#  City Planning Perspective on Private Detention Centers in LA

     Details    City Planning   ![logo](https://mail.citywatchla.com//templates/ja_teline_v/images/logo.png)         November 30 2020      [  ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2020/097a.png)    ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices/20822-city-planning-perspective-on-private-detention-centers-in-la)

  [VOICES](https://mail.citywatchla.com/voices)   - [  Previous Article **Ensuring Long-Term Care Residents and Caregivers are the first Group to Receive COVID Vaccine** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20841:ensuring-long-term-care-residents-and-caregivers-are-the-first-group-to-receive-covid-vaccine&catid=375)
- [  Next Article **LA County Supe Barger Opposes ‘Unnecessary Restrictions’ Like Restaurant Closures** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20783:la-county-supe-barger-opposes-unnecessary-restrictions-like-restaurant-closures&catid=375)

  ###### Typography

- [](# "Smaller Font")  ****Smaller** **Small** **Medium** **Big** **Bigger****  [](# "Bigger Font")
- [](# "Previous Font Style")  ****Default** **Helvetica** **Segoe** **Georgia** **Times****  [](# "Next Font Style")

- [ Reading Mode](# "Reading Mode")

> <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
>
>  [Comments](#disqus_thread)

>
>
>
> **VOICES—**City Planning has released a draft proposal to amend the Zoning Code to prohibit the operation and construction of private detention centers.

 If adopted, it would make Los Angeles the first city in the nation to enact such a ban. Modeled after Assembly Bill 32, the proposed amendment would establish measures to enforce the prohibition, in addition to restricting any accessory uses or incidental activity related to “community detention facilities for unaccompanied minors” and “private detention centers.”

Over the years, the detention system in the United States has locked up hundreds of thousands of immigrants, often exposing detainees to brutal and inhumane conditions at an exorbitant cost to taxpayers. Many of these detainees are asylum seekers, including victims of violence and human trafficking and unaccompanied minors in search of a better life. The urgency of this issue has been compounded in recent months by COVID-19. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) figures, more than 7,300 detainees have tested positive for the virus, and eight have died from it, as of November2020.

While current federal policy relies on the private sector to detain immigrants, Los Angeles has taken measures to ban private detention activity in the City, recognizing the serious physical and emotional trauma detainees and communities have suffered in private detention. In February, the City Council approved a temporary ban on private detention centers after an Arizona-based firm attempted to open a detention facility under the guise of a “temporary residential facility” in Arleta.

“City Planning is committed to creating long-range policies that are equitable, and just,” said Director of Planning Vince Bertoni. “This proposed zoning amendment will protect our immigrant communities and help ensure that our land is not used to compound inequality and injustice.”

City Planning held a public hearing to collect public testimony on November 12, 2020. The proposed draft amendment will advance to the City Planning Commission December 10, 2020, before moving to the City Council for final consideration.

*(This perspective provided CityWatch by the Los Angeles City Planning Department.)*

*-cw*

  - [  Previous Article **Ensuring Long-Term Care Residents and Caregivers are the first Group to Receive COVID Vaccine** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20841:ensuring-long-term-care-residents-and-caregivers-are-the-first-group-to-receive-covid-vaccine&catid=375)
- [  Next Article **LA County Supe Barger Opposes ‘Unnecessary Restrictions’ Like Restaurant Closures** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20783:la-county-supe-barger-opposes-unnecessary-restrictions-like-restaurant-closures&catid=375)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>