Currently, many American cities face a significant housing crisis. In part, it can be explained by several important trends, namely the growing population and inability of many low or middle-income families to buy a house or rent an apartment. One can look at the way in which this problem is addressed such a city as Los Angeles.
In particular, this paper is aimed at evaluating the housing element of the general plan developed for this city. These initiatives are supposed to increase the accessibility of housing and raise the standards of living. These steps can greatly benefit the residents of Los Angeles and to people who intend to settle in this city.
It seems that this set of initiatives shows how policy-makers can address a set of problems faced by the city and how various governmental agencies can join the efforts in order to bring improvements. These are the main aspects that should be discussed.
Overall, this plan pursues several important objectives. One of the most important goals is to help people preserve their homeownership status. This is why the city council intends to help low and middle income families because many of these people find it extremely difficult to repay their loans (Los Angeles Department of City Planning 65).
Many of them are on the verge of foreclosure, especially at the time when unemployment rates are very high. It seems that this goal is quite justified because the increasing number of homeless people can lead only to greater expenses for the state. For instance, homeless people are more likely to be engaged in crime.
They also become more vulnerable to various diseases. This is why one can fully support the initiatives advocated by city planners. This goal is important for ensuring the safety of neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Apart from that, the general plan of Los Angeles is aimed at reducing the cost of renting housing (Los Angeles Department of City Planning 65).
This is why, significant investment will be made into the construction of housing that can affordable to people with various income levels. In this way, the city council tries to help people who come to Los Angeles or the individuals facing financial difficulties. This initiative can greatly benefit the residents of the city. These initiatives are the most important components of the general plan.
Furthermore, the general plan of Los-Angeles is not focused only on the affordability of housing. It also emphasizes the quality of people’s lives. This is why the city council lays stress on such issues as the construction of pedestrian walks, the improvement of street lighting, the constructions of parks, and so forth. These initiatives are supposed to raise the standards of living in Los Angeles.
Such improvements are vital for ensuring the safety of residents and providing them with recreational opportunities. Thus, one should not suppose that the housing element of the general plan addresses only quantitative aspects of construction.
It should be taken into account that the initiatives described in the general plan are supposed to take nine years. It involves several construction projects that can meet the needs of the growing population. If these projects attain their goals, Los Angeles can become a more attractive city.
The questions addressed in this document are closely related to the issues that were discussed during the course. One of the main ideas is that life can be affected by a variety of social, political, technological, or economic factors (Ratcliffe, Stubbs and Keeping 273). Therefore, city planners have to take into account these forces. For example, the general plan of Los Angeles identifies the close connection between homelessness and crime in the urban areas (Los Angeles Department of City Planning 12).
Another important principle is that urban development is based on the cooperation of various governmental agencies and private businesses (Corbum 141). This issue is eloquently illustrated in the general plan of Los Angeles. It was written by professionals, who represented by neighborhood councils, financial institutions, construction companies, environmental agencies, and so forth (Los Angeles Department of City Planning 6).
These examples indicate that people should look at urban landscape from different perspectives. Only in this way, they can better assess risk and identify the advantages and disadvantages of the plan. So, such cooperation is vital for the adoption of effective strategies. Therefore, one can say that the theoretical aspects of urban development are quite applicable to the current practices of planners.
It is possible to argue that the housing element of the general plan is crucial for the sustainability of Los Angeles. It takes into account the fact the population of the major American cities is most likely to increase in the near future. Los Angeles is one of the most vibrant cities in the United States and it attracts people from other parts of the United States and from different countries of the world. Therefore, the affordability of high-quality housing is of great importance to the further development of the city.
Works Cited
Corbum, Jason. Toward the Healthy City: People, Places, and the Politics of Urban Planning, Cambridge: MIT Press, 2009. Print.
Los Angeles Department of City Planning 2009, Housing Element of the General Plan 2006-2014. 2009. Web.
Ratcliffe, John, M. Stubbs, and M. Keeping. Urban planning and real estate Development, New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.