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Reseda/Canoga Park
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 At A Glance
  • Adopted Date: December 13, 1994
  • Amendments:
    November 21, 2003
  • Project End Date: December 13, 2015


    Reseda Site Office Information:
    18107 Sherman Way, Suite 100
    Reseda, CA 91335
    Telephone: 818-708-5844
    Fax: 818-344-2425

 
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Location
The Disaster Assistance Project for Portions of Council District 3 was adopted in 1994 after the Northridge earthquake.  It is located in the West San Fernando Valley communities of Canoga Park, Reseda, and Winnetka. The Project Area amounts to 2,500 acres and is generally bounded by Topanga Canyon Boulevard on the west, Saticoy Street and Roscoe Boulevard on on the North and Victory Boulevard on the South. Portions of the residential communities of Canoga Park and Reseda are also included within the Project Area boundaries.


Project Goals
To repair, restore, demolish, and/or replace properties damaged by the Northridge earthquake, and to take actions necessary for the economic recovery of communities affected by this disaster.


Conditions at Time of Adoption
The Project Area was severely affected by the Northridge earthquake, with 76 percent of the council district’s red-tagged buildings—those judged too dangerous for people to live or work in. Physical and economic damages included:

  • Commercial/industrial buildings:  286 (59 percent of the council district total) 
  • Single-family homes: 930 (10 percent of the council district total) 
  • Apartment buildings: 434 (41 percent of the council district total)
  • Condominiums: 84 (12 percent of the council district total)

Retail stores:  Many stores were destroyed. Stores that survived physically suffered a sharp decline in their customer base, because large numbers of nearby residents could no longer occupy their homes.  The remaining residents had to budget for costly home repairs that reduced disposable income. Retailers trying to repair their damaged shops and replace lost inventories were also faced with a sagging economy. As a result, many of these shops were forced to close.


Our Key Accomplishments
Hart Village. Completed in 2007, this Canoga Park development consists of 47 two- and three-bedroom apartments for low- and very low-income working families. Hart Village features a 3,800-square-foot child care center, and a community center. It was designed with sustainable features, including a solar energy system that generates 50 percent of the energy needs for all community areas.

Hart Village replaced seven dilapitated single-family homes that suffered from asbestos and lead contamination.

Tierra del Sol.  Completed in 2005, this Canoga Park development features 119 one- to-five-bedroom apartments for low- and moderate-income families. The complex also contains a a charter elementary school and a 3,500-square-foot family resource center with parenting programs and other services,

Tierra del Sol was built on an abandoned five-acre site that was once a city-owned maintenance facility.

Madrid Theater. The Madrid Theater is a 440-seat theater that showcases productions by professional, community, and student performing arts groups as well as art exhibitions. CRA/LA acted as the City’s agent to acquire the site in downtown Canoga Park.  

West Valley Facade Improvement Grant Program.  Ninety two storefronts along the Sherman Way Corridor in Canoga Park and Reseda have been redone.

Streetscape Program.  Trees, benches, trash receptacles and public art were added to six blocks of Sherman Way and Owensmouth Avenue. Curbs and alleys were also upgraded.

Main Street Canoga Park.  Canoga Park was certified as a California Main Street Community, a program that recognizes the revitalization of historic commercial districts.  CRA/LA provides technical and funding assistance to the Main Street Canoga Park non-profit corporation, which sponsors the Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival that takes place in November.

Guadalupe Center Rehabilitation Project.  Guadalupe Center in Canoga Park serves youth, families, and seniors with various social services. These services include after-school programs, a computer center, and emergency food and clothing. The Guadalupe Rehabilitation project added additional space for programs and administrative services.

Reseda Theater.  CRA/LA purchased the vacant and dilapidated 9,500-square-foot theater on Sherman Way to establish an adaptive re-use project . Lead and asbestos have been removed and  demolition of the interior (“soft demolition”) is complete.

Sherman Way project.  CRA/LA acquired  properties at 18128 and 18210 Sherman Way in Reseda for a future project. Extensive community outreach will be conducted to determine the best use for the site.


Five-Year Goals
Between 2010 and 2014, CRA/LA plans to further improve neighborhoods in Canoga Park, Reseda, and Winnetka by:

  • Preserving and expanding housing for all income groups.
  • Encouraging economic development 
  • Meeting the social needs of area residents
  • Improving the public infrastructure
  • Providing urban planning and design services
  • Facilitating community participation and
  • Funding the short and long-term redevelopment activities