We have achieved results under the banner of Vermont Village Community Development Corporation along the Vermont Corridor. While advocating to help revive and rebuild the Vermont/Manchester and simultaneously working on community outreach and development of more affordable housing and commercial developments and home ownership.
We still manage Vermont Village Human Service, Inc., a single-purpose 501(c)(3) that was formed for the first economic development project of $44 million in California Infrastructure Bonds. Our owner asset of a 90 sq.ft commercial building with a triple net master lease tenant with the Department of Public Social Services building is operated by the County of Los Angeles. It is located on Charlie Stafford St. (120th) and Western Ave and towers over the south side of the 105 freeway.
By appointment of Council District 8 of Los Angeles and Co-Chairing the South Los Angeles (SLA) Community Plan, one out of 35 Community Plans, make up the Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan. It still serves as the blueprint for growth and development in the area.
The Plan includes goals and policies for the various types of uses of land, including residential, commercial, and industrial. South LA was one of the three community plans that comprise the South Los Angeles Planning Region, including the Southeast Los Angeles Community Plan and the West Adams-Baldwin Hills-Leimert Community Plan. It took 12 years to complete before ratification by the City of Los Angeles.
We still advocate for more commercial development in the corridor between 84th Street and Vermont to Manchester Avenue. We were the founding member of the Vermont/Manchester Community Advisory Committee and Chaired the SPA 6 Advisory/Advocate Committee for the Department of Children and Family Services.
We managed three awards totaling 3.4 million dollars of federal and city grants from the Department of Health & Human Services for substance abuse recovery for youth ages between 12 and 17. He awarded funding to create Safe Passages and Safe School Zones at 5 local area schools through funding from the California Endowment as a part of Building Healthy Communities. He was awarded a grant through HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program II to provide single and multi-family housing production services. He was commissioned by the 65th Assembly District of the State of California for Public Safety under Mike Gipson.
We assisted with the formation of Advocates for Peace & Urban Unity; A P U U gang intervention and youth development services, whose former ethos was with the business as gang members in 2007: that led to contracts with the City of Los Angeles, A Better LA, and the Community Coalition to help reduced gang violence and increase youth development service in communities.
We were engaged to sit with the planning team of C8 and Recreation & Parks to remodel the swimming pool at Algin Sutton Park and helped with design elements for the play area, along with a splash area. The recently built play area was dedicated in honor of LaTasha Harlin, who shot over a bottle of orange juice just before the 1992 civil unrest.
We helped to employ and create Professional Intervention workers, about 6 full-time positions, and another 11 part-time personnel of former gang members to directly help reduce crime and mayhem in and around the Vermont/Manchester area.
On July 12, 2023, Vermont Village Community Development Corporation was awarded a Non-CFCI Program Area 8 Funding Opportunity. The Non-CFCI Funding Opportunity – Program Area 8: Grant is Justice-Focused for CBOs by allocating $7.65 Million in The American Rescue Plan Act funding to community-based organizations in LA County that serve individuals and families impacted by the criminal legal system.
Our recent proposal to Amity Foundation for the Non-CFCI Program Area 8 Funding Opportunity was granted, conditionally awarded under Program Area 8: Grants to Justice-Focused Community-Based Organizations, with funding allocated up to $499,723.30 for (2 years each $249,861.56). This work coincides with the use of boarding homes and rooms that now house formerly incarcerated individuals, aiming to help reduce recidivism. We have been serving re-entry clients since January 2021. Special thanks to our capacity-building training through LISC (Local Initiative Support Corporation); it afforded us this grant opportunity to enhance this work.
