This is a more detailed report than you need maybe, but
it was a great meeting to witness and I am pretty sure I’m going to go back. I
might even start paying $5/month dues to this union group for the hard work
they do with tremendous compassion and righteousness.
Standing meetings at 7p on 2nd & 4th Wednesdays
every month.
Mark and I attended the Tenants Union meeting last night. There were
about 30 people there, chairs in a circle. In the front room of the gallery. The
art in that room all featured images of women.
They ask for sign-ins and encourage anyone who does not
understand both English and Spanish to use a translation headset. They started the
meeting with one of the translators explaining about language justice and the
need for everyone to be able participate. She gave the instructions of 3 hand
signals to use regarding the meeting: 1- speak up gesture, 2- slow down gesture,
3- 1 person at a time speak. They have 2 volunteer facilitators. One was Rose
and one was, I think, named Yaya. “We are not the leaders- there are no leaders
here. Only facilitators.”
They read the LATU mission from the agenda and reviewed some
meeting guidelines that were printed on the same paper as the agenda. I tried to follow along with the Spanish version of the agenda.
Rather than introductions around the circle, we were invited
to take a few minutes for everyone to do one-on-one introductions, meet someone
they don’t know, maybe talk about where they live, etc. I talked with Rose who has been utilizing LATU for 2 years. She
lives in HP. Her small daughter ran up to us wanting her mom to do something
with the folded-paper “cootie catcher” in her hands. Her mom would not be interrupted,
but as we talked, I took the thing from her hand and reformed the folds so she
could operate it, which is what she wanted. Felt very like a Cornerstone story
circle moment, especially since in the next room there was food and childcare.
Mark talked to the man on his right. (What is his name?)
I had already met Nick seated to my left., more about him later.
There were 4 situations to be updated on, listed by address
and the name of the updating individuals associated with each place. Each
presentation is followed by advice, encouragement, support and question about
what they need from the group. Each one of the specific issues in progress ends
with instructions for follow-up with another specific knowledgeable person.
5635 Monte Vista—J. & L. spoke. They
had just come from a meeting with two other residents and were very close to
signing a Tenants Association Letter, which seems to be a step in the process
of formal resistance to being displaced by landlords. They do not know who the
owner of the building is; they pay rent but there is no receipt given. They
want to double Lupe’s rent to $1700/month. “They offer money, but I do not want money. I
want to stay living where I am.”
4549 York Blvd- J. & K. A building in process of trying to get
tenants out. They think the owner might be same that owns Bob Baker Marionette building.
Seems like they are headed for an Ellis Act situation. Different
tenants have received different communications and offers, as if the owners are
trying to figure out best way to go. One tenant got an estoppel. Someone was
offered $25,000, to pay half upon agreement and half once they have vacated.
The room groaned. “Don’t do that! They won’t pay.“ The owners are doing a lot of property /
apartment inspections. I’m not sure who it was that reported back that the
tenants there are all smart and had done a lot of good research.
This Sunday there is an Ellis Act Working Group Meeting.
Rose Hills (aka Rose Hills
Courts) – A public
housing complex in Montecito Heights where HACLA is going to re-house the
current residents to demolish their buildings and rebuild new ones, and like at
JDs, double the capacity with affordable and market-rate unions. Current
tenants (many of whom were re-housed here from Aliso Village Public Housing which
was torn down in 1999) would be rehoused for 2 years or can take a section 8
voucher option. A. updated on this situation.
A woman whose name I didn’t get updated that she has her
court hearing on Friday at 9am, last chance for her and the place she lives.
Someone else at her building went to court and lost. She asked for support and
presence.
Then there is a call for tenant issues that need immediate help:
2 households, who live in El Sereno (city of LA) bordering South
Pasadena, spoke about a development on a hillside, in So. Pas, that would be 7
luxury/1.5 million starting price units. The site seems like it is not a place that
could safely contain the new (proposed?) building. The developers are intimidated
the residents, asking for compliance that affects their property and saying
they don’t need their approval. (“Lie!”) The developers need to add an access
road that cuts off one of the household’s driveway and limits access to their
property from the LA City side. They need to install a sewer line through
another long -ime property owners property. The developers are particularly
disrespectful of the LA City residents compared to their attitude and approach
to those in city of So Pas. The group had a lot of specific advice for them. Including
petition to the land use committee, pay for a survey, check property titles for
liens and easements which can be taken advantage of by developers, go directly
to city councilperson, the neighborhood council can’t help.
Update from the Homeless/Unhoused Representative included news of constant sweeps to move homeless residents out, often confiscating
property, sometimes making arrests. These sweeps are also happening in Echo
Park like crazy. There is a city-wide sweep happening on March 6. People were encouraged
to join the Homeless Working Group. Request for rapid response support for sweeps,
including on March 6, to have witness on hand to the police actions and document.
Also some discussion of LATU committing a $100/month to homeless support and
supplies (tarps, hygiene kits, sanitary products, etc.)
Z., an older gentlemen, (Fig and Ave 60?) reported
about his bad-acting landlord who acts through the building manager who is her
sister. They are doing bathroom renovation work on the apartment he shares with
his brother. They ignore his requests, particularly to not work on Sundays so
he can attend church without leaving his brother alone with strangers in the apt.
N., who seems to know and do a lot on behalf of
the union, said she’d contact Z’s pastor, and help write a letter about
the violations of his tenant rights (they must always have a working bathroom,
they must respect his request for no work on Sundays).
N, maybe late
20s?, rents a ground floor unit at 6157 Piedmont, off York. It floods and doesn’t drain. It’s not supposed to be a
residential unit, though it had been in the past and was rented to him for him
to live in. It’s registered as a commercial space. It’s a complicated mess and
everyone had a lot of sympathy and were kind of charged about all the legal twists
and turns of his situation.
There was an introduction from two people with Mujeres de la Tierra, which is
based at the River Center. I wasn’t really sure what their ask to the group
was. Maybe it was explained in the written agenda. Toward the end she mentioned
something about an event to educate the community about two new ballot measures
(not for 3/3 election). Immediately afterward a guy spoke directly about using caution
regarding those two measures. A lot of respect all around though.
There’s now an Elysian Valley Neighborhood Council—something
that took some time to make happen it seems. V spoke about strengthening
the relationship between that group and the union, an event, financial support
to the union, support for the union to get a new branch in a specific neighborhood
I can’t remember, etc.
After the meeting we caught a few people, all of whom were
interested in the project we are doing and in talking with Mark at some point.
We connected with and gave fliers to K, the guy sitting
next to Mark, and with Swift, who in addition to doing landscaping
work that includes natural water collectors, also does political actions some
of which include built in performances. Amazing.
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