L.A. civil rights leader voices support for efforts to bolster safety standards across Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA —The Los Angeles Civil Rights Association endorsed Council members Bob Blumenfield and Monica Rodriguez's new ordinance addressing fire safety. The Ordinance titled; “Building a Safer Los Angeles” aims at curbing urban and suburban housing fires in the City. The organization dedicates itself to advocating for the rights and civil liberties of Los Angeles citizens, particularly those in marginalized communities.
“We need more leaders like Council members Blumenfield and Rodriguez—those are leaders that are tackling the issues impacting LA residents head on,” says Reverend Eddie Jones, President of the Los Angeles Civil Rights Association. “The ordinance they introduced is a critical step in curbing our growing wildfire problem and ensuring people are safe in their homes, their offices, and their places of worship.”
The Los Angeles Civil Rights Association is also a member of Build with Strength, a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, which consists of community organizations, fire safety professionals, engineers, architects, and industry experts committed to strengthening the nation's building codes and ensuring greater access to secure housing.
The ordinance would expand Fire District 1 and eliminate the use of combustible materials in new construction. The motion notes “it is time to revisit this tool and expand its reach to ensure that it captures the changing and growing regional centers and neighborhoods within the City of Los Angeles.”
The ordinance is in direct response to the surge in housing fires in Los Angeles. The trend was highlighted in a recent study by Urvashi Kaul, Consultant and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University. According to the study, L.A. could lose upwards of $22.6 billion to residential fires in the next fifteen years if building codes aren't addressed.
Reverend Jones, a staple in the Los Angeles community, underscores the importance of immediate action. “We cannot afford to wait any longer. The people of L.A. can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their safety is being made a priority.”
