Residents Want a Say as Los Angeles Neighborhood Changes

The big market forces of Los Angeles long ignored Elysian Valley, colloquially called Frogtown. But now the neighborhood has hip cachet and residents are organizing to have a say as the area changes.

2 minute read

June 15, 2015, 6:00 AM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Elysian Valley Home

Laurie Avocado / Flickr

The phrase "riverfront property" often connotes value, but not traditionally for the Los Angeles River. But that may soon change in Elysian Valley. "Traditionally working class with a large immigrant population and, historically, a mix of residential and industrial uses, the 0.79-square-mile area has seen properties flip since the Army Corps of Engineers announced a year ago a $1-billion plan to revitalize the Los Angeles River."

Molly Strauss writes, "There's a sense in the community of losing control — that outsiders serving private interests will transform this neighborhood of about 8,900 into a place residents will no longer be able to recognize, or afford."

In response, nonprofit organization LA-Más conducted a series of public workshops called Futuro de Frogtown, designed to gather stakeholders and brainstorm ways to integrate community interests and new development. "When calling for a standstill in the face of a shifting market, a community can miss the opportunity to offer alternatives that proactively meet its needs, ultimately leaving outside forces to determine the area's outcome."

That effort has seen some success. Since the workshops began, a motion is on its way to the City Council calling for restrictions in line with "preserving and enhancing the neighborhood character" and "seeking a higher degree of compatibility of architecture and landscaping for new infill development." 

However, as Strauss documents, "Futuro de Frogtown revealed that even sensitivity, thorough research, and a deep knowledge of the issues might not be enough in the face of a community's historical relationship with government and development."

In a separate article on the same subject for Next City, Alexis Stephens reports on efforts by community members to influence seemingly inevitable redevelopment in Elysian Valley, known as Frogtown. "The community of nearly 9,000 primarily working class and largely Latino and Asian residents is experiencing the same real estate development pressures experienced throughout L.A., but with an increased urgency because of an upcoming billion-dollar reinvention of the L.A. River."

Long-time residents are naturally suspicious of redevelopment. "Many older residents lived through the disruption of mid-20th-century urban planning related to the construction of the I-5 freeway, the eviction of families from Chavez Ravine in order to make way for an unrealized public housing project, and the construction of [Dodger] Stadium."

Frogtown hosts a well-established informal economy, with many small businesses operating out of homes. Rather than be driven away, "Residents expressed a desire to formalize their businesses through efforts like legalizing street vending, assisting people in applications for necessary permits, getting discounts on space rentals within new development projects, and customizing small business incubation programs."

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in Los Angeles Review of Books

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Protester at Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles holding sign that says "Housing is a human right"

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?

The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

July 10 - Shelterforce Magazine

Aerial of rainbow painted crosswalks at large intersection in Castro District, Sna Francisco, California.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts

Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.

July 10 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA