News UPDATE
Lincoln Place Faces Uncertain Future
Conflict Escalates As Talks Fail
by Roger Templeton
MAY 17 -- An attempt at mediation between AIMCO, Lincoln Place Apartments owner, their tenants, architectural preservationists and Venice community members ended without an agreement on the fate of the fifty elderly and disabled tenants still living in the complex, nor on the shape of future development of the site. The mediation -- which took place under the guidance of Peter Robinson of Pepperdine Law School's Straus Institute -- was urged by City Councilman Bill Rosendahl last March as a deadline approached for the last remaining tenants to vacate their apartments.
"I'm disappointed that they didn't get to an agreement," Rosendahl commented. "[AIMCO] gave them until the end of May (to remain in their apartments). That created a positive climate for mediation. We put it into the hands of a professional who was very good. And they couldn't come to an agreement."
There has been no contact between the parties since the State Historical Resources Commission voted to put Lincoln Place on the protected list of historic resources on May 5th. (See
related story.)
With talks ended, AIMCO and the Tenants Association are free to pursue their opposing goals. A battle among the Denver-based developer, the current and former tenants, preservationists and the city of Los Angeles is assured.
"What is AIMCO is going to do? Tear down buildings?" Rosendahl asked. "That means the courts are going to be involved, the State commission is going to be involved, preservationists. That's a nightmare for a developer; they don't have clarity on what they can do."
Battle Lines Are Being Drawn
AIMCO spokesperson Patti Shwayder had no comment on the company's immediate plans. However, the company was negotiating to build 1,284 units of luxury condos, including 190 units of affordable housing, on the property. That is more than the 1,008 units the company was seeking last fall. There were 795 units in the original garden apartment complex.
The Tenants Association is urgently raising funds for a court fight in an attempt to stop further evictions and to block demolition of any of the buildings. The property owner can post notices of "unlawful detainer" on the doors of the elderly and disabled tenants that remain as soon as June 1st, beginning the approximately two-month process toward eviction.
For his part, Rosendahl has moved to strengthen the city's ability to stop evictions and any demolition of the complex's buildings. He has put a resolution before the Planning & Land Use Management committee to officially record the conditions of a redevelopment tract map negotiated between AIMCO and then-partner, BISNO, and the Planning Commission in 2002. Conditions attached to that development plan include protection against eviction for all the tenants then on the property. (See
related story.) AIMCO has taken the position that those conditions are not in effect since the tract map has not been officially recorded. The City Attorney's office has declined to enforce the agreement on technical grounds.
Rosendahl has enlisted City Council members Reyes, Smith, Hahn, Greuel, Zine and Garcetti to sign on as co-sponsors of his resolution.
"I want to be open for AIMCO at this point, as a public office-holder. There's still an opportunity to make some progress," Rosendahl said. "But even if there aren't any tenants there, I'm going to stay committed to this," he said.
Mediation Stalled On Historic Protection
The effort to find common ground took seven, day-long negotiation sessions held through April. Although the parties had agreed on a deadline of April 28, discussions continued beyond that time, right up to a State Historical Resources Commission voted to register the Lincoln Place buildings on their list of protected sites. Being listed as an historic resource carries protections for the exterior of an historic building, but as the Tenants Association's Jan Book points out, "Even if it has historic designation, a building can be torn down." There has been seven Lincoln Place structures demolished, five buildings being bulldozed after the agreement with the Planning Department was struck.
Participants in the mediation effort included AIMCO, Lincoln Place Tenants Association, Venice Community Coalition, Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council, Venice Community Housing Corporation, the Mayor of Los Angeles' Office, Councilman Bill Rosendahl's Office, representatives from Los Angeles' City Planning and Housing Departments, the 20th Century Architectural Alliance and the LA Conservancy.
Details of the negotiations, and the positions of the parties, were shrouded by a mutually agreed upon 'gag order' while talks went on. The talks' mediator, Peter Robinson, will produce a "joint statement" regarding the mediation process as soon as all the participants provide their views on the talks to him and accede to the language of his summary.
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