vonderg@hotmail.com

Vonder

The lofts range in size from 782 to 1659 square feet. Rents range from $835 to $1595/month including heat and two parking spaces. Artists must pay for electricity and water. Most of the units are 25 feet wide with no interior columns, the majority of the units have one window . . . 8 feet high by 22 feet wide. On the first floor the ceilings are 13 feet high, on the second floor many of the units have ceilings that range from 14 to 25 feet high. The floors are sealed concrete. There is no elevator, but the first floor corridor is fully ramped and 8 feet wide. Doors are 42 inches wide by 8 feet high. There will be an area of raised beds for gardening alongside the canal. Pets are welcome and there is no additional fee for pets.

This is not an ‘affordable’ (i.e. low income tax credit) project. This project is privately funded and there are no income restrictions. This is a good project, designed with the help of the artists at Western Avenue Studios. http://www.westernavenuelofts.com

Even when Artspace was paying attention they moved in the first run of residents with pre-dated leases to misrepresent the time that construction was actually finished. Their was little to no interest or discernment based on artist qualification and most the selections were based on income/asset tax credit qualification. Many of the “artists” either did not even have any body of work to speak for and/or didn’t produce anything that even required an accommodation otherwise unavailable in the residential market. Mostly just a bunch of hobbyist arts and crafts people and/or writer/poets who saw the residency as a money-making opportunity. Those who took on leadership roles in the control of “gallery” operations in the common areas attempted to pay their rents by embezzling donation money from patrons and subletting exhibition space for their own profits. Some even went on to turn their residential zoned artist studios into commercial gallery spaces.

When I criticized these bad business practices to Artspace the property management began seeking routes to unlawfully dispossess me and eventually refusing to renew my lease.

There is a huge generatio of Boomers who have worked all theri lives at whatever it took to get them from one month to the other, get their kids raised and educated, their mortgages paid, and all of that.

Many of these people have also always loved the arts and done as much art as time and money would allow.

Now that we are retiring, many of us are faced with the problem of relocating and also finding a place where we can (FINALLY) settle down and do the art we have always loved– whatever craft or skill that may be.

I am not suggesting that you compromise the vitality and youth of your art program-project-community and turn it into an old folks hobby center, but here are a few points:

1. Older residents provide stability to a community

2. Older residents, especially boomers, know how to get things done

3. Older residents also bring in money to a community — eventhose of us who willbe retiring with very modest pensions and SS

4. Older residents are going to spend their money where they are — and that includes services as well as goods.

5. Generally, older citizens are pretty practical and good housekeepeers

6. Older citizens not only care about ecology etc but have the time to focus on these things

For myself, I am looking for a community where I don’t depend on a car, where I can feel safe, where I am not burdened with a lot of maintenance.

I have been looking at some pre-fab and obile home parks, and they(some of them) actually look lovely — and much more luxuious than many pricey apartments.

Please remember us — we have A LOT to offer, and are at a point where we don’t care about competing with other people — we pretty much know who we are and what we want to do.

Thanks for listening!

Roz

I am an actor in Seattle looking to move to LA. I have artist housing up here but there in much more work in LA ofcourse. So Im looking to move, but I need affordable housing to do so. Please inform me as to what has occurred in your pursuit to create LA’s first official arts housing project.

galanerwin@hotmail.com