In 2014, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti launched a “Great Streets” program to recognize and improve 15 important city thoroughfares, including Western Ave. bordering our Greater Wilshire area, and Pico Blvd. just south of the Buzz’s general coverage area.
Last year, in 2015, the Great Streets program launched a $2 million Great Streets Challenge, which provided grants for projects that could help “envision, collaborate on, and build transformative street infrastructure.” Other goals were to “build strong partnerships between communities and the City of Los Angeles”…as well as “design streets with a community’s vision of how to improve our neighborhoods for all people” and “implement projects that transform our streets into safe, accessible, and vibrant public spaces in alignment with adopted City policies.”
Eight projects won the city’s support last year, and the application window has recently opened for a new round of grants.  For more information, see the link above.  Winning projects will receive transportation, creative and economic assistance, along with outreach funds, permitting support and implementation help. The full application materials are also available online.  And if you’d like to learn more before applying, there will be an informational workshop on Saturday, October 15, at City Hall.  The application deadline is November 18.
