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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Los Angeles County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
Toolkits are designed, in part, as legacy projects, so that subsequent County employees, or residents, can use them for
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 1 findings
F1
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connecting County departments with arts organizations and individual artists and creating fluid mechanisms and equitable standards of practice for departments to contract with and pay for arts services; 2) developing training for County staff on the policy and providing limited project-based consultations to guide how departments can work with and engage artists and arts organizations; 3) collecting data, monitoring, and evaluating new and expanded program activities that are launched by long-term Cultural Policy implementation and publishing outcomes and findings to support public transparency; 4) encouraging County departments to apply for funding from the Productivity Investment Fund to support arts-based projects and interventions that address Board and Department Priorities; 5) launching and managing projects that recognize artists, culture bearers, and cultural organizations and celebrate cultural heritage and artistic expression of diverse communities as a regular part of the County’s annual Heritage Month celebrations to increase visibility, combat cultural erasure, advance narrative change, and recognize contributions of communities of color. This strategy provides the Department of Arts and Culture with the staffing and resources needed to take the next step in policy implementation to realize the vision of the BOS. 14.5 There has been some meaningful incorporation of the policy, but wide-spread investment into it by many other Departments has not yet happened. Under-support and inaction are largely caused by an unfamiliarity on how to engage with the policy’s directives. Structural silos create communication barriers between Departments and DA&C. DA&C provides leadership, accountability across County departments and agencies to support implementation and ensure arts and culture are utilized appropriately, but without additional staff, they can only do so much. 14.6 Before a Creative Strategist is embedded, there is an intensive exploratory period. Interested Departments work closely with DA&C during this time. The cross-sector division facilitates inter-departmental relations, reference guides and opportunities but 345 does so on a project-by-project basis. The initial “six-ish month process” used during the pilot phase does not provide not enough time to prepare before an artist is embedded with their host department. DA&C reports this process being pushed to a year or more. 14.7 There is currently no infrastructure in place to support the work for cross-sector engagement/Creative Strategists. DA&C is resource-poor. Internal programming needs to be solidified, sustainable, and customizable. Unless funding is found for additional staff, resources will continue to be drafted as one-off projects. The unintended consequence is continued under-support of the Countywide Cultural Policy, and specifically the Creative Strategists, by DA&C and the County at large. When Departments do contact DA&C for guidance on cross-sector engagement, DA&C has reported feeling deficient in their ability to help. There are currently two members assigned to this division who are working at capacity with no room for expansion. 14.8 The DA&C is under-supporting Countywide Cultural Policy Item 2: Advance arts and culture in every sector of civic life. This is not due to negligence or intent by the department, but because the Creative Strategist program is still operating under a COVID- informed budget model. Strategy 15 of the Strategic Plan informs BOS and CEO how a fully funded program would operate in advancement of the policy guidelines. 14.9 The County’s high-priority initiatives have taken precedence in the Annual Fiscal Year Budget Plan over DA&C’s requests. To truly embrace the Countywide Cultural Policy, Departments must internalize the unique role a Creative Strategists can play to address areas of high need. The possibilities for creative problem-solving are endless. There is not a question of either/or, and CEO should not have to, for example, weigh “the arts” against Care First Jail Last diversion initiatives. Strategists can be utilized in tandem with other methods of engagement. 14.10 Cross-sector work left behind after a Strategist’s residency are considered “legacy frameworks” and “legacy toolkits”. They are meant to act as a guide for future Strategists, as well used by in-house project coordinators. The frameworks and toolkits are much more cost effective and require minimal administrative preparation because the program infrastructure has already been created. 14.11 The DA&C needs an entrepreneurial pivot. The success of the cross-sector/Creative Strategist program depends on connecting with diversified funding sources, especially with looming contingencies overhanging the County budget. This will allow the Department room to identify long-term program goals. 14.12 The DA&C needs an entrepreneurial pivot. The success of the Department depends on connecting with diversified funding sources, especially with looming contingencies overhanging the County budget. This will allow the Department room to identify long-term goals. 14.13 DA&C cannot fully monitor the ongoing use of a toolkit or guide left as an artist’s legacy guide post-residency. Legacy kits are created with the expectation that new processes for administering specific, non-arts government functions are in place. Thus, the process remains embedded long after a Strategist’s engagement. This assumes a Department understands how to administer and interact according to the framework unaided. Currently, 346 guidance and support is available, but offered in a limited capacity. Project continuity is a crucial component to maintain. 14.14 There is a well-documented wealth of creative capital to draw upon from the local arts ecology. The County contains more working artists than any other county in the United States. Most of these are found in the entertainment sector. Historically, DA&C and LACAC have minimal engagement with the film and television industry. 14.15 The DA&C needs an entrepreneurial pivot. Additional funding and revenue streams need to be secured before big ideas can take place. 14.16 Many County Departments hire consultants to evaluate an area of interest and provide action-item recommendations. This is done with intent to identify and include consideration for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Recommendations 6
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R1Invest in cultural infrastructure and access to arts and culture a. Invest in cultural infrastructure that supports artists and nonprofit cultural organizations in a manner and at levels that ensure Countywide access to the arts and opportunities for all County residents. b. Expand equity-focused arts and culture investments to increase support for communitybased organizations and cultural resources, particularly those that represent and serve historically marginalized and low-income communities and communities of color. c. Diversify the means of County support for arts and culture to include facilities, land use, funding, policies, and other means, and identify ways that each County Department can contribute to cultural life to assist in eliminating barriers to access.
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R2Advance arts and culture in every sector of civic life a. Foster cross-sector and interdepartmental collaboration to leverage arts and culture as a County strategy to support positive outcomes across every sector of civic life, including but not limited to: i. Making every effort within the scope of its reach to ensure equity and access to quality arts education and creative learning for public school students. ii. Incorporating arts, culture, and creative placemaking in equitable development and sustainability. iii. Stimulating a robust and inclusive creative economy with access to career pathways and opportunities for diverse county talent. iv. Integrating civic art and design in the creation of public spaces, transit, and infrastructure. v. Including arts-based strategies in criminal justice reform, child welfare, and prevention. vi. Promoting cultural exchange, cultural heritage, and diplomacy through the arts. vii. Utilizing arts to support health, address trauma, promote healing, and well-being for all communities. b. Assess the impact to arts and cultural assets as part of County land use and development plans to limit displacement and support cultural resources in communities. c. Include arts and culture in Countywide strategic plans, major initiatives, and resources to address Board Directed Priorities and the Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative (April 4, 2017). d. Incorporate arts and culture in County community engagement practices to engage diverse and underserved communities in the development of County plans, initiatives, and projects. 353
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R3Promote cultural equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging a.Identify ways to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land at County public events and ceremonial functions and celebrate the contributions of culture bearers and traditional arts practices of diverse communities.b.Incorporate arts and culture in County employee engagement, equity initiatives and training, and County facilities to create inclusive and inviting spaces for County workforce and the public.c. Encourage and continue to expand cultural equity, diversity, inclusion and access within the cultural sector of the region and increase coordination across County-owned cultural venues in support of key policies and initiatives. RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT: All County Departments and Chief Executive Office; Arts and Culture will provide leadership in implementation and technical assistance to other Departments. DATE ISSUED/SUNSET DATE Issue Date: July 23, 2020 Sunset Date: July 23, 2024 Renewed Sunset: June 23, 2027 Department of Arts & Culture. REVIEW OF BOARD POLICY NO. 3.180 – COUNTYWIDE CULTURAL POLICY. March 13, 2024. https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/supdocs/189609.pdf (Accessed on April 22, 2024) 354
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R4Emergency capability required is inversely proportional to resilience capacity.12 All of these disaster risks apply to the County. The County is a major urban area. The risk of earthquakes in the County has not abated over time. In addition, LA has grown to be the second largest city in the United States, which is within the most populated county in America. Since the founding of the Los Angeles pueblo, the potential for disaster in both the County and LA has grown monumentally. The County needs to address these disaster risks. It is imperative to make buildings earthquake resistant. There are numerous buildings, many of them government buildings, in Southern California that do not meet current building codes related to seismic safety. Again, this is a disaster waiting to happen at any moment of any day. The Mayoral Seismic Task Force, City of Los Angeles, “Resilience by Design”, 2014, p.4, www.ladbs.org/docs/default-source/publications/misc-publications/resilience-by-design.pdf 9 Ibid. US Geological society. Can You Predict Earthquakes? 2024. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-predict- earthquakes 11 A recognized expert in resilience from Florida International University 12 Aris Papadopoulus, Resilience – The Ultimate Sustainability, p. 22-25,, ISBN 978-0-9861816-1-0, copyright 2016 360 Southern California is prone to major earthquakes. Fortunately, the County has not had a major earthquake since the Northridge earthquake in 1994. Many experts continue to indicate that we are “overdue” for a major earthquake in southern California. The U.S. Geological Survey says the probability of a magnitude 6.7 quake hitting the L.A. area again within 30 years is sixty percent. In addition, there is a 46% chance of a magnitude 7.0 and a 31% probability of a magnitude 7.5.13 The probability of an earthquake of a magnitude greater than 6.7 striking somewhere in California within the next 30 years is greater than 99%.14 Following devastating earthquakes near the Syrian/Turkish border (February 2023), County Board of Supervisors (BOS) approved a motion by Supervisor Holly Mitchell, which states: “To Instruct the Director of Public Works, in collaboration with the Interim County Counsel, to prepare proposed updates to the County’s Building Code to require that all high-rise non-ductile concrete buildings, in the unincorporated areas of the County or owned by the County, be retrofitted within ten years from the date the updated ordinance goes into effect.”15 There have been several reports published over that last few years what have highlighted the many County owned buildings that are not resilient to a major earthquake.16 One of the purposes of this Committee investigation is to determine the progress made to retrofit older County owned buildings and measure progress against stated goals. It should be noted that although other jurisdictions within the County own buildings that require seismic retrofit, this report focuses on those buildings owned by the County only. There are more than 100 faults within the County.17 A major earthquake on any of the faults that crisscross the LA basin, could topple many buildings in the County Including major County governmental buildings, which were constructed prior to 1977.Importantly, the building codes allowed for the use of non-ductile cement in their construction before that date. To prepare for the powerful shocks of a high-magnitude earthquake, cities must first prioritize building resiliency. “There is a recognition that we’re not going to make our infrastructure earthquake-proof. There’s just no way that that’s affordable. So resilience is the key,” UCLA Professor Scott Brandenberg recognized.18 “Resilience is not about preventing damage from happening. It’s about being ready 13 https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/other/is-los-angeles-due-for-another-major-earthquake/ar-AA1n8NIH 14 California Earthquake Map - Fault Lines, Zones & Risks by County | CEA (earthquakeauthority.com) 15 28 Feb 2023 LA County Board of Supervisors Meeting Statement Of Proceedings (lacounty.gov) https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/bos/sop/1138590_022823.pdf 16 https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/pp1360 & https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2021-03-24/los-angeles- biggest-earthquake-threat-san-andreas-big-one 17 California Earthquake Map - Fault Lines, Zones & Risks by County | CEA (earthquakeauthority.com) 18 https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/weaving-earthquake-risk-into-city-resiliency-plans/586771/ 361 so that you can recover quickly without significant disruption to society.”19 It’s pre-planning for mitigation of disaster. This Report will address a short history of earthquakes in the County and what has been done regarding earthquakes in the County since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Further, the Report will also focus on how existing programs can be expanded to include larger geographic areas, without having the entire County compete for a limited number of structural engineers and building contractors, that will be needed to retrofit substandard buildings. Finally, this report will describe which County buildings should be subject to retrofitting or, in the alternative be re-built. The Committee will also provide real-time observation of an earthquake in progress to aid in their understanding of what can happen during a major earthquake. A relevant video can be viewed at the following: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixVVuN-mF1M This report will not discuss landslides, soil liquefaction or tsunamis, which can be side effects of a large earthquake. Ibid 362
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R14Page 3641 (a) BOS direct CEO to find funding to meet the staffing needs of the DA&C.
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R15Page 4181 County should draft an ordinance for retrofitting soft-story first floor buildings.