Northeast Los Angeles Fights Back to Support Tenants, Small

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Northeast Los Angeles Fights Back to Support Tenants, Small BOLETÍN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT ANTI-DESPLAZAMIENTO DIGEST THE OLYMPICS ICE VERA CAMPBELL SNAP INC. VENICE METRO FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF Chung Suk and Kim Hae Jung. Among the tenants are disabled adults and children, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT two stroke survivors, and an elder suffering DIGEST: from cancer. Many families are on Section 8, Some members of the Boyle Heights Alli- and others are on the county’s transitional Some say gentrification is inevitable. ance Against Artwashing and Displacement housing “pilot” program. When the tenants We say it’s not. 22 years ago public housing (BHAAAD) coalition decided to utilize the received their notices, the paperwork stated residents won the right to stay in their neigh- resources we possess as artists, activists, and that the landlords intend to evict tenants in borhood and today the Mariachis won the art workers to produce a bilingual news bul- order to convert the units into housing for right to stay in their homes. Public hous- letin looking at the current landscape of the USC students. ing tenants received a new home in a new anti-gentrification movement in Los Angeles. These 7 buildings were purchased on development and got to stay on-site during We asked contributors to name their targets September 29, 2017 for $8.5 million by Kim the reconstruction. The Mariachis won a and speak about the most pressing matters Chung Suk and Kim Hae Jung. The buildings collective bargaining agreement, a three-and- in their campaigns. are right next door to where the Roland a-half year contract at a rate they could af- As a publication intended primarily for Curtis Apartments used to stand and an ford, and repairs to their units. The key in all print, the Anti-Displacement Digest came “affordable housing” project is currently these fights is the desire to stand up and say about in order to reach the many people under construction. In that case, 44 units “WE WON’T GO!” involved in housing struggles who may not were lost and those Section 8 tenants were That’s all it takes: that commitment to be using the internet as their main source forced to scatter across Los Angeles and fight for your home. Rich or poor we all de- of news. We are hoping to make this a beyond. serve a place to live. Unfortunately, people of regular way for groups across Los Angeles color and low-income families are put in the If these Exposition evictions proceed, the (and beyond) to connect struggles, offer position of having to fight for it. When we displacement of an ENTIRE BLOCK of work- solidarity, and build a citywide movement do, we can win. The market permits rents to ing class people of color will be complete! Are for racial and housing justice. be out of control. Tenants have nowhere else we going to stand for this? reach us at: to go, so their only choice is to stay and fight. [email protected] It’s plain and simple. If you don’t fight, you lose. If you stand up and organize, you create the power to keep your home and stay in the UPDATES FROM neighborhood you love. ¡SÍ SE PUDO! THE VYBE CHAPTER UNION DE VECINOS OF THE LOS ANGELES BOYLE HEIGHTS — TENANTS UNION WE WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING GENTRIFICATION! SOUTH LA LOCAL, Rent Strike Declared LOS ANGELES by Burlington Unidos Union de Vecinos started fighting the in Westlake displacement of community members back TENANTS UNION in 1996 with the demolition of the Pico-Aliso 1100 – 1132 Exposition Blvd We would like to invite all anti-displac- public housing projects. 22 years later, we Los Angeles, CA 90007 ement allies to stand in solidarity with the find ourselves continuing this fight with the On October 16, 2017 every tenant from Burlington apartment complex in Westlake, preservation of housing for the Mariachis, a these buildings received 60- and 90-day who OFFICIALLY declared their rent strike on cultural icon of our community. eviction notices from new owners Kim March 10, 2018. The building management is attempting to evict and displace over 300 Venice Dogz: An Alliance for the Preservation blank, soulless canvases that wipe away the Latinx families onto the streets (using rent of Venice. On February 28, 2018, almost traces of previous residents and replace them hikes of 40–50%), after years of forcing them exactly one year after the company went with something newer, whiter, and worth to endure unsafe and unsanitary conditions, public amid huge protests that got national more money. and even to cover the costs of their own city- attention, Snap, Inc. announced that they Gentrification wears many faces but it mandated repairs (leaks, rotting carpets, will be moving out of Venice and into Santa always brings with it a promise to cleanse. broken sewage pipes, flooded apartments— Monica. A win for the neighborhood [1– This process is accelerated by mega-events the list goes on)! They have decided to come 3], though Snap, Inc. still controls about like the Olympics, which allow politicians out publicly to announce that they have had 605,000 square feet along the L.A. County and business interests to suspend regular ENOUGH. They are working with lawyer Elena coastline from Santa Monica to Marina del customs to remake the city in a specific Popp of the Eviction Defense Network and Rey and will likely sublease their spaces in image, one that is “clean” and therefore the L.A. Tenants Union to launch a rent strike Venice for top dollar [4]. The neighborhood appealing to global investors and corporate campaign against these unlivable conditions, is keeping a watchful eye. sponsors. The International Olympic including rent hikes they cannot afford, and Meanwhile, the fight to save the 108-year- Committee (IOC) demands a “clean city” for they demand to STAY in their homes. A press old First Baptist Church of Venice continues the Games and most hosts keep that promise conference will be forthcoming so that they [6]. The church represents the original by incarcerating residents who are disabled can share their message with the public. spiritual and social refuge, the first safe space or unhoused; by violently displacing poor for Black families in what is today the last people of color; and by ruthlessly cracking remaining beachside community of color in down on political dissent. California [5]. In 2015 the church property Regardless of these threats, we refuse to THE COALITION TO be a “clean city.” We will continue subverting DEFEND WESTLAKE was illegally sold to millionaire Jay Penske, who plans to turn the place of worship into a the Olympics and their promises to accelerate #DROPTHEDRAFT! private mansion. We are fighting to have the gentrification, displacement, and police sale rescinded and the First Baptist Church militarization. We will make a mark on Los Historic Filipinotown and Westlake have property restored to its original function as a Angeles, one that will be messy and visible and spoken out against our city councilman and community space [7]. In keeping of the spirit impossible to ignore. the Department of City Planning’s proposal of the church space we continue to gather to turn our neighborhood into a new Design every Sunday, 1 PM @ 685–687 Westminster District. In response, they have gone back to Avenue, Venice, CA 90291. Please join us! We write a new draft for their Design District. SOLIDARITY HOUSE gather for prayer, creativity, and community We all know this is not good enough! We dialogue and building. OF THE SOUTH are calling them out to drop the draft and (South Central) to collaborate with the community on what [1] https://freevenicebeachhead. BOYCOTTS we want, instead of deciding for us, behind org/?s=snapchat THE FOLLOWING closed doors! [2] Free Venice Beach Head newspaper GENTRIFIERS: We need your help to call councilman article: “Snap Chat Moving Out!” March Mitch O’Farrell’s office and tell him to 2018 #434 and #435 1. The Reef: #dropthedraft! 1933 S Broadway [3] http://www.lataco.com/snapchat-is- Los Angeles, CA 90007 Participate in #dropthedraft! pulling-out-of-venice-and-gentrification- activists-are-overjoyed/ 2. The Big House Call (213) 473-7013 to reach councilman 180 E 35th St [4] http://www.latimes.com/business/ O’Farrell’s office. During office hours, you Los Angeles, CA 90011 will speak with a staffer, after 5pm you can technology/la-fi-tn-snapchat-santa- leave a voicemail. monica-20170106-story.html 3. City Councilman Curren D. Price, Jr. (District 9) Suggested Script: [5] http://savevenice.me/the-first-baptist- church-of-venice-a-brief-history/ 4. USC Village: “ Hello, my name is [Full Name] and 3301 S Hoover St [6] https://freevenicebeachhead. I live at [state your address]. I am Los Angeles, CA 90007 calling to tell the councilman to end org/2018/01/06/the-fight-for-the- his support for the proposed North oakwood-church-continues/ 5. USC LA Memorial Coliseum Stadium: Westlake Design District ordinance. [7] http://savevenice.me/campaigns/save- 3911 S Figueroa St The city has done virtually noth- historical-black-church-venice-ca/ Los Angeles, CA 90037 ing to involve the community in this ordinance. It’s only because of the work of my neighbors that I even found out about it. I urge the city and NOLYMPICS FREE RADICALS our councilman to collaborate with (University of Southern California “ This is a city being made for the community members working on a & California State University, new community plan for the neigh- elite, and it seems the social Los Angeles) borhood to make sure existing com- sanitising has no end” There is a plan to turn a wide stretch of munity will not be displaced, and all —Luis da Silva, the Eastside—from the Main St.
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