LOS ANGELES : City Hall Reorganization Would Promote Business

Continuing its push to make Los Angeles more responsive to the business community, Mayor Richard Riordan’s Administration on Wednesday proposed reorganizing several city departments to place more emphasis on economic development and affordable housing.

Under the mayor’s plan, the city Housing Department would take over the housing programs now handled by the Community Redevelopment Agency. The efforts of the Community Economic Development Department also would be broadened to include a centralized office for government loan applications and an office that secures bonds for construction projects.

“The purpose is to bring focus, to bring renewed energy to the economic development activities of the city,” said William Ouchi, Riordan’s chief of staff.

“Los Angeles until very recently has not had to compete for jobs. It has not had to take seriously the need to develop affordable housing for its labor force because we could sit here, fat, dumb and happy. We all know those days are over.”

Ouchi presented the mayor’s proposal to a joint session of the council’s Housing and Community Redevelopment Committee and the Community and Economic Development on Wednesday, but no action was taken.