Los Angeles Downtown News 10-19-20

Ending ‘Lip Service’ Candidate David Kim wants to solve economic anxiety Page 6

Polling Place Hotel Figueroa offers itself for election Page 10

October 19, 2020 I VOL. 49 I #42

10,000 Days Homeless Not Toothless reaches dental milestone

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Union Bank Plaza continues $20M renovation

By William Bergholz nion Bank Plaza’s owner had reason to celebrate this month. The building was the first skyscraper to become a historical landmark and it wrapped the first phase of a $20 million renovation.

The owners, KBS, are coordinating the project. The historic landmark destination was suggested by the Los Angeles Conservancy.

Built in 1967, Union Bank Plaza has been an iconic part of the Downtown skyline with its 701,888-square-foot, 40-story, office tower and retail plaza. With Union Bank Plaza’s renovation, it is redefining the Downtown skyline. Recently, Union Bank Plaza was designated the first skyscraper in Los Angeles to become a historical landmark.

The renovation has two phases.

In phase one, KBS completed a variety of interior and exterior renovations to the property, high-level finishes in the plaza’s conference center, and a best-in-class lobby.

“This project provides the opportunity for Union Bank Plaza to be seen in a new light while still maintaining the historic characteristics that make it so unique,” said Ginny Walker, public relations and asset manager.

“We made several upgrades to the property that are aligned with the needs of today’s tenants. We also completely preserved the historic original shell of the building as well as the outdoor plaza.”

In phase two, KBS will include an entirely reimagined two-story retail level and a spacious, modern outdoor seating area with fire pits. KBS has also implemented a progressive spec suite program at the property in which it built out tenant suites without a committed tenant. This program kicked off with eight suites totaling more than 21,000 square feet. All of these suites were leased prior to completion. Furthermore, there will be 12 new spec suites totaling over 33,000 square feet.

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KBS has also just completed the design of a full-floor law firm layout spec suite. KBS will begin construction on this 18,200-squarefoot spec soon. These suites are designed with Downtown Los Angeles’ live-work-play tenants in mind. Therefore, the new environment adds modern outdoor elements to support the restaurant options available to those working in the building.

“The newly added features and spec suite program further advance Union Bank Plaza’s reputation,” Walker said.

“It’s one of the most desirable office buildings in the Downtown Los Angeles market.

The completion of this repositioning matches KBS’ strategy of providing first-in-class environments for tenants at all of the assets in which we invest.”

Working alongside KBS is the architecture and design company HLW International.

In this project, HLW International has harnessed the distinguishing features of the modernist era from which Union Bank Plaza hails, and created a timeless design approach, which takes cues from the classic beauty of the building’s original design. HLW International has refreshed the entry lobby’s arrival experience and conferencing center with new interpretations of classic materials such as creamy Carrara marble, rich walnut wood, and matte brass architectural accents.

The resulting scheme establishes a contemporary sense of place in the building’s history with a clean, detailed and honest aesthetic.

The Union Bank Plaza renovation is set for completion early next year.

Altogether, “KBS has created an entirely new vibe at Union Bank Plaza,” Walker said.

“With the new garden setting, the park-like STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez experience on the plaza level, the fire pits, the indoor and outdoor conference center and new lobby, Union Bank Plaza is definitely one of the most attractive and flexible workRecently designated a historic landmark, Union Bank Plaza will wrap up its renovation early next year. spaces in the Downtown Los Angeles marketplace.”

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski STAFF WRITERS: William Bergholz, Sarah Donahue, Sara Rashidi, Julia Shapero, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kamala Kirk, Silke Sorenson ART DIRECTORS: Arman Olivares, Stephanie Torres STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Luis Chavez CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Celeste Hernandez, Simon Zhu ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Catherine Holloway, Michael Lamb FOUNDER EMERITUS: Sue Laris

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CORE conducts COVID-19 Testing

By William Bergholz ean Penn’s CORE Response, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the city of Los Angeles with Mayor Eric Garcetti’s office operated a free COVID-19 testing site at South Hill and West Fifth streets, Downtown.

At this COVID-19 testing site, Angelenos have been welcomed, regardless of insurance coverage.

CORE brought its trailer with necessary equipment, and employees set up a testing center with tables. Patients were placed at their own table, which were placed far apart.

After the patients registered, CORE employees gave patients the COVID-19 test.

For the test, patients must cough five times, then use a Q-tip to swab the inside of their mouth for 20 seconds. Patients were encouraged to swab the roof of their mouth, their tongue and their gums. Patients then put the Q-tips in a vial with liquid, put it in bags and dropped it in a bin. The LAFD took the test kits to the lab, which processes the testing kits around the clock. Results are provided within 48 hours.

CORE tests approximately 15,000 people per day, and more than 1 million people total in LA. CORE co-founder and CEO Ann Lee, with Penn, recognized CORE’s, LAFD’s and Garcetti’s efforts.

“Mayor Garcetti rose to an unprecedented challenge, with no federal strategy and limited support,” Lee said.

“CORE is proud of its team of everyday citizens who have stepped up to do their part, alongside our city’s firefighters and other workers. Now in our fifth month of fighting this pandemic, we know that testing is one piece of saving the lives and livelihoods at stake right now. We must do more.

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“We must ask the public to continue doing its part to wear their masks, social distance and test, and if they test positive, quarantine and fully participate with contact tracers. We are committed to partners who can maximize the impact of our testing efforts by providing test results within 48 hours, contact tracing within 72 hours after a positive result and supporting those who cannot quarantine safely.”

LAFD Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas added, “The men and women of the LAFD continue to work collaboratively with Mayor Garcetti’s staff and the dedicated personnel from CORE to facilitate citywide COVID-19 testing for Angelenos. The battle against COVID-19 is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime, and I am proud that our organizations were able to quickly answer the mayor’s call to design, staff quickly and supply such a complex operation.”

CORE is committed to an integrated approach for the COVID-19 relief effort across the country. As COVID-19 cases continue to occur in LA, CORE has developed the CORE 8, which is inclusive of streamlined testing with results returned within 48 hours, comprehensive and timely contact tracing programs, supported quarantine and isolation services that provide shelter, food and wage replacement.

These essential components, combined with the individual responsibility to wear a mask, social distance and isolate, are vital to slowing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping LA safe.

CORE is committed to supporting local governance with a community-centric approach and has applied this model to emergency relief efforts for COVID-19 in LA. CORE is planning for more COVID-19 testing in LA.

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Homeless Not Toothless, a nonprofit that provides dental services to homeless veterans in Los Angeles, marked its 10,000th day of service October 10.

Photo by Luis Chavez

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Homeless Not Toothless marks milestone

By Julia Shapero omeless Not Toothless, a nonprofit that provides dental services to homeless veterans in Los Angeles, marked its 10,000th day of service October 10.

The nonprofit has provided more than $5 million in services and treated almost 60,000 patients since it was founded by Dr. Jay Grossman over 28 years ago.

Grossman, who served as a dentist in the U.S. Navy, created Homeless Not Toothless almost immediately after he left the service. He said the inspiration came from the location of his West Los Angeles dental practice, which was within walking dis-

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tance of the Veterans Affairs center where homeless individuals often create camps.

“When I saw people literally asking for food and money and a job or something, I was left with this horrible guilt of walking by and doing nothing versus giving them some money and then, of course, having the concern of whether the money was going to food or drugs and alcohol,” he said.

Grossman said he instead came up with the idea of offering the veterans dental care.

“One day I was reaching into my wallet, and I decided ... I could give them dental care where I’m clear where the work is going—it’s going into their mouths,” he said.

He added that Homeless Not Toothless didn’t start off as a nonprofit. Rather, he simply opened up his practice to treat the veterans. “(I had) plenty of time on my hands because my practice was not built up,” Grossman said. “I had more empty space than I had patients in the chair, so I just started treating them.”

The nonprofit serves about 15,000 people a year, with more than 500 volunteer dentists, Grossman said.

He added that he also has a rotation in his practice in which fourth-year UCLA dentistry students come through his office to provide care. With this rotation, Grossman said he is able to provide dental care with no labor costs involved and, because he donates his facility, no rent involved.

“If you take labor and rent out of the equation for any business, it suddenly makes it either a very profitable business, or, in my case, it makes it a nonprofit that works on just fantastically high margins,” he said.

Grossman said he is able to average about 8% overhead, which means 92 cents

of each dollar is going directly to his two main bills—dental supplies and lab costs.

“It’s multifactorial, right, because the people that need dental care get the help, we’re able to help teach (and) we can show the students kind of one on one how things work, and everyone wins in this sort of situation,” said Dr. George Jaber, who volunteers with the nonprofit.

While Homeless Not Toothless provides full-scope dentistry, including cleanings, fillings and extractions, Jaber said they mostly provide care that doesn’t require a lot of recall for the convenience of the patients and the effectiveness of the situation.

“It really helps those people because there’s absolutely no judgment, there’s no red tape,” he said. “We just get them in, we screen them, we figure out how we can best help and we take care of them.”

Jaber, who handles the surgical side of things, said while working on one of his first patients for the nonprofit, he was able to have a conversation with the patient without them feeling or even realizing that he was performing surgery.

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Homeless Not Toothless was founded by Dr. Jay Grossman over 28 years ago.

Photo by Luis Chavez

“Everyone was like wow, this has gotten to the point where it’s super relaxing, even for the most … fearful patients,” he said. “And it’s just because we care, we try to make it something that’s easy. And like I said, we take away all judgment and that sort of stuff, because we want them to be able to come back and get the care that they need.”

Dr. Mike Tong first began volunteering with the nonprofit in 2013 after he wrote a spotlight on Grossman. He said as a newer graduate at the time, he wanted to gain perspective from someone who was doing well enough to focus not only on his own profit margins but to better his community.

He added one patient he treated, who was recovering from drug addiction, talked about how the organization and Grossman had turned her life around and allowed her to regain her confidence.

“We were able to hear the story from a patient who came out on the other end of it in a very positive way,” he said. “It’s really something that you don’t get to see that often in this day and age.”

Grossman said he created the program to help people who are interested in bettering themselves—to fix their smile so they can interview and to fix their teeth so they can eat without pain and avoid taking illegal drugs for pain management.

One patient named John, who he became particularly close with, entered the

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program with six months of sobriety.

“He and I ended up becoming very friendly,” Grossman said. “It was during an age where my kids were still at the house—they still call him Uncle John right now—and he came in and did some work.

And we talked about what got him into the situation that he was in, which was drug addiction.”

John’s ex-wife had taken their then-2year-old son away after John, who was working construction 20 hours a day, started using drugs to get more hours into the day to make more money, Grossman said.

“As he says it, his life was out of balance,” Grossman said.

During the time John was working for them, Grossman was able to locate John’s ex-wife and son, who was now 17 years old.

“I was able to get the mother to allow, under my wife and my supervision, to have their 17-year-old son come out, and I flew him out to surprise John, and was able to reunite them,” he said. “And boy, was that a tearful moment. I mean, it was just extraordinary.”

Grossman said these kinds of stories invigorate him and give him the energy to keep putting countless hours and endless funds toward the nonprofit.

“It’s just an extraordinary outcome that you would not expect from fixing somebody’s toothache,” he said.

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Candidate David Kim plans to fight to end economic anxiety

By Sarah Donahue econd-generation Korean American David Kim is running for Congress to represent district CA34 in the U.S. House of Representatives with a goal of ending “lip service” within politics and bringing power back to the people.

The dire circumstances of COVID-19 set the stage for the biggest issues Kim is fighting for, he said. He wants to give Angelenos “A Floor to Stand On” by easing financial anxiety by fighting for solutions like Medicare for All, Universal Basic Income, Homes Guarantee and the Green New Deal.

“This is my first time running for office,” Kim said. “I don’t know everything and I’m not claiming to, but what I do know is that a government is supposed to be of the people, for the people, by the people—and it’s not that right now.”

Kim, who was formerly an immigration lawyer, said he’s not looking to be a part of politics for a long time. He said he is running right now because “it’s really urgent for us to elect people who have a heart and vision and who really want to bring government back to the people.”

He has received endorsements from other progressive politicians and groups such as Andrew Yang, Marianne Williamson, California Progressive Alliance, Progressive Asian Network for Action and The Trojan Left at USC. His campaign is 100% grassroots funded, as he does not accept donations from large corporations or PACs. This sets him apart from his running mate, incumbent Jimmy Gomez (D), who receives donations from real estate developer PACs, police PACs, Facebook, Google and Verizon, according to Kim’s campaign website.

“It’s a bedrock of corrupt politics,” he said of Los Angeles’ climate, mentioning how politicians accepting these contributions creates a major conflict of interest. He also noted how private prisons fund many corporations from which politicians accept money.

“Why in the world would you profit off of human suffering? And yet our politicians and my opponent are totally fine taking private prison money,” he said.

Gomez was elected to Congress in June 2017 and is endorsed by Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Mayor Eric Garcetti, Congressional Progressive Caucus and Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

In his endorsement statement, Garcetti credited Gomez for leading “landmark expansions” of paid family leave as well as

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funding domestic violence prevention and expanding access and funding for higher education.

However, Kim said during Gomez’s time in office, he has neglected to address Downtown’s growing need for affordable housing.

“I don’t think any of us have heard my opponent (Gomez) talk about the lack of affordable housing or people not having homes during the first year, second year or third year after he went into office—when that was something that he campaigned about,” Kim said. Gomez hasn’t done anything for Skid Row or the other communities of unhoused people Downtown, he added.

Los Angeles cannot afford more “lip service,” especially during this dire time of evictions during the era of COVID-19, he said.

“Our district is the 10th poorest in the nation. We deserve more from our elected officials,” his campaign website states.

“We need a New New Deal like FDR had from before because the people are distressed,” he said. “People wake up every day, not knowing how to pay their rent. They’re waking up in this chronic economic anxiety every day and life isn’t supposed to be that.”

If elected, Kim said the first thing he wants to do is look for ways to create social housing units. He is a supporter of the Homes Guarantee, which is a list of demands for federal action for housing in regard to COVID-19.

He is also a supporter of the Homes for All Act, a bill introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), which would authorize the construction of 12 million new public housing units as well as private and permanently affordable rental units across the United States.

If that bill passes, he would be sure the money allocated to Los Angeles would be put into identifying and repurposing unused buildings rather than wasting taxpayer money creating new ones, he said.

Universal Basic Income (UBI), a concept recently popularized by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, is also a policy Kim supports.

Kim is among the first congressional candidates in the United States to partner with a private company to offer a limited Universal Basic Income trial for 25 individuals impacted by COVID-19 across the CA34 district. Steady, the private technology company funding the trial, helps workers find jobs, manage personal finances and increase their income.

“We have to acknowledge that now the norm is to have two to three jobs to make

ends meet when it shouldn’t be,” he said, adding that UBI is a good start to solve this dire issue.

Los Angeles needs real progressive leaders, Kim said. He looks to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for inspiration on how to co-govern with the people. Ocasio-Cortez serves as a U.S. representative for New York’s 14th congressional district.

Kim said it may look like he’s just providing lip service, too, “but no, keep me accountable—that’s what Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is doing,” he said.

Ocasio-Cortez hosts monthly neighborhood bureau town halls in different parts of her district where she talks about legislation with her constituents before she votes on them, he said. This is how she holds herself accountable and why she has such high approval and voter ratings, he added. He said if elected, he plans to govern in a similar fashion.

Another view that Kim and Ocasio-Cortez share is support for the Green New Deal.

In Los Angeles, the growing issue of heat islands, smog, an unsteady water supply and a lack of widespread public transportation are major environmental issues Kim emphasized. “We’ve been completely irresponsible in everything.”

The effects of climate change hit low-income communities the hardest, Kim said,

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emphasizing how many of these issues are intertwined. The Green New deal is a major potential solution, Kim said, but it means nothing if a corporate interest scheme remains a part of politics.

“When you say you’re a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal—and I’m talking about my opponent—show us that you are. Stop taking money from oil and gas company executives.”

Another major stance Kim campaigns on is LGBTQ, gender, sex and identity equality. Kim holds these issues very close to his heart, he said.

“So many times, we look at people who are living unhoused as ghosts,” he said. “Why are we looking at people that are in the queer community as less than human beings as well?”

He plans to support any and all legislation that will fight to protect the lives and prosperity of the growing LGBTQ community across the CA34 district. “We must still work to stamp out discrimination in education, employment—everything,” he said.

“For me, I was always kind of ashamed to be gay and queer up until a few years ago.

But now is the time where we just really need more queer people on the forefront calling for action and really breaking all the stereotypes that have worked against us.”

The election is November 3.

David Kim at the Basic Income March on September 19 at Grand Park DTLA. Democrat Kim is running against Democratic incumbent Jimmy Gomez for Congress CA34.

Photo by Stephen Chun/Courtesy David Kim for Congress 2020

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Covered help LETTERSCalifornia TO THE will EDITOR

OCTOBER 19, 2020

OPINION

Garcetti is turning a blind eye on the Angeleno crisis Editor: Los Angeles, once known as the City of Angels, the city of hopes and dreams, has now become the city of despair and hopelessness.

I’ve been living here for over 10 years, and in the last three years I’ve witnessed this city steadily falling apart. One could blame the recent events on the COVID-19 crisis, but the problems began long before that.

In the last three years there has been a sharp increase of the homeless population on the streets. Years ago, they lived in mainly in Skid Row. Back then, the few homeless venturing out in other parts of town were mostly veterans, sitting in front of stores or by freeway exits. About three years ago, I could suddenly see them in areas like West Hollywood and many other parts of town.

Then the pandemic hit in March of this year. It put thousands of people out of work. Not all of them received the help they needed, and as a result of that, many more ended up on the streets. But lately, in the last couple of months, this number has drastically increased. There are rarely any blocks in town without some tents lined up. Most of the underpasses have become large tent cities. This new population of homeless is largely mentally ill or visibly addicted to drugs. You can see them at gas stations, yelling at customers who are afraid to go to the pump, wandering down the street yelling and at the Venice boardwalk, which is now covered in tents, and in many other areas all across town.

They also live in abandoned cars that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and it makes me wonder who put them there in the first place. It’s also pretty obvious that someone supplied them with tents, as a lot of these tent cities are identical and appear to be brand new.

It’s been reported that the city released low-level inmates and even the low-level mentally ill from their facilities due to COVID outbreaks. That raises the question how that happened in the first place. Shouldn’t they have been safer there? This action might have solved the health crisis in these facilities, but have you considered what it is doing to the city, Mr. Mayor?

When it’s dark outside, the city turns into a ghost town, with the residents home due to the consequences of the pandemic and the homeless wandering down the streets. It has become very unsafe to be outside, and if the police are called they won’t do anything about it, even if a homeless person is doing something suspicious on private property. I’ve witnessed this firsthand.

The local government seems to ignore that this situation also creates a massive sanitary problem. With an increased level of garbage left on the streets virtually everywhere, it is only a matter of time before rats and other pests increase and spread all over the city. This is creating a huge health hazard. And secondary, how exactly is having all these people out on the streets helping to contain the spread of COVID-19?

You’ve allowed big developers to build these upper-scale housing facilities everywhere in town over last four, five years. And even while we were all placed on a stay-at-home order, these construction sites kept working and, apparently, they were considered an “essential business.” I wonder why. It raises the question who exactly will benefit from this.

These new housing units go for renting prices only the wealthiest can afford, while the lower middle class and below are stuck in their old places because they can’t afford to move. As a result of that, some homeowners are taking advantage of that by letting their rental units fall apart, well aware of the fact

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that tenants have to stay no matter how bad the condition of their apartment is.

I know plenty of renters who live with mold, holes in their walls, leaking pipes, broken electrical outlets and other hazards. If they sue their landlords, they end up getting paid off with little money and an order to vacate the property. All of that is done with the intention to rent out these units for a significantly higher rent price, to match the market these newer rentals go for. That was the cause of the initial homeless crisis in the first place.

So, what is the purpose for all these actions? Is it meant to drive all lower-income residents out of Los Angeles, to turn it into another San Francisco where the poverty level is now around $100K? Just consider this: In New York, many residents have left already after the city was struck hard by COVID-19, and we have yet to see what the long-term consequences will be. If this was, in fact, the plan (to drive the lower-income residents out) there might be nothing left to build on. Furthermore, I would like to point out that it is also extremely inhumane to put all these people out on the street, and it paints quite a different picture than the one you portray on TV. No one should live on the street, not under normal circumstances and certainly not while we deal with COVID-19. California has the fifth-largest economy in the world; there is no excuse for that. There are plenty of empty properties that could be used to provide housing for the homeless.

It was the diversity that made this city unique that gave it a certain flair. With these new, highly questionable actions, this city will lose its character and identity.

Is this how you want to be remembered after your term as mayor ends in 2022? Your predecessor left office with a bad aftertaste. What do you want your legacy to be?

Silke Sorenson

OCTOBER 19, 2020

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Author and historian Nathan Marsak has worked on the curatorial staff of Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art and served as a historian for the LAPD Museum archives.

Photo courtesy Nathan Marsak

Partners pivot to create moisturizing hand sanitizer

Local historian explores Bunker Hill in new book

By Kamala Kirk owntown Los Angeles has gone through major changes over the last century, and Bunker Hill is one of the city’s neighborhoods that has been completely transformed.

In his latest book, “Bunker Hill Los Angeles: Essence of Sunshine and Noir,” author and historian Nathan Marsak tells a visual story of Bunker Hill’s evolution with more than 250 photographs, maps and vintage memorabilia.

“I’d always had an interest in lost landscapes and became enraptured by the concept of LA,” Marsak said.

“I moved to LA in the early ’90s and gravitated to Downtown. I hung out around Grand Central Library and began working at the Museum of Contemporary Art. I learned about all the old mansions that use to exist in DTLA and watched old movies with friends that offered glimpses of LA back in the day. I became fascinated with Bunker Hill and started collecting old images, slides and anything else I could find.”

Marsak grew up in Santa Barbara with historian parents and developed an interest in LA at an early age. While attending the University of California, Santa Cruz, he studied under renowned historian Reyner Banham and completed his graduate study with Sullivan/Wright scholar Narciso Menocal at the University of Wisconsin—Madison.

In his recent book, Marsak covers the inception of Bunker Hill in the mid-19th century up to the present day, commemorating the folks who played a role in its transformation. He also delves into the architecture of buildings that graced Bunker Hill, from Victorian and craftsman to mission and modern.

“There are a lot of images in this book no one has ever seen before that are the product of my lifelong collecting,” Marsak said. “My favorite part about working on this book was meeting all of the wonderful people who had relationships to Bunker Hill. I would love to do a second book at some point.”

Marsak published his first book, “Los Angeles Neon,” in 2002. It features more than 350 color photographs, vintage postcards and rare images of neon signs throughout California—many of which no longer exist.

“Besides architectural history I’m also into preservation,” he said. “Part of me is addicted to the heartbreak when things are torn down, as well as the prevention of it.

“Anyone who has the chance to visit and explore Bunker Hill should go now and get to know it. There’s a lot to see there, both old and new. As more things continue to be torn down, Bunker Hill is changing and won’t stay the way it is forever. Don’t take it for granted, because one day we’ll look back and realize how much we miss the old Bunker Hill from 2020.”

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By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski illiam Iyawe-Parsons knows credibility is everything.

When he and his three partners—Khalid Namoos, Max Yeh and Tam Nguyen, who live in DTLA—created Sympol Products’ Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer, they knew they had to be FDA registered and make the items pleasing for customers.

Sympol Products is keeping customers safe from COVID-19 by producing 10,000 gallons of moisturizing hand sanitizer each week in scent free and aromas like spring blossom, lavender, grapefruit, peppermint and tea tree oil. The key was to develop pleasing aromas that would mask the strong smell of ethyl alcohol.

“Our chemists identified many plant-derived oils that could be used to not only provide great aromas but also effectively moisturize hands, too,” Iyawe-Parsons said.

“Product development has been so much fun for us because we love testing new formulas for beautiful aromas to share with you all.”

Their formula uses 70% ethyl alcohol, which is 10% more than the CDC-recommended formula.

“Providing a product that will be as effective as possible without compromising the nourishing components is important to us,” Iyawe-Parsons said.

“Sympol provides a powerful clean, and our proprietary oil blend complements the clean with nourishment. Your hands need your precious oils to stay soft and hydrated. Now more than ever hands are being overly dried and dehydrated, and this is where Sympol comes in to make a difference. We must keep ourselves and our communities healthy by taking necessary sanitary precautions, and Sympol has figured out how to do so while keeping your clean hands healthy, too.”

The products are 100% pure and natural oils leave the skin moisturized, Iyawe-Parsons said. The aromas come from plant extracts with cosmetic-grade aloe vera and kosher-grade glycerin.

The items can be purchased from sympolproducts.com, amazon.com, Aveda salons and retail stores, and the Andaz Hyatt Hotel in West Hollywood.

Sympol Products’ founders recognized that sanitizers frequently lead to dry and cracked skin, but they wanted something better.

Sympol Products has a second line of industrial products, but Iyawe-Parsons said manufacturing hand sanitizer for customers brought out his creative side.

“It was definitely fun because when you recreate an industrial product, no one cares about the packaging,” he said. “If it cleans the dirty spill on the ground, that’s all that matters to consumers. We could make the packaging fun, pretty and really nice.”

Sympol Products—which also includes Osam Iyawe and Taylor Smith—is considering adding more aromas.

“Aromas are experience based,” said Iyawe-Parsons, who has a chemical manufacturing company. “You would never want hand sanitizer that smells like skunks. Grapefruit is better.

We’re approaching it by creating the perfect grapefruit aroma.

“We’re working on herbal, earthly aromas for our hand sanitizer and hand soap lines.”

Hand sanitizers are available in 1 ounce, 2 ounces and 4 ounces for travelers. The 8-ounce and 16-ounce options are perfect for desks, waiting rooms and any other high-traffic areas.

Prices vary, but customers can save by subscribing.

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Sympol Products sympolproducts.com

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OCTOBER 19, 2020

Hotel Figueroa: a beacon of female progress in DTLA

By Kamala Kirk pen since 1926, Hotel Figueroa is an iconic landmark and one of the longest-standing hotels in Downtown Los Angeles that served as a mecca and safe haven for many women.

During the early 1900s, solo female travelers were often frowned upon and looked at suspiciously and needed a place to stay where they could feel safe, comfortable and respected.

“Hotel Figueroa opened as a women’s hostelry during an era in which women were typically not allowed to travel alone and without a chaperone,” said Matt Vargas, director of sales and marketing at Hotel Figueroa.

“From the outset, the hotel was founded and operated by women, and was designed to appeal to women specifically. Over time, it became a place where enduring friendships were built that gave women confidence to be comfortable traveling solo.”

In 1921, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) purchased a lot on the edge of DTLA to build a hotel that catered to professional women. The YWCA promoted it as “the largest project of its kind to be financed, built, owned and operated by women.”

“While the YWCA built other hotels in Los Angeles, Hotel Figueroa was the only project where women ran and designed the entire space,” Vargas said.

When the hotel opened in 1926, adjoining it was the YWCA’s five-story administration building. According to historian and author Craig Owens, the YWCA sent approximately 1,000 invitations to the hotel’s opening, which consisted of a dinner-dance.

“The Prior Moore Orchestra, dressed in Spanish costumes, provided the entertainment,” Owens said. “Spanish dancers and crooners also added to the festive occasion. The hotel’s first manager was a woman named Maude Bouldin, and as a social center it catered to and attracted a few women’s organizations and political office holders.

As a building, it was progressive and ahead of its time. It’s amazing that it got built and that it is still here.”

Bouldin was a strong feminist figure who was ahead of her time, and years later she was immortalized in a portrait by LA artist Alison Van Pelt.

“In addition to being a breaker of glass ceil-

O

ings, Bouldin was quite an adventurer,” Vargas said. “She was an aviatrix, enjoyed riding motorcycles and loved racing cars.”

Two years after opening, Hotel Figueroa allowed male guests for the first time, but with certain provisions.

“Men were permitted to stay at the hotel beginning in 1928 but stayed on separate floors from the hotel’s female guests,” Vargas explained.

From 1931 to 1958, Hotel Figueroa was a hub of creative community, press conferences, political rallies and social clubs in DTLA. The YWCA kept its administrative building next door until 1951, occasionally holding events there. By the 1970s, Hotel Figueroa operated as a semipermanent residential hotel and was purchased in 1976

by Uno Thimansson, who transformed the property into a Moroccan retreat.

The Staples Center opened nearby in 1999, and the hotel became known for its Grammy afterparties. Tennis star Andre Agassi’s likeness was painted on the hotel’s south-facing outer wall. Hotel Figueroa has also been featured on the big screen, serving as a backdrop in “True Blood,” in addition to Prince’s music video “A Million Days.”

In 2014, the hotel was purchased by Green Oak Real Estate and Urban Lifestyle Hotels, who spent the next three years restoring the building before its grand reopening in February 2018. Hotel Figueroa’s updates included a modern take on Spanish Colonial design, 268 upscale guest rooms (including the Casablanca Suite with a secret passageway that opens by pulling on a book on a bookshelf), several new restaurants and bars, a bright and open lobby where paintings—many by local Angelenos—are on display, and a rehab of the iconic coffin-shaped pool.

“The primary goal for the renovation was to restore the hotel to its original Spanish Colonial style, while renovating the beautifully appointed rooms and shared spaces to create a comfortable, tranquil environment for guests,” Vargas said. “We were even able to preserve some of the original YWCA insignias on the lobby’s walls.”

The hotel has several initiatives going on, including a year-long Featured Artist Series partnership with global online marketplace Society6 to showcase the works of local inde-

Offering 1,500 square feet of private outdoor space for up to 75 guests, the upper floor of Rick’s is a hidden oasis, complete with panoramic views of the hotel pool and the Downtown LA skyline.

Photo courtesy Hotel Figueroa

pendent female artists. Hotel Figueroa also launched a Work Perks Subscription Program, which allows teams to work remotely four days per week with one day per week designated for in-person meetings and collaborations at the hotel while adhering to CDC and WHO recommendations.

When many hotels closed their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hotel Figueroa remained open as a safe haven for all essential workers that needed a place to stay. As businesses began to reopen for travelers, the hotel implemented new safety and health protocols, and was among one of the first to secure a “Clean + Safe” designation from

the California Hotel & Lodging Association. It is also offering a new California resident discount for local travelers that includes 26% off their stay (a nod to the hotel’s original opening year of 1926), free parking and free cancellation with proof of a California ID. “At Hotel Figueroa, we are proud to offer a relaxing, resort-like getaway in the heart of Downtown,” Vargas said. “It’s truly an urban oasis with a tranquil outdoor pool amidst 70-year-old cactus groves. Paired with our rich history and commitment to supporting women and our diverse DTLA community, it is our goal to make our guests feel at home at The Fig.”

Hotel Figueroa 939 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles hotelfigueroa.com

Landmark to serve as polling place The historic Hotel Figueroa is continuing its legacy as a pillar of its community by offering itself as an official polling place from Friday, October 30, through Tuesday, November 3, for the 2020 presidential election.

LA locals voting at Hotel Figueroa will be directed to the hotel’s historic Gran Sala event space to cast their ballots in a safe, socially distanced environment for the four days leading up to the election and on Election Day: • 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, October 30, to Monday, November 2 • 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 3 “Hotel Figueroa is proud to do our part and civic duty by opening up our Gran Sala ballroom as a safe, convenient and accessible place to vote,” said Managing Director Connie Wang.

“As a historic hotel with a near-century-long history of serving our Downtown Los Angeles community—and in honor of the women who fought for suffrage 100 years ago this year—we know the right to vote and participation in the election process is foundational to our democracy. We are humbled to be able to offer a safe space to help facilitate socially distanced voter turnout and engagement during this historic election.”

The hotel’s poolside restaurant, Veranda Al Fresco, will also be open throughout the voting period and on Election Day (November 3) from noon to 9 p.m., serving voters and guests a menu of Mexico City-inspired fare, available for contactless dining and to go.

For more information on Hotel Figueroa as a polling place during the 2020 presidential election, visit hotelfigueroa.com or lavote.net.

OCTOBER 19, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE DOWNTOWN NEWS 11 SERVICES COUNCIL (PASC) FOR THE IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) PROGRAM

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The Stray Cats recall ‘Rockin’ This Town’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski lim Jim Phantom considers The Stray Cats lucky.

The rockabilly band that famously includes him, guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer and upright bassist Lee Rocker was founded in 1979. Therefore, they spent last year celebrating its 40th anniversary.

One more year, and the 40th anniversary celebration would have been squashed due to COVID-19.

“It was the luck of the draw,” Phantom said. “Last summer, we were able to do our greatest tour we ever did. One year later on the calendar, and it wouldn’t have happened.”

That tour was captured on the 23-track “Rocked This Town: From LA to London,” which hit stores in September on Surfdog Records. The collection was produced by the band and mixed

by Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Arctic Monkeys).

The album’s career-spanning track listing features the Stray Cats’ greatest hits as well as several new songs from last year’s “40,” the band’s first new album in 26 years.

The tour and the subsequent album went well because, Phantom said bluntly, “We have nothing to prove at this point.”

“The audience is getting bigger all the time. It’s younger people and our original fans. We’re gaining new, younger people all the time.

“The new kids, they are thrilled that they can come see us. The original fans weren’t sure they would see us again. Everyone was into it from the minute we started. The only thing I could concentrate on was keeping up with the other two.”

The Stray Cats’ latest album, “40,” hit No. 3 on the Billboard charts and No. 1 on the rock charts.

“When someone from the office calls and says, ‘The record’s No. 3,’ everyone is on cloud nine.

It means a lot,” he said. “That was more inspiration to go and have a gas and play as good as we can every night.”

Phantom said the band wasn’t going to tour this year, so COVID-19 didn’t affect its plans.

Phantom was going to accompany his wife, Eagles of Death Metal bassist Jennie Vee, on her Australian tour. While in Australia, Phantom planned to produce a rockabilly album by Jimmy Barnes.

“We went on tour with him in the middle part of the ’80s and we just became friends,” Phantom said. “We always stayed in touch with him for 35 years.”

Vee and Phantom have kept busy recording music together, while she has been pushing her own clothing line. Phantom is an avid baseball and Strat-o-Matic fan who hosts “Rockabilly RaveUp” on Little Steven’s Underground Garage, SiriusXM 5 p.m. Sundays.

“I started doing Patreon and podcasts, too,” he added. “It’s an extension of the radio show. Jennie edits it with me. It’s my favorite thing to do. It’s a nice way to fill the day. It’s not the same as going out on tour, but we’re finding ways to kill time.”

Pursuant to California Welfare and Institution Code §12301.6(3)(d) and Los Angeles County Code §3.45.050, Los Angeles County is soliciting one (1) interested person to serve as a member of the Los Angeles County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) governing board.

The vacancy must include a current or past recipient of the IHSS program.

S

Slim Jim Phantom slimjimphantom.com twitter.com/officialslimjim Jennie Vee thejennievee.com

Brian Setzer, Slim Jim Phantom and Lee Rocker are the Stray Cats.

PASC is an entity separate from the County. Its focus is the delivery of services under the IHSS Program. PASC is responsible for having a registry to screen and, upon request, refer service providers to IHSS consumers. It also serves as the employer of record for IHSS service providers for collective barg a i n i n g p uPhoto r p obysRuss e sHarrington . Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services' (DPSS) social work staff conducts all IHSS service needs assessments and eligibility determinations.

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PUBLIC NOTICE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES COUNCIL (PASC) FOR THE IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES (IHSS) PROGRAM Pursuant to California Welfare and Institution Code § 1 2 3 0 1 . 6 ( 3 ) ( d ) a n d L os Angeles County Code § 3 . 4 5 . 0 5 0 , L o s A n g e l es County is soliciting one (1) interested person to serve as a member of the Los Angeles County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) governing board.

The vacancy must include a current or past recipient of the IHSS program.

PASC is an entity separate from the County. Its focus is the delivery of services under the IHSS Program. PASC is responsible for having a registry to screen and, upon request, refer service providers to IHSS consumers. It also serves as the employer of record for IHSS service providers for collective bargaining purposes. Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services' (DPSS) social work staff conducts all IHSS service needs assessments and eligibility determinations.

PASC has a 15-member governing board, of which, at least eight (8) members must be past or present IHSS consumers.

Qualified applicants shall have:

PASC has a 15-member governing board, of which, at least eight (8) members must LEGALS be past or present IHSS consumers.

Qualified applicants shall have: - Knowledge of personal assistance services (including IHSS).

- The ability to work with other governing board members to set policy for PASC and direct executive staff in the administration of those policies.

- The ability to attend regularly scheduled meetings.

- A commitment to serve a three-year term.

- A current or past recipient (consumer) of the IHSS Program.

The PASC governing board currently meets once a month, but this may be subject to change in the future.

PASC may, on occasion, hold additional meetings.

PASC governing board members serve without compensation. However, some expenses associated with governing board service may be reimbursed.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will make the final appointments.

For further information or to obtain an application form to become a member of the PASC governing board, p l e a s e c a l l S o n i a M i r amontes at (562) 908-4358 or Ying Chan at (562) 9085706. Completed applications must be submitted no later than November 6, 2020.

10/19/20 CNS-3395110# DOWNTOWN NEWS

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OCTOBER 19, 2020