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LA City Council votes to support an Olvera Street legacy family facing eviction
Richard Hernandez and his family with La Carreta.
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Caitlin Hernández
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LAist
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Topline:
For generations of Angelenos, the stuffed donkey stand at Olvera Street, La Carreta, has been a well-known landmark. The family behind it has been facing eviction, but today the L.A. City Council voted unanimously to support having the ownership passed to the original owner’s children.
Why it matters: Known as La Carreta, the family run attraction has been around for 57 years. It’s a popular photo op for visitors with roots in Tijuana culture. But when the family matriarch, Trancito “Tancho” Velazquez Hernandez, died recently, it left the stand without a living legal owner, and a potential eviction.
The back story: The stall has been run by her children, Patricia and Richard Hernandez. In 2019, five years before she died earlier this year, their mother submitted notarized paperwork to add them to the stand’s lease. It’s unclear what happened to it, but Olvera Street managers didn’t update the ownership.
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What today's vote means: While the City Council does not have jurisdiction to order the commission to review it, the vote gives a strong backing for the family’s request to stay.
“I think with this vote, I think I have a fighting chance to keep my business alive,” Richard told LAist.
What's next: The vote is only a request for the Olvera Street board of commissioners to “immediately” consider a few items, such as adding her children to the lease, and the notarized document. The decision still lies with the board, which is expected to meet again on June 27.
Go deeper… to learn more about why La Carreta is so loved.
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