Possible Rosslyn Sale Sparks Heated Conversation
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — While there wasn't one consistent message to the opinions expressed Tuesday night about the possible sale of the Rosslyn Hotel to affordable housing provider Common Ground, those that spoke at a neighborhood Town Hall certainly had opinions.
Many of those who spoke at the event expressed concern over any plan that would disrupt the building's current tenant mix.
Common Ground originated in New York City, where it has a history of renovating historic hotels near Times Square into buildings that house low-income working class and formerly homeless tenants. At Tuesday's Town Hall, organized by the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, Los Angeles Field Director Beth Sandor told how the organization's buildings feature ground floor retail and on-site services for tenants.
She was not able to give specifics on Common Ground's plans for the building, which is in escrow a second time after an early purchase attempt failed late last year.
Brady Westwater kicked off public comment by questioning why the organization chose this particular building for purchase instead of one currently empty or poorly operated. He and several other speakers praised the building's current diverse tenant mix.
Other speakers expressed concern at the fate of their particular units under Common Ground's ownership.
Common Ground is one of the partners in the County's Project 50 effort, which operates a medical office across the street.
The Rosslyn Hotel, located on the southwest corner of 5th and Main, was built in 1923. A website for the building advertises 170 – 200 square foot "Full Bathroom Apartments" for $550 per month.
Bert Green on March 19, 2009, at 06:15PM – #1
This sale would be a waste of public funds. The building takes no tax money and provides affordable housing. This sale would funnel many millions of public funding (your sales taxes) into providing affordable housing in this same building. How does that make sense? (Actually the proposal would decrease the number of units from 260 to 230 via the planned upgrades).
Why doesn't Common Ground just find an empty building or a blighted structure and do the same thing there? That would take our tax money and put it to good use by INCREASING (not decreasing) the supply of affordable housing.
In addition, they plan to house mentally ill people in the Rosslyn and open on site services, which, while a good model, is happening on 2 other corners of 5th & Main (The Genesis and the Pershing). The promise that the City has to make to this community is not to further concentrate homeless services in this part of downtown. This is not a NIMBY issue. This neighborhood supports the Genesis and Pershing Hotel projects, and the Project 50 goals. In exchange for that support, we ought to get some basic consideration and at least a token effort to provide services on a distributed basis.
Brady Westwater on March 19, 2009, at 11:55PM – #2
At another meeting today they finally answered my questions they refused to answer at this meeting.
These New Yorkers know nothing about our neighborhood and care less. They also care nothing about helping the maximum number of people - they are only interested in having a landmark architectural building that looks good in their power point presentations when they try to raise funds. We are just a cash cow to them.
Oh, the Nickel on March 20, 2009, at 12:11AM – #3
If the mentally ill are already being housed and cared for at 5th and Main, it makes perfect sense to invite another facility close by. Health practitioners can easily cross pollinate services with little commute time. Also, some of the local galleries should get involved with providing art therapy to the clients of these institutions (although that blinking neon piece might have to go).
On a side note: an influx of East Coasters will inject some much needed help to the downtown food scene since what we got now continues to lag. Think of the prospects of decent Italian, Polish and Spanish food for a much needed change.
guest on March 20, 2009, at 01:10PM – #4
Housing the mentally ill at the beautiful Rosslyn? Do you think they will have drug and alcohol problems and cause more crime to occur??
Don Garza on March 21, 2009, at 02:36PM – #5
I am very upset that we would even think about allowing another non-profit that would provide on-site supportive services in downtown Los Angeles.
All of us know from experience that this is not new york and trying to get the money for the on site supportive services for any of these programs is like pulling teeth...because the county of Los Angeles is a different entity from the county of los angeles....without the onsite services this would not work..
Getting subsidies from HUD and the housing authority for these tenants means that they can not be forced to partake of the services.
Civil Rights laws make it very clear that a person can not be forced to take medications..
if there is no other way , make Common Ground guarantee that they have fully funded onsite services , with case managers, psychiatrists, and even a place to serve breakfast lunch and dinner when they open. IF not, do not allow them the building. And make sure that they have secured funding for these services for 5 years....
attrition... SRO housing corporation, which claims to provide onsite supportive services, has a big attrition rate , many being evicted and not helped , some going back into the streets because they start using again and cant pay their rent... Do we really want people evicted from the Rossylyn only to wander the area near there..
If this community does not fight to make sure that these entities operate the way they promise , then you will get what they want--- a blighted community....
You will have many tenants wandering the hallways, knocking on other resident's doors, in the middle of the night, looking for cigarettes and johns , you will have them begging on 5th street and main street around the building..or just loitering because there are no amenities that will allow them a common outside area in order to congregate and smoke out of doors..the lapd and the fire department will constantly be at the hotel..
If the argument is that there needs to be a better mix of incomes in the building- them I know that common ground is grasping at straws because I was impressed that young and up and coming youngsters who are looking for jobs and are also working are living with those who are very low income because of disability and or retired seniors, this mix seems to be working just fine...we need to maintain the stock of workforce housing and the Rossylyn fits that description....
The largest question other than Brady's is : where will Common Ground get their money for the on site services...
Jim Winstead on March 21, 2009, at 09:43PM – #6
one of the oddest things i heard from a new-ish downtown resident lately was how there was a floor in his building that he was glad he didn't live on.
it was the alexandria, and he didn't want to live there because it had a reputation as a party floor.
strange times.
Terry on March 22, 2009, at 01:06PM – #7
These New Yorkers know nothing about our neighborhood and care less.
Based on the answers they gave you, they sound like, or don't seem to be much better than, so-called "poverty pimps."
Jim Johnson on March 22, 2009, at 10:20PM – #8
god forbid poor people get a shot at living in a historic building. what a bunch of hypocrites. people like bert want diversity on their terms. the more people living downtown, the better. i'm tired of living in a ghost town.
Bert Green on March 22, 2009, at 10:50PM – #9
Jim Johnson, you totally miss the point. The diversity is there in the Rosslyn. Using NO public funds. People live there NOW from ALL income levels, including poor people (who are the majority, BTW). If this goes through there will be LESS affordable housing downtown. Do you even know what building we are talking about? It's currently full. They would kick people out of it and reduce the number of units. How does that achieve "the more people living downtown, the better"?
My point is that if we are going to use public funds to pay for this, does it not make more sense to go get an empty building and use the money to make MORE housing?
Get a freaking clue.
Enuf Bertha on March 23, 2009, at 04:05AM – #10
So over Bertha Green's smuggery, condescension, and consistently histrionic tone when someone's vision doesn't match his.
Oscar Avalos on March 23, 2009, at 05:23AM – #11
No, no, no... Bert Green is RIGHT!!! (And no, I don't know him) This building is great as it is, Commong Ground it's just trying to ride the train, the pimp the poor with government money and charity train! Choo-choo...
Get an empty building and build your project there, and by the way try to get it in a super luxury zone, so that it levels it out. If they get a hold of the Rosslyn it will become a hotbed for drugs and prostitution.
What downtown REALLY needs it's inclusionary living affordable spaces as the propossed in the low income housing propossal, PLEASE make it law!.
Mix the rich with the poor so that the rich keep their feet on the ground and the poor have aspirations exhalted by example. Is that simple and it works...
Bert Green on March 23, 2009, at 09:37AM – #12
"So over Bertha Green's smuggery, condescension, and consistently histrionic tone when someone's vision doesn't match his."
Employees of Common Ground, perhaps?
Randy Jackson on March 23, 2009, at 12:32PM – #13
Like almost all of Bert Green's comments, they ultimately exist to protect his financial interests. Filter whatever he says through that context, and you'll have a better understanding of what motivates the guy.
Bert Green on March 23, 2009, at 02:32PM – #14
An opinion on the Rosslyn project, or a debate about its merits or faults is what this is about. If some people here think this is about my own financial interests you are very wrong. The second poorest people in downtown are the artists, after the homeless themselves. To pile on personal attacks against me is intended to divert the discussion at hand, and it won't work. It's all made up nonsense.
There are powerful interests being lined up to force Main Street to accept all the homeless services that other neighborhoods will not accept, in a repeat of the containment policy of the 1970s and 1980s which created the human disaster that was Skid Row in the 90s. Downtown is an interesting place because of the diversity it has: poor, working folks, middle class,and a smattering of a few rich. Keeping that diversity is important. We all pay taxes. Tax money needs to be used to help the poor and the homeless, there is no argument there. So why waste it? That's all I've been saying here.
Those of you who would prefer to make this about me, what is your opinion on the sale of the Rosslyn? On public funds being used for housing? Or are you all just trolls who are here to help these developers line their pockets by taking free money to warehouse people?
Miller on March 23, 2009, at 09:40PM – #15
As if you don't have any "financial interests" of your own you consider important enough to keep a close eye on, to hold and protect.
Oh, you don't? Yea, uh-huh, right.
But if you truly don't, mind if I walk straight over to the front door of your house or apartment, take a dump in front of it, spray graffiti all around it, leave a pile of trash on the doormat, come back a few hours later and pee near it, then try jiggling the doorknob, and if it's not locked, sticking my head in and saying "can I borrow some money? How about giving me some beer and a few ciggies?"
David Kennedy on March 25, 2009, at 10:54AM – #16
I notice that people are always questioning Mr. Green's motives. It might be more worthwhile and productive to consider the merits of his opinions instead of speculating about his motives (which seem perfectly reasonable). Frankly, it a distraction.
Bert is vested in the community in every way, so obviously he is going to have strong opinions on matters close to home. Some act as if this is a conflict of interest. No, actually, that's ideal even if you disagree with his opinions.
Monica on March 25, 2009, at 11:38AM – #17
I suspect that what people criticize Green about isn't him having an opinion -- in part, that is what an open forum is about -- but his often snippy, hands-on-hips, reactions to opinions of other readers clearly meant to condescend.
Kinda makes you feel bad for the little mayor of 5th and Main.
ChattyCathy on March 25, 2009, at 12:08PM – #18
The Historic Core is a vibrant community largely due to Bert Green's personal investments (accent on personal, not financial) into an area that you can tell he is truly passionate about. I have met Mr. Green once, and visited his art house once, but keep hearing his passion. To me, this is a man who loves his community, and wants to see it thrive. I'm for that. If anyone has ever followed the history of communities, it is the artists who venture into our downtrodden sectors, and breath new life into them. They are always the adventurers, the risk takers, the groundswell from which new life evolves. Hooray for all the artists in the world!!
Bert Green on March 25, 2009, at 12:28PM – #19
Monica, to read some kind of "tone" into my comments is a type of personal attack, not a debate of the facts. If you don't want to have a discussion of the facts at hand that's fine, but please do not attribute motives to me which are false. You are welcome to call me at the gallery or stop in anytime and have an actual conversation.
Not Happy Resident on May 25, 2009, at 05:25PM – #20
I moved here a year ago after being unlawfully evicted from a building in Hollywood "undergoing renovation"... they are going to lose in a class-action suit we have against them, but that's beside the point.
I came to the Rosslyn as my housing of last resort, since they accept dogs. I was told by the bldg mgr that the owners wanted to get more tenants like me in here; employed, not addicted, not criminals, civilized. He said the area was undergoing development and things were a lot better than they used to be. (I heard from another party that the Rosslyn is the hotel people used to come to for committing suicide... whether ODing or taking the leap from these huge windows with no ledges.)
Anyway, just as I am seeing more businesses coming here and expansion of the artist community, now they are going to make this place a halfway house? Where does that leave me? Don't I have rights as a law-abiding, self-sufficient, productive citizen? I see these crack addicts on the street, smoking and drinking and loitering, and urinating and collapsing on these sidewalks EVERY SINGLE DAY ... the behavior is reprehensible enough with the two or three dozen or so that live around here now (I'm sure these are some of the ones "getting help")... so now they are going to increase that number TENFOLD??
What the hell are these people thinking. This is not progress for ANYBODY. This community is going to lose any ground it's gained and end up worse for it. It's going to be a bigger madhouse than it already is. And you are putting "at risk" people in rooms with windows that are 5'x 7', only a couple feet from the floor, and have no screens nor ledges? They are going to be dropping like flies. Hope you like adding to already too-many emergency vehicles at this corner. And most of all, I hope our state's budget crisis puts a big botch on your ill-conceived plans.
Nutty Grounds for Removal on May 27, 2009, at 06:09AM – #21
So, this group; Common Ground, wants to displace at least 50% of the current Rosslyn residents (who themselves are at risk) in order to replace them with their own "at risk" tenants? Sounds perfectly ironic.
Oh, and I hope their potential investors know that a good portion of their money is going to go to displacing the current residents, because they are all protected under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, and are entitled to tens (possibly hundreds) of thousands of dollars in Relocation Compensation under that ordinance. And if CG thinks they can evict without compensation, they will be setting themselves up for a huge lawsuit.
JUST SOME FYI!!
Small Businesses Need Support Too on May 31, 2009, at 12:50PM – #22
You also need to consider if they are replacing employed tenants with at-risk tenants; this will be detrimental to the small businesses trying to gain a foothold in this area.
The recently homeless or nearly homeless don't patronize the new businesses ... they can't afford to. So to survive, the SBs need to rely on a certain percentage of regular customers. Those numbers of regular customers will drop if they are displaced to allow room for the receipients of this program.
The employed tenants can afford to patronize local boutique businesses, but cannot afford to relocate to a $1300-1500 studio in a loft conversion building around here. And other low-income buildings like the Alexandria won't even consider renting to anyone who makes over $32K. So these in-between tenants/small business customers will be forced to relocate out of the area.
Where are people who don't rely on public assistance, yet don't make over $40K supposed to live around here?
Mark on May 31, 2009, at 02:27PM – #23
People aren't shopping downtown because there's little to buy downtown and there aren't enough people downtown who shop as entertainment.
Stop blaming the homeless, the poor, Common Ground, mental heath services, etc.
No Common Ground. on May 31, 2009, at 03:13PM – #24
Mark. Do you live at or near the Rosslyn?
If not, then you have no valid opinion on the topic.
Mark on May 31, 2009, at 03:56PM – #25
Yes, I do and have for years.
Find a point.
Protest Common Ground on May 31, 2009, at 05:59PM – #26
So, whoever supports this group thinks it's perfectly acceptable to displace current tenants to move in their own. No one with logical thinking skills can agree with this, unless they are somehow profiting from it.