Inglewood 4th District Councilwoman Dionne Faulk Holds Second Community Meeting for Residents to Speak on Proposed Project at Site of Morningside High

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.

Email

Submit

← Back

---

The Southern Truth
By Gloria Zuurveen, Editor-in-Chief

It was early for me, but I made it over to Inglewood United, formerly called Morningside High, for those who remember. It was another community meeting about the potential development for the area. See the map for the area discussed. It was an extension of last Thursday evening’s meeting when 4th District Councilwoman Dionne Faulk, along with some members of the development team, were present to present the drawings and the rendition of the 571 residential townhomes proposed for the residents of Inglewood.

---

---

---

The Saturday morning meeting was early for me, but I made it, and I am glad I did because the public has a right to know what is going on in the City of Inglewood, just as they do in any other city. It was good to see an actively engaged community show up to ask questions about what is coming—or going, for that matter—in their community. The meeting took place inside the Morningside High School Auditorium.

---

While Councilwoman Faulk is an elected City official, she does not have jurisdiction over the Inglewood Unified School District. However, because IUSD—specifically, Morningside High—is in her 4th District, she is boots on the ground when a multimillion-dollar project has been approved for a 99-year lease agreement. She was on hand handling her business for her constituents and ensuring that those who live and work in the 4th District are not left out of the mix when it comes to the PLA, that is, the Project Labor Agreement. However, the critical aspect of the meeting was the changes in zoning and planning.  That is why Bernard McCrumby, Inglewood’s Development Services Department Director , was in the room too. On the agenda was just that because currently, the zoning for the area shown is R-1, which means Residential-1 (one-family residential), and it is proposed to be changed to R-3, which means Multiple-Family Residential. Those are some major changes to the Land Use Element Map of the Inglewood General Plan—from Low Density to Medium Density. So far, the developers have entered into a contract with IUSD and garnered approval from the City Planning Commission, but now the project has to be approved by the City of Inglewood Planning Department.

---

The way Councilwoman Faulk is attentive to what is going on in her district is a testament to the level of care and concern she has for those who live and work in her district. She cares—and to convene a meeting to inform her constituents about a major multimillion-dollar project is worthy of recognition as a public servant.

There were members of unions in the room. They were concerned about the PLA and whether the developer has one in place. These are but a few questions on the table from the attendees. They are all valid because when changes come, it is imperative that they come with the benefit of the community as a whole. This is where Councilwoman Faulk’s tenacity and attention to detail about one of the biggest projects to date—when it comes to residential housing in Inglewood, and particularly in the 4th District—really show. She cares and shares. Late at night or early on a Saturday morning, she is there front and center, taking questions and not shucking and jiving but really diving in on the issues, seeking to find solutions for those who will be greatly affected by the proposed 571 residential townhomes at what many still see as a legacy site—Morningside High School.

While standing and speaking to Councilwoman Faulk, one mother walked up and was somewhat sad but happy at the same time to be on the campus of Morningside. She said she was talking to her daughter, who she was bringing to the school, about how popular Morningside used to be. Her daughter simply shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but the legacy is real. Although the school is changing and will have a new name, the reality is that for many old-school alumni, the name Morningside will always carry weight—they will ride with that name do or die. It has history, and one aspect of that history is a sense of unity in the community.

With this thought in mind, Councilwoman Faulk was on her job, making sure that while some things change, many things remain the same—and that is ensuring jobs and opportunities are given to those in the 4th District community, especially when it comes to development.

Some of the main issues raised during the meeting were:

1. The increase in traffic and congestion on 104th Street.

2. Whether there will be sufficient on-site parking for residents and guests.

3. The importance of a PLA (Project Labor Agreement) and how critical it is for a project of this size to avoid disputes from the start.

4. Concerns about security and crime—specifically, whether there will be staffed, gated community guardhouses.

These were some of the critical issues that concerned those in attendance.

Overall, the meeting was good, having the developer actually there to take questions from the people who will be most affected by the 571 residential townhomes in the community—the 4th District—under the leadership of Councilwoman Dionne Faulk.