VAN NUYS : Delano Street Team Wins Recognition

A team of city, county and private agencies created with the goal of improving living conditions on Delano Street in Van Nuys has received one of 18 annual awards from the Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission for its efforts.

The Delano Street Community Impact Team, organized by Rosalind Wayman, an aide to City Councilman Marvin Braude, brought together police, the city attorney’s office, the Department of Building and Safety and other departments to mount a focused attack on graffiti, drug sellers and gang members in the area.

In addition to raising money to pay for more recreational activities in the neighborhood, the impact team has cleaned up several run-down buildings that had become havens for drug dealers, gang members and prostitutes. The team also helped in the removal of abandoned cars and furniture, graffiti and other eyesores from the area west of Van Nuys Boulevard.

The team estimates the financial impact of its efforts at about $80,000, including money raised for recreation and money that did not have to be spent to prosecute criminals or take building owners to court. Instead of suing those owners to get the properties cleaned up, the team’s member agencies worked with them to rectify the problems.

Another productivity award given out Thursday went to the Crime Analysis Detail of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Van Nuys Division. The detail developed a high-speed computerized crime analysis system to aid the department in spotting trends and trouble spots.

Other awards went to projects in the areas of building and safety, street maintenance, public works and the police and fire departments.