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Home of Richard Alarcon, Councilmember Accused of Not Living in his District, in 'Shabby Condition'
Photo by Michael Owen Baker/Daily News. Check out his photo gallery.
Richard Alarcon says accusations of him not living in his council district -- choosing to live in a nicer home elsewhere -- says it's not true. He's innocent, says the L.A. City Councilmember who is paid $178,789 each year and who sponsored a "foreclosure registry" ordinance that fines banks up to $1000 a day for letting foreclosed properties become blighted. So why does Alarcon's home on the 14400 block of Nordhoff Street, the one in his district that he says he lives in, look like this? A spokesperson wouldn't talk about it to the Daily News, which visited his home and interviewed neighbors, but did reiterate that it is his permanent residence for him and his family.
"We bought our house about a year ago," one neighbor told the newspaper. "At that time, it didn't look like anyone lived across the street in (Alarcón's) house. It wasn't until about six months ago that we started seeing someone living there - a woman, a little girl, and a well-dressed man."
"That front yard has been like that for years," another neighbor said. "No one has bothered to do anything to it."
According to the District Attorney's office, Alarcon and his wife were indicted by the Grand Jury on 21 felony counts earlier this month. He got 18: two for fake declarations of candidacy, seven counts of voter fraud (in the 2007, 2008 and 2009 elections) and nine counts of perjury. His wife Flora Montes De Oca was indicted on three perjury counts. 31 witnesses were called. The couple are due back in court on September 27th for a pre-trial conference.
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