Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hollywood Farmers Market needs our help. Write a letter!

Action Alert: Save Hollywood Farmers Market

Action Alert: Hollywood Farmers Market Needs your help... We could lose a twenty year quality of life....

Dear Fellow Community Leaders,

As you may have learned, our flagship certified farmers' market, The Hollywood Farmers Market(HFM), no longer has a permit to continue operating.  The city is withholding our permit renewal because the L.A. Film School wants the farmers situated south of Selma Ave. along Ivar Ave. (approx 50) to vacate the area so that they may have access to 120 rooftop parking spaces - on a day when they do not even hold classes.  The farmers' market footprint is a complex ecosystem and one that took 20 years to develop.  It cannot be easily reconfigured within the existing neighborhood without multiple ramifications, including the possibility of losing the Farmers' Market in its entirety, and inflicting serious losses to our non-profit that operates the HFM and other markets and educational programs in underserved areas of Los Angeles.

The HFM is not only important for Hollywood and the surrounding neighborhoods but also supports SEE-LA's small community markets we operate in neighborhoods such as Watts, South Central, Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills, Canoga Park, Echo Park and East Hollywood.  These markets provide a safe environment for families to purchase fresh produce with funding such as SNAP/EBT (food stamps) & WIC and also bring food education classes to parent centers and schools in those areas.

I am asking that you, as influential community members and supporters of SEE-LA, send a letter of support  to the authorities responsible for approving our pending permit. We are waiting to have a permit issued by the Department of Public Works/Bureau of street Services. I have attached a sample letter to be used as a template for your convenience. The letter should be on your organization letterhead and addressed to:

Honorable Eric Garcetti, President of the City CouncilCity of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Board of Public WorksCity Hall200 N. Spring St.Los Angeles 90012councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org

Andrea AlarconBoard of Public WorksDepartment of Public Works200 N. Spring StreetCity Hall, Rm 361Los Angeles 90012andrea.alarcon@lacity.org 

City of LA - PW/Bureau of Street Services

Attn: David Rivera

Investigation & Enforcement Division

1149 S. Broadway, Suite 400

Los Angeles, CA 90015 david.rivera@lacity.org 

Thank you all for your support.  We will keep you updated on this issue.

Sample Letter You can use.
 December 9, 2010

Honorable Eric Garcetti, President of the City Council

City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Board of Public Works

City Hall

200 N. Spring St.

Los Angeles 90012



<br /> <br /> <org><br /> <br /> </org></name><br /> <address><br /> RE: Hollywood Farmers’ Market Street Closure Permit<br /> <br /> Dear Council President Garcetti and Commissioners of the Board of Public Works:<br /> <br /> I am writing to express my support for the application for Special Event Street Closure currently under review by the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works, submitted by Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA), the operator of the Hollywood Farmers’ Market I strongly urge the Board and Bureau of Street Services to issue the necessary permits to allow SEE-LA to continue operating the HFM as it has for the past 19 years. I believe the HFM is an important community event which brings many social, economic, and public health benefits to Hollywood, and hope that you will recognize the tremendous public support for this beloved Los Angeles institution by allowing it to continue to operate in its current layout, on the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Ivar Ave., the 6300 block of Selma Ave., and the 1600 block of Cosmo Street in Hollywood.<br /> <br /> Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to contact me at <phone email="" or=""> to discuss this issue of great concern to us and many other loyal Hollywood Farmers’ Market supporters.<br /> <br /> Sincerely,<br /> <br /> <name><br /> <br /> <title>



Here is the location of the word document...

http://www.zumodrive.com/share/8VjdMmZiM2