LA City Council to vote 11/15 on South Central Farm land sale

The Los Angeles City Council is preparing to vote tomorrow 11/15 on a deal that would allow Libaw-Horowitz Investment Company to back out of an agreement made in 2003 which promised 2.6 of the original 14 acres to the public for use as greenspace.  This land was the South Central Farm, once the largest urban farm in the US. Today, the land is in negotiations to be sold to a garment manufacturer.

A protest is being organized at 8 AM Tuesday, November 15th, preceding the  10AM City Council meeting. See the South Central Farmers-Cooperative-Community Supported Agriculture facebook page for more details.

Video footage of the Budget and Finance committee’s proceedings were captured by Michael Kuehnert director of the documentary, Save the Farm.  video link: http://youtu.be/gW5V83WFzm4

“What should be happening is not moving away the park to make it easier to destroy the environment, it should be to expand the park back to the community farm that was there and not build a useless warehouse that we don’t need for more consumption.” -Former mayor of Santa Monica, Mike Feinstein

“This is national food day and on such an ironic day, they’re shutting down the last vestiges of what used to be the largest urban farm in the US.” – Tezozomac, South Central Farm leader

Tezozomac and other South Central Farmers are urging supporters to contact Los Angeles City Council members and tell them: (via http://southcentralfarmers.org)

1. Not to accept the proposed amendment by 9th district councilwoman Jan Perry to allow the city to accept in lieu fees instead of following through with the condition of sale of committing 2.6 acres of park space to the local community on the South Central Farm land;
2. Stop the PIMA factory and warehouse development on the South Central Farm land. Los Angeles does not need more low wage “sweatshop” garment factories or warehouses;
3. Commit to supporting the restoration of community green space and food production land at 41st and Alameda because the South Central community needs less air and noise pollution and more parks and gardens that will bring sustainable andgreen jobs instead.
Spread the word!

Council Members:
Call:  (213) 473-3231 or e-mail and Twitter:
District 1: Ed Reyes: councilmember.reyes@lacity.org
District 2: Paul Krekorian: councilmember.Krekorian@lacity.org   Twitter: @PaulKrekorian
District 3: Dennis Zine: councilmember.zine@lacity.org    Twitter: @dennispzine
District 4: Tom LaBonge: councilmember.Labonge@lacity.org    Twitter: @TomLaBonge
District 5: Paul Koretz: paul.koretz@lacity.org
District 6: Tony Cardenas: councilmember.cardenas@lacity.org    Twitter: @GoCardenas
District 7: Richard Alacorn: councilmember.alarcon@lacity.org    Twitter: @Richard_Alarcon
District 8: Bernard Parks: councilmember.parks@lacity.org    Twitter: @BernardCParks
District 9: Jan Perry: Jan.Perry@lacity.org    Twitter: @JanPerry
District 10: Herb Wesson Jr.: councilmember.wesson@lacity.org
District 11: Bill Rosendahl: councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org    Twitter: @Bill_Rosendahl
District 12: Mitchell Englander: councilmember.englander@lacity.org
District 13: Eric Garcetti: councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org    Twitter: @ericgarcetti
District 14: Jose Huizar: councilmember.huizar@lacity.org    Twitter: @josehuizar

Mayor: Antonio Villaraigosa, Twitter: @villaraigosa

In June of 2011, the documentary Save The Farm was released which tells the story of the 11th hour attempts of the South Central Farmers to save their urban farm which was maintained by over 350 families for more than 14 years.

The film is available for streaming on Hulu and more information can be found at
http://savethefarmmovie.com