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Loft Living in Skid Row: Policies, Plans, and Everyday Practices in a Distressed Neighborhood Author: Michael Powe Dissertation School: The Regents of the University of California Pages: 252 Publication Date: August 2010 Availability: Access Number: 10883 Abstract: This dissertation investigates the social, political, and economic consequences of downtown loft conversions, focusing on the case of Los Angeles's Skid Row. Through loft conversions, aging industrial and commercial buildings are transformed into residential apartments or condominiums. Lofts are seen as a promising mode of urban revitalization for city governments faced with tightening budgets, stiff intercity competition for capital investment, and problems with homelessness and decaying infrastructure. While such developments may make economic sense from cities' perspectives, the juxtaposition of housing and services for marginalized groups and relatively wealthy loft dwellers poses challenges. The needs and priorities of long-time residents of distressed neighborhoods are often very different from those of their loft resident neighbors. City-sponsored loft conversions raise concerns of exclusion and social injustice, as well as questions about for whom and for what interests city policies and plans function. The research employed a qualitative case study methodology and included three major data collection strategies: semi-structured interviews, archival data collection, and field observations. Seventy-five interviews were conducted with diverse "loft district" residents, city planners and police officials, local business representatives, loft developers, and advocates of low-income and homeless populations. Archival documents such as Los Angeles city policies, mass media publications, and loft marketing materials were collected, and field observations were conducted throughout the neighborhood. The dissertation argues that loft development benefited Skid Row by attracting attention and investment to some of the area's long-neglected problems. Loft conversions did not result in the displacement of longer-tenured residents. Lofts and other new developments in the area did, however, bring about social and discursive tensions between residents and between city officials and low-income resident advocates. Loft development also brought to light double-standards involving trash collection, the provision of public toilets, openness to the presence of families, and the spatial overconcentration of alcohol-serving businesses. The dissertation suggests that inclusive, neighborhood-level planning and focused attention to residents' concerns would likely have a substantial impact on bringing together views of the neighborhood and lessening current injustices. Recommendations address prospects for socially inclusive "loft districts" and carry implications for neighborhood planning and community development amidst social differences. |
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