Obama “Center”

With every President comes a Presidential Library and leave it to the Bestest Greatest President ever to go above and beyond and not only create a Library but a “Center.”  Back in February former President Barack Obama announced to build his Presidential “Center” in his embraced hometown of Chicago.  Obama set his eyes on Jackson Park on Chicago’s south-side.  Obama explained how he met a girl, married that girl and started a family on the Southside.  Then went on to start his political career, and become president because of the South side so it was only right that his Center be built on the……..South side.  He not only has support from the Mayor of Chicago and the University of Chicago, but also million dollar donations from Shonda Rhimes, Ford,  George Lucas and Goldman Sachs just to name  a few.

The Center is to host and multitude of different spaces and amenities. A 235-foot-high, eight-story main building will house a Museum, which will house exhibitions about the Obamas in the context of civil rights, African-American, local, and national history.   A two story event space with winter garden and a restaurant will host such events Obama Summit; A two story Athletic Center that will host classes;, and of course the a two story Library,  that will house sans archives, and maybe even a branch of the Chicago Public Library.  Outside, these three building a paved plaza large enough for performances, and surrounded on their park sides by a playground, a bowl-shaped lawn and sledding hill, winding paths, and a garden.

 With though all this awesomeness is being proposed,  the project is being hit with resistance.  Protesters are posing questions about gentrification, jobs, equity (not sure about the complaint is about equity).  This would be so great if it actually came to fruition and would drastically change the aesthetics of what a Presidential Library is and how they can begin to benefit the communities they are built in.

Obama Center

Fight Against The Center

 

SB 827 Shot Dead

Legislators killed SB 827 in a 6 to 4 vote during the first committee meeting Tueday April 24^th 2018.  SB 827 was an ambitious bill proposed by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) that would have drastically change zoning laws to increase construction of four and five story buildings near major transit/rail stations and frequently served bus stops.  The bill was originally introduced in January and was immediately hit with opposition.  Opponents of the bill claimed it would jeopardize the character of neighborhoods and lead to traffic and parking pains.   The bill was targeted towards single family neighborhoods where dense development was prohibited.  Wiener and pro-housing groups argued that the state had to intervene because decades of slow-growth policies by local governments have created a devastating housing shortage.   The lack of affordable housing has formed into a huge problem bringing California into an extreme housing crisis but many thought this solution was a little too drastic.  Although the bill was defeated many believe this is just the beginning of extreme measures to solve California’s Housing Crisis. 

 YIMBYS Defeated as California Transit Density Bill Stalls 

SB 827 is Dead. But California still can – and should- build more Housing Near Transit

SB 827 fails In Committee

 

 

Hawthorne Mayor Chris Brown May Become Senator Chris Brown

Mayor Chris Brown has done awesome things for the city of Hawthorne, bringing several new businesses to the city, transforming Hawthorne’s major thoroughfare into a pedestrian friendly commercial core, and putting in the proper steps in order to bring back the infamous Hawthorne Mall as an outlet mall.  Well now there,s talk of Mayor Brown possibly looking at a seat on the Senate.  With all Mayor Brown’s accomplishments in the great city of Hawthorne I think he would make an awesome Senator.

Read More at the Sentinel 

Meet Hawthorne Mayor, Chris Brown

Chris Brown is running for Mayor of Hawthorne November 5, 2013.   Chris Brown, a native of Los Angeles, California, has demonstrated his commitment to serving his community for over 15 years. As a student at Fairfax High School, Chris volunteered and worked for the Los Angeles Conservation Corps’ “Clean and Green” Program, which conducted weekly cleanups of local communities to rid them of graffiti and blight.

Upon graduating high school, Chris pursued and obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from National University and studied Real Estate Securities & Investment Analysis at Allied Real Estate School. He maintained a successful career as an Account Executive for both AT&T Wireless and Nextel Communications in Silicon Valley.

Chris forfeited a life of comfort and wealth and chose to use his skills and expertise for the benefit of those that have suffered deeply in the recent housing crisis. Chris currently operates his own firm, Asset Management Recovery, LLC, which continues to help homeowners facing foreclosure by conducting Property Securitization Analysis Reports on properties to receive the best results during mitigation between the homeowner and the financial institution. His work has paved the way for many citizens, including teachers, healthcare workers, community organizers and even public officials, preventing the foreclosure of their homes which they have worked so hard for.

Read more about Mayoral Candidate, Chris Brown