Landlords use Ellis Act to displace people, demolish affordable housing, and build luxury condos, plus other current injustices (Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger to LA City Council 12/15/23)

City Attorney: Next speaker, Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger

1:50:27 (see video below)

Good morning.  Which items would you like the speak to?

SGB:  All items.

 CA:  So, you have three minutes for the items, please begin. 

SGB: Great. Item 33 is just Referencing that closed session items are going to be heard because of significant exposure To litigation regarding three potential cases.

1:50:53

It's kind of amazing how often this body has to recess into closed session to litigate what's usually liability claims where the city has failed to meet certain obligations like making sure sidewalks are safe and accessible, or making sure the police aren't Setting off explosives on the sidewalk or, you know, all these myriad things the city might have a claim against them and they have to pay out millions out In liability and when you want to do something like fix the sidewalk, they say we have no money for that. So it's an interesting sort of cycle.  Item 21 is regarding Funding to support operational and capital costs for Jewish family services.

1:51:38

I really like this motion because this organization is one Of the few in Los Angeles that offers 24/7 support For domestic violence victims. They actually pick up the phone when you Call. I've completed presentations and workshops about domestic violence and what resources exist locally.

We have this thing called dart with the LAPD and the thing is it's pretty ineffective, so it's good we have These programs that are run by private or religious institutions so that Someone has someone to call or a place to go when they're a victim of domestic violence. Because as we Know domestic violence is one of the main reasons why people, particularly women, become Homeless. So, I’m glad to see this on the agenda.

We'll just go to Item 29.  I like this item although I wish it were a little bit more expansive. Also I would appreciate more specific language when We're talking about an interim control ordinance prohibiting the issuance of demolition permits On rent stabilized multifamily housing and converted affordable housing units. 

01;52;50

And then It goes on specifically to mention other permits affecting contributing features Of historical districts and things like that and it mentions Boyle Heights, the Brooklyn Corridor historic center and specific area,. So I’m curious if this Demolition permit prohibition applies to everywhere and then the specific neighbors apply to  second half of that? Or if This is all just within the Boyle Heights region because we really need this throughout Los Angeles. 

We can't keep having landlords using like the Ellis Act as an illegitimate reason to displace people and demolish affordable housing to build luxury condos, and what's affordable to someone making 70 or 80 thousand dollars a year. Thank you.

1:53:46

 CA :          Next speaker, please. 

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Watch Stacey’s public comment from December 15 in L.A. City Council session on YouTube here:  Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=uzyzivr2fwy&t=6618s or at the bottom of this post at City of Angels Blog. 

Please come back to CofA Blog soon to read and see more coverage of the L.A. City Council’s handling of L.A.’s homeless crisis.  This blog also covers significant testimony in front of the council during public comment sessions.

I especially want to feature testimony of Stacey Segarra-Bohlinger on this blog, because since I've been watching L.A. City Council meetings online last two years, she stands out with her comments.  She’s always Right On, hits the nail On The Head, and sums up everything that the city is doing wrong in a few sentences, with originality and often even with song.

Since Segarra-Bohlinger  may run for City Council someday, this blogged record of what she says in front of council will live here in perpetuity.  Her comments are almost always brilliant and when I finally come up for the housing I've been waiting for more than five years near my family in my hometown Hollywood CA, I hope Stacey is a city councilmember by then. 

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Posted by Kay Ebeling 

Producing City of Angels Blog since 2007

More at CofA Blog about recent LACC meetings

• With 2.5 vacant units for every unhoused resident,... 
• 
  

• TRANSCRIPT: Public speakers beg for housing; L.A. ...

ADD ON: 

Other comment of interest from meeting: Brock Landers private investigator called in, as he often does, to say:

"On the agenda item 26, maybe the the reason there's been an open seat on the ethics commission for six months is Paul doesn't know anybody ethical.... Why shouldn't the people that own the property be able to demolish what's on the property and build what they want?"