Watts Housing Project Will Be Renovated

"Under the plan sponsored by the Los Angeles City Housing Authority, Nickerson--the largest housing project west of the Mississippi--will be divided into village-like compounds with their own managers, color schemes, laundry facilities and playgrounds. Tenants will be hired as painters and handyman for some of the redesign and landscaping work."

"We refuse to tear down this project. We've chosen instead to remodel," Mayor Tom Bradley said, noting that other cities with large public housing projects have "given up . . . and torn them down.""

"Ernest Shaw, chairman of the Nickerson Gardens Residents Advisory Council, said he expects the plan to "bring rehabilitation where there has been deterioration, light where there has been darkness and hope where there has been despair.""

The Los Angeles City Housing Authority announced a major renovation initiative for Nickerson Gardens, the largest public housing project west of the Mississippi River. The project will be redesigned into village-like compounds, each with independent management, distinct color schemes, laundry facilities, and playgrounds. Tenants will participate in the redesign process by selecting color schemes and landscaping elements, and will be hired for painting and handyman work. The renovation, part of the Watts Improvement Housing Program, will be financed through Housing Authority funds and federal grants. Mayor Tom Bradley emphasized the city's commitment to renovating rather than demolishing the project, contrasting this approach with other cities that have abandoned their large public housing projects. The initiative aims to improve conditions for approximately 5,000 residents.

Read at Los Angeles Times