Los Angeles River Restoration Going From Grassroots to Glam

As excitement around the L.A. River revitalization heats up, neighbors of the once-neglected channel wonder who will benefit from the billion-dollar redevelopment.

2 minute read

April 3, 2016, 1:00 PM PDT

By Elana Eden


Even partial restoration of the Los Angeles River has been promised to yield a bounty of benefits in the areas of public health, water conservation, and urban placemaking. But a piece in The Nation suggests that communities who lived near the channel through its less glamorous days may never reap those benefits.

The article explores what it calls "the striking alignments of interest among the mayor, the River Corp., and the city's power elite with regard to the project," noting the seeming conflicts of interest in the non-profit implementing the restoration plan, as well what looks like city cooperation with wealthy developers in buying, selling, and rezoning properties in the increasingly desirable area:

"[T]he fear of many current residents [is] that because real-estate interests have been free to speculate and exert influence without adequate public oversight, the very people who fought for open spaces in their neighborhoods along the river—among the least wealthy and least healthy in LA, and with the fewest public parks—may not be able to afford to stick around long enough to enjoy them."

Is there any chance that the influx of money around the river will reach existing river communities? Perhaps: The city has considered designating the area as a new type of district, where tax revenues would be dedicated to infrastructure improvements and community-based projects.

Community faith in the river's coming "rebirth" hardly improved with the news that architect Frank Gehry would conduct the restoration. Some viewed that decision—which wasn’t made public for nearly a year—as a betrayal to years of community work; activist Lewis MacAdams called it "the epitome of wrong-ended planning."

Kreitner's piece weaves these threads into a suggestive narrative that places fears surrounding the river project in the context of other casualties of L.A.'s relentless march toward progress—Chavez Ravine, Chinatown, Bunker Hill—and employs an informative cast ranging from local leaders and community members to St. Francis of Assisi and Mary Pickford.

Thursday, March 10, 2016 in The Nation

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