Hollywood Community Studio

New iPhone Apps Help Residents Navigate (and Improve!) their Neighborhood!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:04:47 +0000

The Garcetti 311 App Helps Residents Report Problems about their Neighborhood

“Garcetti 311″ is a real-time mobile civic engagement tool that allows residents to identify problems in their neighborhood such as potholes, graffiti and broken sidewalks. Utilizing GPS technology, users can identify and take photos of the problem, which are then automatically geo-coded – or mapped – and then sent to the City for repair. The application is free and available for iPhones during the year-long pilot program. You can download the app through iTunes.

Another recent addition to the pool of iPhone apps is the “Official Hollywood Walk of Fame App” which helps fans navigate Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Just type in the name of the star you’d like to see, and the application searches its database to guide you directly to the correct spot along Hollywood’s famed sidewalks. A biography also pops up alongside the star’s location with up-to-date information. The “Official Hollywood Walk of Fame App” is now available $1.99 on iTunes.

HCS is always interested in learning about apps that help users navigate cities, so if you try either of these apps let us know what you think! Or, if you use other mobile apps that use geo-coding and allow you to upload pictures, tell us about them in the comments.

Do Hollywood Agencies Offer Enough Services to our Most Vulnerable Residents?

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:16:13 +0000

The Traveler’s Aid Society of Los Angeles (TASLA) recently conducted a community needs assessment to identify what types of social services are offered in Los Angeles County, including what gaps in services exist, and how well TASLA’s target population (individuals and families who are stranded in transit and who are in danger of homelessness), are being served. Over 20 agencies throughout the Greater LA area – with an emphasis on Downtown and the Hollywood area – responded to the assessment. For the most part, agency respondents felt that there are adequate services provided to their client base. TASLA, however, noted that their client base consistently sites laundry services, dental care, and eye care as services that are needed in the community but hard to find. The Hollywood Community Studio is interested in hearing from YOU about this topic. Do you think Hollywood has enough services to help its vulnerable populations? Yes? No? Why or why not? What could be done to better assist our struggling residents? If you want to learn more about TASLA and their services, check out their website here !

Tell Us Your Experience: Applying for Affordable Housing at 1600 Vine

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:19:58 +0000

1600 Vine, Hollywood, Ca.
Via LA Wad’s Flickr

One of our main goals at the Hollywood Community Studio is to help connect local residents with the opportunities that arise out of development. As such, we helped distribute the applications for the 78 affordable housing units at 1600 Vine, part of the new Hollywood and Vine project. More than 300 applicants came to our office alone, and we want to hear from you how the application process went.

If you applied, we want to know: How did you hear about the applications? Did you get picked in the lottery? If so, how are your new digs? Could the application process have been easier and, if so, how? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below, or send us an email to info (at) hollywoodcommunitystudio (dot) org.

HCS Engages Hollywood Residents and Workers in Neighborhood Surveys

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:09:35 +0000

This summer, the Hollywood Community Studio (HCS) has continued its community-based research in the neighborhoods that make up the CRA/LA’s Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area. This year we are focusing on the northern part of the project area, which extends from La Brea to the 101 and from Franklin to Selma. HCS hits the streets with a neighborhood opinionnaire asking residents and workers what they think about the physical and social changes taking place in their community, and how best to create a healthier Hollywood neighborhood. With only a month into the summer engagement process, we have already reached our goal of surveying 300 residents and workers! We surveyed the 300th neighborhood participant yesterday, and we still have two more weeks to go in the survey administration process!

This has been an amazing feat for the civic engagement of Hollywood, as it establishes Hollywood as a neighborhood with its own community voices. Additionally, HCS has served as an educational field internship for several students from various local colleges including CSUN, Antioch, Cal State Pomona, UCLA, and USC. If you would like to see the results of our research report from 2009, Central Hollywood Now, please visit the publications tab on our website.

HCS – Coming Soon to a Small Business Near You!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:13:18 +0000

Last year the Hollywood Community Studio surveyed close to 100 small businesses in Central Hollywood to learn about how they were being affected by neighborhood change. The survey inquired about the challenges and barriers to running small businesses in Hollywood, and what public agencies such as the CRA/LA can do to assist small businesses. To get a more complete picture of the neighborhood, this summer we’ll be knocking on doors around Hollywood Boulevard. If you own or operate a small business, we would like to know how current and proposed development projects in Hollywood affect your business and what types of technical and financial services you may need.

Please stay tuned for our online survey. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Portraits of Hollywood Post of the Week!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:07:06 +0000

This adorable little girl is Kaden. At a community event last month, Kaden (and her mom) told us that “Hollywood needs more things for kids to do!”

With the LAUSD budget deficit, school programs and summer classes have been cut. However, in Hollywood there are local programs and events happening around the area for people of all ages. Our community calendar can help you stay up-to-date with community and cultural events happening in Hollywood! The Hollywood YMCA, Yucca Recreation Center and Hollywood Recreation Center are other great resources for summer kids’ activities.

The Hunt for Healthy Foods in Hollywood

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:11:20 +0000

Hollywood Farmers Market (Source: theseesawonline.com)

At HCS, we are exploring the different services, food options, and physical places in the area to see if there is a correlation between the environment we live in and individual health. A local community group, Hollywood Community Walks, is also interested in healthy options in the area, and will be leading a food hunt this Saturday, June 26th at 2 P.M. The group will meet at the Hollywood Adventist Church (1711 N. Van Ness Avenue). Free parking is available on site.

Participants will be divided into teams with a clipboard, list of foods to find, and a camera to document the exciting search! At the end of the hunt, there will be prizes and cold beverages.

Please RSVP by emailing Nathan French at nathan@hollywoodsda.org. If you plan to ride your bike, RSVP by putting CYCLIST in the subject of your email.

Portraits of Hollywood Post of the Week!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:39:26 +0000

This week’s Portrait of Hollywood features Marcia, a local resident who attended one of the community health fairs in the area. We asked her what she thought Hollywood needs and she said, “more traffic lights.”

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In Hollywood, there are some blocks with crosswalks that lack traffic lights. Pedestrians may feel uncomfortable and unsafe crossing the street as cars drive by and sometimes fail to yield to pedestrians. So what if your area really needs a traffic light? Who do you talk to?

Contact your local Council District, which in Hollywood is either Council District 4 or Council District 13, and speak to the field deputy.

Council District 4 – Tom LaBonge
6501 Fountain Avenue, #2061
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: 323.957.6415
Deputy District Director for Hollywood
Stacy Marble, stacy.marble@lacity.org

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Council District 13 – Eric Garcetti
5500 Hollywood Blvd., 4th Floor
Hollywood, CA 90028
Phone: 323.957.4500
Field Deputy: Angela Motta, angela.motta@lacity.org

Hollywood’s First Art and Culture Walk, Thursday (6/17)!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:24:03 +0000

This Thursday, June 17th, Hollywood will be hosting its first Art and Culture Walk featuring small businesses and art venues on Las Palmas and Cherokee Avenue.

Come check out some of the hidden gems, new fashion boutiques and art galleries. Boardner’s, a Hollywood historical bar, will be extending its happy hour until 9 PM.

Discount parking will be available at Classic Parking on Las Palmas Avenue between Hollywood Boulevard and Selma Avenue. Want to avoid traffic? Take the Metro Red Line to Hollywood and Highland.

Some of the featured shops include:

Cerre: Fine Leather and Clothing
1647 Las Palmas Ave. | Hollywood | CA | 90028

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Antebellum
1643 N. Las Palmas Ave. | Hollywood | CA |90028

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House of Radness
1639 N. Las Palmas Ave. | Hollywood | CA | 90028

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Artstring Boutique
1644 N. Cherokee | Hollywood | CA | 90028

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The event is free. Make sure you spread the word!

The results from our Community Report Card Indicators Survey are in!

hollywoodcommunitystudio — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:20:14 +0000

Hollywood residents taking the indicators survey at a health fair

Over the last couple of months, HCS asked the community to take a survey of what neighborhood issues we should track in our community report card. Well, the results from the survey are in! Over 130 residents participated (via online or during community workshops and meetings) and ranked the 3 most important indicators of each topic ranging from education to community life. Download the results to see what indicators made the each list!

*** HCS is still trying to determine the feasibility of tracking all these indicators, but we will keep you all posted as we continue along in this process. So far, it looks like we’re off to great start.