A summary of selected City Hall actions this past week affecting Central Los Angeles.
CITY COUNCIL
* AIDS HOUSING FUNDS: Authorized the city controller to accept a $9.2-million federal grant to be used for the Housing Opportunities With AIDS program, which helps low-income and homeless people who are HIV-positive or who have AIDS get housing for themselves and their families. The money will be used for such things as rent, mortgage and utility assistance ($2.5 million); housing development ($1 million); administrative expenses ($900,000) and emergency hotel, motel and meal vouchers ($150,000).
* WATTS JAZZ FESTIVAL: Approved the closure of Graham Avenue between 108th Street and Santa Ana Boulevard on Sept. 24 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the 18th Annual Simon Rodia Watts Towers Jazz Festival and the 13th Annual Watts Towers Day of the Drum Festival.
* STREET CLOSURES: Approved the closure of Hill Street between 5th and 6th streets from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and on Oct. 15 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month celebration at Pershing Square.
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
* NIGHT FILMING: Approved the temporary closure of Broadway between 5th and 7th streets, and 6th Street between Hill and Spring streets from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., today through Wednesday. Also approved closure of Flower Street between 3rd and 6th streets and 5th Street between Grand Avenue and Figueroa Street from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Wednesday through Saturday. The closures are due to filming for the motion picture “Strange Days,” which will depict the 1999 New Year’s Eve celebration in New York City’s Times Square. The movie stars Ralph Fiennes and Angela Basset.
HOW THEY VOTED
How South-Central and Eastside City Council representatives voted on selected issues. * MISSION PLAZA APARTMENTS: Authorized the Los Angeles Housing Department to provide a $900,000 loan to the nonprofit Mission Plaza Tenants Assn. to help finance acquisition and rehabilitation of a 132-unit apartment complex at 2214-2258 Parkside Ave. in Lincoln Heights. The association agreed to buy the building when the owner decided to sell. Under the Emergency Low Income Housing Preservation Act of 1987, the owner was required to first offer the complex to the tenant association and did so, asking $5.4 million. The total cost for purchase and rehabilitation is estimated at $8.4 million. In addition to the city loan, the association is getting other loans, grants and tax-exempt bonds from a variety of sources. The Housing Department loan will be repaid with 5% interest over a 40-year period. Passed 12 to 0. Voting yes: Richard Alatorre, Mike Hernandez, Mark Ridley-Thomas, Rita Walters, Nate Holden, Jackie Goldberg and Rudy Svorinich Jr.
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