May Day March 2013: “an injury to one is an injury to all”

Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective Moves Out!!!

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The December 2012/January 2013 Community Connection is NOW AVAILABLE!

Click on the Photo above to read the December 2012/January 2013.

You can also view a high resolution PDF version HERE.

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!

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November 8, 2012

AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE RESIDENTS OF 2913 SOUTH FLOWER STREET

Dear Developers, City Officials and Members of the General Public,

This letter is meant to express one simple intention: we will not leave our community without a fight.

We are the residents of the neighborhood known as “University Park” and the building located at 2913 South Flower Street. What we would like for you to know about us is that we know what it is to be a community. With the length of time that we have lived in this building, between 15 and 35 years, we have managed to create friendship, security and trust amongst ourselves. Amongst us, we are never without a safe place to leave our children in time of emergency or a pair of hands that are ready to help. Among our children, we notice that the community which we have created together offers them more than just a sense of security but also healthy social development that includes mutual respect, companionship, and a strong self-esteem. Moreover, among the young students who, several years ago, began living among us, we see a good example for our children. We are part of the neighborhood and the neighborhood is a part of us. Everything we need is within a short distance: work, schools, and transportation. For these reasons we love our community and we will defend our right to live in it.

The changes and the development of the land are evident; our community is not the same as it was five years ago.  Today, what we see through our windows are new luxury buildings, a glorified train which will one day reach the sea, cranes and more cranes, little by little enveloping us. Recently, a group representing a local developer began knocking on our doors, offering us money to leave our homes. We recognize that the immense value that exists within these walls for us does not exist in the development plans of ICON, USC, Palmer, AEG, or even in the plans of the City. For this reason, we wish to make the following very clear: We demand people oriented development. We demand to be included in the development plans because WE WILL NOT BE MOVED.

In closing, we welcome development, and all the benefits that go with it- these benefits belong to us too- however, we do not welcome development that displaces families and destroys communities. We will not stand for it. We will defend our rights, our community, and our homes to the very end.  There is NO PRICE that is worth our stability – emotional, physical, economic and social. We repeat: WE WILL NOT BE BOUGHT.

LA Human Right to Housing Collective Wins Rent Freeze for Public Housing Residents & Repeals Guest (and other) fees for Section 8 tenants!

In an unprecedented move on Thursday, September 27, the Housing Authority of the City of LA (HACLA) Board of Commissioners, led by Chair Mitch Kamin, voted unanimously to stand with the LA Right to Housing Collective declaring that HACLA staff had “no compelling rationale” to raise the flat rent on 414 public housing households by 3% for a 4th consecutive year.

As part of the Housing Authority’s annual Agency Plan process, HACLA is obligated to release several versions of it’s Agency Plan for the following year.  In the first draft version, released in June, the Collective noticed that the Agency had planned to raise flat rents, paid by over 400 families living in LA’s public housing communities, by another 3% for the fourth consecutive year.  While the revenue increase to HACLA of only $56,000 would do very little to affect the bottom line of the agency’s over $1 Billion annual budget, the consequences to the affected residents’ bottom lines would have been devastating with a rent burden increase of an additional $17-$39 per month.  Some residents are already paying $75 more per month since 2010 and the 2013 increase would have pushed them to $114 more per month as soon as next year.  In a public comment letter addressed to the HACLA Commission, the Collective denounced this unfair rent increase.

The Collective also took issue with several other policies outlined in the draft Agency Plan including proposed language that would have allowed Section 8 landlords to charge fees for guests and other things generally included in a non-Section 8 tenancy.

Do to the diligence of Collective’s Public Housing & Section 8 Residents in attending meetings and hearings and testifying at every step of the process, the HACLA 2013 Agency Plan will:

1. Not include flat rent increases for 2013!
2. Contain alternative language proposed by The Collective specifically prohibiting any kind of additional fees for Section 8 residents!

Although HACLA has already publicly stated that they will look into some of our other demands such studying how to increase parking within the public housing communities and how to increase tenant participation in important decisions, we will continue to organize for the recognition of the human right to housing.

Because Housing is a Human Right!

The LA Human Right to Housing Collective’s members include residents from 7 public housing communities as well as organizations including the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN), People Organized for Westside Renewal (POWER), Union de Vecinos and with legal support from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA).

Please spread the word and visit our blog at lahumanrighttohousing.blogspot.com or email lahumanrighttohousing@gmail.com for more information or to join us.

KPCC Covers the Release of the Play Fair at Farmers Field Health Impact Assessment

This morning, LA CAN and Play Fair at Farmers Field Coalition, which includes Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, Comunidad Presente, and Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, held a press conference to release a Health Impact Assessment report on how the proposed Farmers Field and Convention Center Project would affect local, primarily low-income residents. The report, compiled by Human Impact Partners in conjunction with a panel of residents who live in South Park, Pico-Union, and Downtown LA, includes data and research on how the stadium may potentially negatively impact the surrounding community due to, for example, housing displacement and increased traffic. It also includes recommendations on how AEG and the city can mitigate negative impacts.
For more information, or to read the report, you can visit the Play Fair at Farmers Field blog.

The release of the report was covered by KPCC’s Brian Watt.

via KPCC:

Study: The downside of Farmers Field
by Brian Watt

A new study highlights the potential negative impacts of AEG’s proposed football stadium for downtown Los Angeles. Human Impact Partners conducted the study, with the support of a coalition that includes the Los Angeles Community Action Network, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, and Physicians for Social Responsibility–Los Angeles.

The study focuses on the stadium development’s displacement and housing affordability, employment, public safety, and access to open space.

Becky Dennison of the Los Angeles Community Action Network says recent history has shown the development could reduce affordable housing in surrounding neighborhoods.

“We looked at the data from 2000-2010 as Staples Center came on line and then later L.A. Live,” Dennison says. “The race and demographic information in these communities shifted substantially toward upper income, much whiter population and folks were really pushed out of these communities.”

Anschutz Entertainment Group released a draft environmental impact report on the proposal known as Farmers Field. It maintains the stadium wouldn’t likely reduce affordable housing in the Pico Union neighborhood. But Dennison argues that report fails to consider housing losses in nearby parts of downtown and South Los Angeles.

GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT!: LA CAN 2011

A video highlighting the various campaigns, actions, and achievements of LA CAN in 2011!

LA Human Right to Housing Collective Reclaims Rampart!

This past weekend, members of the Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective, honoring International Human Rights Day, revamped and repurposed the Old LAPD Rampart Police station through clean ups and offering services.

We will be posting a full wrap up of the event, including photos and videos, shortly.

For now, check out this coverage:

“LA collective seeks to repurpose Rampart police station” (KPCC)

“Vecinos renuevan expuesto policial: Bustcan utilizar este espacio para uso de residentes del área” (La Opinión)

“Demonstrators want to reclaim Rampart Station” (TheEastsiderLA.com)

September/October 2011 Community Connection NOW AVAILABLE!

Click on the photo above to read the September/October 2011 Edition of the Community Connection (or download a PDF version HERE).

Stop breaking tenants’ hearts, Herb

On February 14, 2011, the Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective stopped by L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson’s Campaign Office to deliver a Valentine and demand that he move forward with the community’s recommendations to reform rent control in L.A.

With another budget crisis looming and more City employees and other workers losing jobs and hours, the issue of affordable rent is even more critical. As Chair of the City Council’s Housing Committee, Wesson has put these urgent reforms on hold for months, as he prepares for the March election – putting politics over people’s lives and homes.

Tenants have been fighting for rent control reform for two years, since the City released a $1 million study showing that landlords benefit more than tenants under the current Rent Stabilization Ordinance.

Last Spring, after failing to enact a temporary rent freeze in the midst of an economic and housing crisis, the City Council ordered the Housing, Community and Economic Development committee to prepare comprehensive reforms to the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance.  Councilmember Wesson, as Chair of this committee, has refused to act.

The L.A. Human Right to Housing Collective members are broken-hearted over Wesson’s delays and demand that he takes action today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HACLA Tenants and Other LA Human Right to Housing Collective Members File Lawsuit against Housing Authority

Press Release

January 20, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contacts:

Bill Pryzlucki, (310) 439-8564

Becky Dennison (213) 840-4664

HACLA Tenants and Other LA Human Right to Housing Collective Members File Lawsuit against Housing Authority

Tenants who were excluded from recent public meetings and processes file suit for violations of the State’s Brown Act and tenants’ right to organize

What: Last month, LA Human Right to Housing Collective members filed a lawsuit in State court to address the Housing Authority’s violations of the right to participate in public processes during the contentious 2011 Agency Plan approval.  The lawsuit will be formally served to HACLA representatives today.

Why: HACLA continuously fails to provide adequate notice for the Board of Commissioner meetings, and regularly takes actions that exclude the public from real participation, all actions that violate the Brown Act. During the 2011 Agency Plan approval process last year, the Housing Authority used a variety of tactics to exclude tenants from participating, provided misinformation to tenants and tenant organizations, and excluded tenant rights organizations from their legal right to educate and associate with tenants upon invitation. Additionally, HACLA continues patterns and practices that violate the Brown Act, such as holding special meetings in lieu of regular meetings, posting agendas only on the door of HACLA on weekends, and not allowing the public into meetings or to address the Board.  Tenants active in the LA Human Right to Housing Collective have taken steps to counteract HACLA’s exclusionary tactics but after HACLA refused to respond to letters with demands to correct these issues, tenants had no choice but to initiate legal action to invalidate the 2011 Plan and correct the participation process in the future.

Who: Los Angeles Right to Housing Collective is a coalition of organizations from across the City of Los Angeles.  Our members consist of tenants, homeowners, immigrants, low income families, homeless people, seniors and youth from across Los Angeles, including East LA, Downtown, South Central, Venice, Koreatown, and Pico Union.  Member organizations include Union de Vecinos, LACAN, POWER,¡Comunidad Presente!, Inquilinos Unidos, SAJE, and others.  We believe that affordable, decent, safe, and sanitary housing builds stable communities and that housing must be accessible to everyone. In a country with an abundance of resources housing should not be out of reach for the most poor and the most in need.

Spanish speakers available

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