BILL NUMBER: AB 516	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 7, 2002
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JANUARY 7, 2002

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Cedillo

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2001

   An act relating to redevelopment.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 516, as amended, Cedillo.  Redevelopment:   Byzantine-Latino
Quarter.
   Existing law permits the Department of Parks and Recreation to
contract or cooperate with public or private agencies for suitable
plaques, markers, and directional signs at the site of, or on the
approaches to, registered historical landmarks or points of
historical interest, including signs on highways and roads.
   This bill would make findings and declarations regarding the need
to designate the historic area of the Byzantine-Latino Quarter within
the City of Los Angeles by the placement of appropriate highway
signs and markers for that purpose.   The bill would require the
Department of Transportation to erect highway signs and markers
designating the Byzantine-Latino Quarter as an officially recognized
historic area. 
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  
no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The Byzantine-Latino Quarter is located at the southwestern
border of the neighborhood currently known as the Pico-Union area.
As designated by the Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative, the
boundaries for the Byzantine-Latino Quarter include the following:
Olympic Boulevard on the north; Venice Street on the south; 11th
Street and Alvarado Boulevard on the east; and Normandie Avenue on
the west.
   (b) The Byzantine-Latino Quarter represents one of the more
diverse and historic districts within the Los Angeles area, serving
as a major contributor to the preservation of cultural understanding
and community heritage.
   (c) The Pico-Union area was initially established as a fledgling
suburb of Los Angeles when downtown Los Angeles was the primary
commercial center  at the turn of the   in the
early days of the twentieth  century.  Because of its physical
proximity to downtown Los Angeles, the Pico-Union area has served as
an attractive destination point for new immigrants.  Early residents
of the area included middle- and upper-income Norwegians, Swedes,
Welsh, and Russian Jews.  The changing demographics of the various
subcommunity populations have revitalized the growth and development
of the Byzantine-Latino Quarter.
   (d) The Byzantine-Latino Quarter illustrates a more historic
residential and commercial Los Angeles district.  Officially
designated as the Byzantine-Latino Quarter by the City of Los
Angeles, this renewed community creates unique cultural constructs by
joining Hellenic ideals and Latin American traditions, further
promoting a vibrant sense of community  brotherhood 
.  Sincere community efforts are currently developing the
Byzantine-Latino Quarter into a cultural, ethnic, and specialty
business zone that highlights the great world cultures represented by
the Greek Byzantine as well as Latino populations.  This critical
endeavor in community building redefines and reinforces that which
continues to attract new residents to the area.
   (e) The Byzantine-Latino Quarter has witnessed a significant rise
in the population of foreign-born residents during the twentieth
century, attributing to the increasing representation of the Latino
population.  In general, networks of kin and compadres (those from
the same towns and regions) have facilitated the steady influx of
Central Americans to the Pico-Union area, promoting easier
transitions for these new immigrants.  Consequently, numerous
community organizations and commercial establishments have responded
to this shifting dynamic by tailoring crucial programs and services
to the Spanish-speaking population.  Census records also indicate the
rising numbers of other ethnic minority populations like Asian
Pacific Islanders and African-Americans, providing further testament
to the diverse contributions of an evolving community.
   (f) Being that the Byzantine-Latino Quarter successfully maintains
the appeal of its historic cultural elements against its
ever-changing demographic profile, this unique area perseveres in
drawing new residents, both immigrant and nonimmigrant.  The history
of the Byzantine-Latino Quarter intimates a rich and enduring
tapestry, woven with the threads of many remarkable lives, cultures,
and events.
   (g) There is a need to designate the Byzantine-Latino Quarter as
an officially recognized historic area through the placement of
highway signs and other appropriate markers.  
  SEC. 2.  The Department of Transportation shall erect highway signs
and other appropriate markers to designate the Byzantine-Latino
Quarter within the City of Los Angeles as an officially recognized
historic area.  Local designation efforts and other similar actions
shall complement this project.