Watt, West Angeles CDC Partner with CRCD to Ensure Jobs Go to Area Residents
-The Watt Companies and the West Angeles Community Development Corporation, the development team behind the Crenshaw Crossing mixed-use project proposed for the intersection of the Crenshaw and Expo Lines, today announced a partnership with the Coalition for Responsible Development (CRCD) on a local hire program.
The program will be administered by the CRCD Workforce and Economic Development Department which operates the Vernon-Central/LATTC WorkSource Center and specializes in providing job-training and certifications in conjunction with Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.
Community members who enroll in the program offered through CRCD’s Workforce and Economic Development Department will receive priority consideration for jobs at Crenshaw Crossing, a mixed-use residential-retail development proposed for the intersection of Crenshaw and Exposition Boulevards. Since opening the CRCD operated Vernon-Central/LATTC WorkSource Center in 2014, they have enrolled 4,753 job seekers into their program and placed 1,112 individuals into permanent employment.
“CRCD has a proven track record of success and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them on this transformative project,” said Nadine Watt, president of The Watt Companies. “We take our responsibilities to be a good community member extremely seriously, and one of the best ways we can do that is by joining forces with others who are doing good work in the neighborhood.”
Founded in 2005, CRCD has worked with a number of large South LA development projects, including the USC University Village and Banc of California Stadium, on local hire efforts in South Los Angeles, as well as directing applicants to the appropriate resources available to get proper certifications to qualify for these jobs. To date, it has successfully trained and helped place more than 2,000 people on career paths to earn family-sustaining wages.
“Crenshaw Crossing’s commitment to a local hire program for area residents is an expression of confidence in this community. Equally impressive are their proactive efforts to ensure our community members have the skills needed to do the work,” said Mark Wilson, CRCD president and CEO. “Last year, the average hourly rate for an individual placed in employment through our local hire program was $16.29. That income was then put back into the local economy. This is exactly how developers should be doing business in our community. “
CRCD will conduct outreach to South Los Angeles residents living within one to three miles of the project site to participate in the job training program. Once a candidate expresses interest, they will be directed to the WorkSource Center for initial intake and screenings. Following that, an individualized work plan will be developed for each participant in which they will be steered toward classes offered by LA Trade-Tech to receive job skills training and life enrichment education. As a final step in the process, they will be linked up with career coaches who will facilitate interviews with contractors and employers.
For more information on both Crenshaw Crossing and its local hire program, please visit www.crenshawcrossingla.com.
ABOUT THE COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT (CRCD)
CRCD’s overall approach is neighborhood-based community development. The nonprofit organization has a long-term commitment to improve the quality of life in South Los Angeles, focusing on youth in the community and assisting them to further their education, pursue career pathways, and meet basic needs. CRCD also addresses the longstanding neighborhood conditions – such as poverty, unemployment, public safety issues, and the lack of affordable housing. Since its founding in 2005, CRCD has partnered in a combined investment of $103 million in South LA housing and real estate, including 318 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing with on-site case management services, plus community space for support services, youth programs, a drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness, a community garden, and commercial space for their own social enterprise. CRCD has connected more than 2,000 young people to opportunities, such as education, jobs, and housing. www.coalitionrcd.org.
ABOUT THE WATT COMPANIES
Watt Companies offers comprehensive and diversified real estate services across the United States to investors and partners, home-buyers and commercial customers. These services include commercial development, homebuilding, asset management, and the realization of capital investments. In its seventy-year history, Watt Companies has developed homes for over 100,000 families, built over eight million square feet of industrial and professional office space, developed more than 50 shopping centers, three major first-class hotels, and six major master-planned communities. www.wattcompanies.com.