award of Excellence for the Downtown Community Plan in the Comprehensive Plan:
Staff Contributors
Craig Weber, Principal City Planner
Brittany Arceneaux, Sr. City Planner
Veena Snehansh, City Planner
Clare Kelley, City Planner
Tal Harari, City Planner
Alice Okumura, City Planning Associate
Dominick Ortiz, City Planning Associate
