April 13, 2023
LAWT News Service
The Inglewood City Council today approved a relocation plan for businesses impacted by the Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC). With a design that is envisioned to move over 11,000 passengers per hour during peak travel periods, the 1.6-mile transit system will alleviate gridlock and disruptions in Inglewood neighborhoods and connect the Metro system to the City’s newest housing, retail, and sports and entertainment venues.
Forty-one (41) businesses along the ITC route will be required to move to different locations, and the relocation plan approved by the council details how the City will assist them. It also explains how relocation procedures are implemented to facilitate the fair, uniform, and equitable treatment of displaced businesses. As outlined in the plan, every business that must be relocated will be assigned a dedicated relocation consultant who will work with the business owner to identify potential relocation sites, advise on negotiations with new landlords, facilitate actual relocation, and assist with reimbursement or advances for costs associated with relocation. These services and benefits are in addition to compensation received by the property owner for the property acquired by the City that is needed to facilitate the project.
The Mayor and City Council delayed a vote on the plan over the past few weeks in order to make way for an alteration that locates the maintenance and storage facility at the Market Street Station instead of next to the Vons Supermarket, as had initially been conceived. This change was implemented to prevent any potential closure of or disruption to the supermarket and other businesses located in the plaza on Manchester Blvd.
The Council also voted on an addendum to the Environmental Impact Report that acknowledged that this alteration would not create any additional environmental impact.
“The City Council and I understand that any construction on the Vons site would be disruptive to businesses residents and employees” said Inglewood Mayor James Butts, “To put it succinctly, we heard our constituents, and we made the project better based on their input.”
The ITC alignment is primarily located in the public right-of-way and does not require the acquisition of any residential properties in the City. However, there are a limited number of private business properties that must be acquired to accommodate construction and operation of the new transit line; 41 businesses which employ approximately 305 individuals will need to be relocated.
“First and foremost, we are committed to making sure each business has every resource available, and we will work tirelessly with businesses to see that their needs are met,” said Councilmember Dionne Faulk.
Project staff have been communicating with impacted owners and businesses over the past 15 months to understand their concerns, get feedback and begin creating personalized, tailored solutions. To prepare the relocation plan, all owners and tenants were contacted via multiple letters, calls, and personal visits. Twenty-three of the businesses completed and returned a relocation survey or completed the survey during in-person interviews. Just last month, the project held two open houses with more than eighty stakeholders in attendance.
“Each and every one of these businesses is part of the City’s culture and community. Our team will go to great lengths to ensure that the relocation effort is as smooth and straightforward as possible,” said Councilmember Eloy Morales.
The City’s top priority is keeping these businesses within the city limits and helping them thrive, and the project team is actively looking for potential replacement locations in or near Inglewood, but the decision about where to relocate ultimately lies with each business.
The Inglewood Transit Connector (ITC) is an elevated 1.6-mile transit system that will reduce traffic and parking congestion in Inglewood neighborhoods and connect the Metro K Line (Crenshaw/LAX Line) to the City’s housing, retail, and sports and entertainment venues including the Forum, SoFi Stadium, Hollywood Park, and the Intuit Dome. Its route would include three stations at Market Street and Florence Avenue, Prairie Avenue and Manchester Boulevard, and Prairie Avenue and Hardy Street, providing safe, reliable and convenient access to the City’s new major employment, commercial, and activity centers for local residents and the region.
Community benefits include less traffic and overflow parking in neighborhoods on event days, positive environmental impacts such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and advance sustainability goals; transportation and mobility impacts that improve ease of travel within Inglewood; and equity and access benefits that allow affordable community access.
The Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation estimates that over the course of ITC construction, the project will create over $1 billion dollars in direct construction spending; 10,950 total jobs and a fiscal impact of $261 million across LA County; with 9,060 jobs inside the City of Inglewood and a fiscal impact of $166 million within Inglewood. As the ITC becomes operational, the system, as well as its maintenance, will create an ongoing economic impact of $14.5 million annually. Ridership would have an estimated annual economic impact of more than $400 million for Inglewood in 2027 and this is estimated to grow to $485 million by 2045.
For more information, visit www.envisioninglewood.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .