EDITOR’S NOTE: No one has described the decline of Los Angeles more accurately, clearly and factually in the last 20 years than Joel Kotkin An internationally-recognized authority on global, economic, political and social trends, Kotkin in recent month has taken a hard look at how L.A. is doing and provided David Abel’s “The Planning Report” a glimpse into his findings. L.A. has been outperformed in almost every possible category of prosperity by other major cities, he says in the interview, and suggests a “decade of secular decline” can be turned around with an honest public debate and real leadership. (Read the full report at The Planning Report interview.)
L.A. is in the midst of a secular decline, which can be reversed, but before we reverse a decline, we have to know what the problems are and where we stand. You can read accounts by organizations like the LAEDC–the last effective business group in town–and have no sense that time is running out. There is very little public discussion or recognition of what’s going on. Not that we were unique in suffering from the recession, but we have actually underperformed compared with both our old rivals and some new ones over the past decade.
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In virtually every critical sector, L.A. has declined more rapidly than many of its major competitors. In finance and business sectors, L.A. has done much worse than Houston, New York, Dallas, and many of the other regions it competes with. In manufacturing, we’ve done much worse than Texas and other newer competitors.
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The
idea of Los Angeles as a model, as a city of the future, as a city
that people around the world are thinking and talking about–that’s
gone. L.A., as a great metropolis, which we all were hoping it
would become, that concept has faded.
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One big problem has been the loss of business leadership…There’s no real sensible debate
about where the city is going. Under these circumstances, business
seems to me to be more interested in accommodating the political
power structure as opposed to challenging it.
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The cynic in me says the only thing that will get serious
discussion is when we start to see the reduction in the quality of
life and services. We’ve been, in a funny way, like our fellow
Mediterranean metropolises, like Rome, Barcelona, and
Athens–living way over our means and maybe some signs of that
decline will start to make us act decisively. That may be the only
hope. Governor Brown’s decision to go after the CRA may be a sort
of wake-up call to the L.A. business community and the real estate
community: The gravy train’s gone, and if you want to build in
L.A., you have to figure out how you do it with real value, making
products that people want and that can be afforded by a population
that’s actually engaged.
Post L.A.’s current Master Plan!
We really have reached a place where people have to take action. That is what is missing in our municipal elections. There is no clash of ideas — just the clash of scumbag political consultants pulling the puppet strings from behind the scenes. It is a cynical civic culture that must end before we can be a better City.
As a native Angeleno (retired), I truly believe we have crossed the Rubicon. if it wasn’t for the fact that my family and I were here before the R.E. boom and were lucky enough to buy beach-front properties in the 70′s when it was dirt cheap, we would be outta here! We were so blessed to be able to enjoy L.A. before the downfall..the best public schools, great business climate, uncluttered vistas for miles and miles, no gridlock, or crowded beaches. And no gangbangers!
Today, the public schools are uninhabitable, and what young families can afford $20-30K/yr. for private school, especially when it costs $1M to live in a $300K bungalow in an upscale neighborhood?
Caucausians are now a minority since our neighbors to the South have decided to bring their culture, language, and poverty to our soil.
The day that the union thug, Villar, won the election 7 years ago, I actually had tears rolling down my cheeks….I knew it was the beginning of the end. We have had our own home-grown ‘crooks’ throughout history, but they pale in comparison to the corruption of Mexico. Maywood is a perfect example of the worst of the worst. LACC is a culture of Mexican corruption.
Our kids are now raising their own young families…in Oregon and Washington State! When they come home for family gatherings, they are heartbroken at the continuous decline of their “paradise lost”.
We have lost so many of our old friends and neighbors who have moved out of State to re-locate their businesses, it feels like a ghost town now. I do have a tinge of jealousy!
I don’t know what the solution is…L.A. is truly a kleptocracy. The cost of living is prohibitive for most, and property values in decent areas are still overblown. EPA regulations are draconian, taxes are ridiculous, and job opportunities are scarce.
I do know one thing, however….unless and until we throw out the entire City Council and elect an honest Mayor, we are doomed. Bankruptcy is not a bad idea…the union pensions are killing us.
Keep up the good work, Ron…I’m rooting for you!
9:50, truly appreciate your comment, and many of us are trying to restore LA to your nostalgia. There are some good people challenging the incumbents, but are sorely lacking the funds to even get their name out. Since you were fortunate enough to buy real estate cheap, hope you’ll contribute some towards getting these folks elected. Ron is accepting the money under “Clean Sweep LA”.
Well some things were free. What was the cost of going to vote last time we had mayoral election and get rid of Villar?
Or how about downloading, signing and mailing forms when there was an attempt to recall that crook?