L.A. Lacks Clear Vision for Rebuilding, Councilman Says : Recovery: Ridley- Thomas expresses frustration and promises plan will emerge soon.

City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, speaking on the six-month anniversary of the Los Angeles riots, conceded Thursday that city leaders have so far failed to articulate a clear vision of the city’s future.

But while indicating some frustration at the slow pace of recovery efforts, Ridley-Thomas--chairman of the council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Recovery and Revitalization--also promised that an effective, broad-based, coordinated plan of action to address the city’s urban needs will emerge over the next few months.

“The business of revitalization and economic development is a top priority for the City Council, and the resolve, will and ability to do so are in place,” he said at a City Hall news conference.

Ridley-Thomas’ comments preceded the release of a report compiled by the committee that summarizes local, state and federal responses to last spring’s civil unrest.

The report, while drawing no specific conclusions or making any recommendations, stresses the importance of economic development; private sector investment, and greater, more flexible federal funding.

Ridley-Thomas acknowledged that the “vision we need to articulate has not been focused,” but he cautioned against a “mad rush” to rebuilding.

“We are more concerned about rebuilding right than rebuilding right away,” he said. “To throw something together quickly is an invitation to repeat the mistakes of the past.”

City leaders have come under fire for not laying out a long-term recovery strategy and for shouldering Rebuild L.A. with much of the responsibility for developing a vision of where the city should be headed.

Ridley-Thomas indirectly responded to the criticism, asserting that “elected officials are willing to step up to the plate to do what needs to be done.”

The councilman, a member of the Rebuild L.A. board, also offered muted criticism of his own. “Communication between Rebuild L.A. and local government has to be improved, the working relationship has to be enhanced, if this public-private partnership is to work effectively,” he said.

Rebuild L.A spokesman Jerry Arca replied that the group has tried to apprise all segments of city government of its activities.

“I think we’ve been very open . . . from Day 1,” he said.

However, Arca added that Rebuild L.A. and the city have established no formal reporting mechanism to convey plans on a regular basis.