LA council OKs $2.3 million for San Fernando Valley sidewalk repair and training program
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved $2.3 million to fund a pilot program for repairing sidewalks in northeast San Fernando Valley neighborhoods.
In a 13-0 vote, council members authorized the Economic and Workforce Development Department to contract with Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 300, which will lead the program. Council members Ysabel Juardo and Bob Blumenfield were absent during the vote.
Council members Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla introduced the motion Feb. 18. The pilot program will operate in Rodriguez’s Seventh District, encompassing neighborhoods such as Pacoima, Sylmar, Mission Hills, Lake View Terrace, La Tuna Canyon, Sunland-Tujunga, North Hills and Shadow Hills.
“This is work and a concept that is basically seven years in the making,” Rodriguez said Tuesday.
The councilwoman said when she first took office in 2017, she began conversations with LIUNA Local 300 to create job opportunities, provide job training and fix aging infrastructure.
“… The economic opportunities that we’ll be providing (include) job training for a number of individuals,” Rodriguez said. “I hope it then becomes a model of something that we can help introduce and launch citywide.”
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said the pilot program could lead to careers for many Angelenos.
LIUNA Local 300 has done demolition training, concrete pouring, curb and gutter repair, asphalt paving, among other tasks. According to the motion, the Southern California Laborers Training School is the only training center affiliated with the labor union, which is primarily responsible for sidewalk construction.