The city of Los Angeles has been improving its parks resources for several years, and a new funding mechanism should help continue that trend.
"The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to increase parks fees for the first time in 31 years," according to an article on KPCC's website. "That means developers will have to pay more fees that are then used to develop parks."
The new fee will generate an estimated $30 million per year to the city's parks and park improvement program. In the past, the so-called Quimby Fees that funded parks and open space investments have languished unused while the city's park scores generally ranked worst in the country. In recent years, however, the city has climbed to 65th on the Park Score rankings.
FULL STORY: Increased parks fees for developers approved unanimously by LA City Council
New Park Coming to Chinatown in Los Angeles
A new half-acre park is taking shape on a previously undeveloped hillside property in Chinatown, one of the more densely populated and park-poor areas in L.A.
Creativity Needed to Meet Recreational Needs During a Pandemic
With COVID-19, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation modified its popular Parks After Dark program so that it could still meet community needs, while complying with public health orders.
Frontlines of the Social Distancing Effort Shifts to Parks and Open Space
Too many people have been seeking normalcy on parks and on trails. This isn’t a normal time.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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