El Sereno neighbors opposed a 111-unit apartment complex. The developer started demolition anyway

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

A few dozen protesters rallied outside of Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s Eagle Rock office Tuesday morning in opposition to a 111-unit apartment complex slated to be built on Huntington Drive in El Sereno.

Residents also say due to the unpermitted demolition at the property, a homeless encampment has grown inside and around the site of the demolished building, inviting drug use, violence and prostitution to the corner of the historic business corridor. 

According to organizers for the community group El Sereno Neighbors, emails from Jurado’s office show a willingness to advance the project despite fierce community opposition. Now, residents are calling for the Council District 14 representative to meet with the community and requesting impact records from the developer, who they say has been reluctant to produce them publicly. 

Am abandoned building at the corner of Huntington Drive and Portola Ave is the site of a proposed five-story, 111-unit development. Residents of the area say the development company is operating outside the rules and creating problems.

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Courtesy of Claudette Contreras

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In an emailed statement to The LA Local, a spokesperson for CD 14 said, “Councilmember Jurado believes affordable housing and community voice should not be treated as opposing values.” 

“Our priority is to make sure residents receive accurate information, the site is made safe, the rules are enforced, and the community’s concerns are represented at every point where the City has authority,” the statement said. It also pointed out that under Mayoral Executive Directive 1, the development does not need to go through the usual approval process. 

“Because this is a 100% affordable housing project, it qualifies for a by-right approval under the City’s Affordable Housing Incentive Program,” the statement said. “That means if a project meets the basic requirements, it can move forward without a public hearing, and neither City Planning nor the City Council has discretion to delay or deny it.”

The statement added that Jurado’s office has been working since April 2025 to hold the property owner accountable for fixing issues at the site.

SoLA Impact did not respond to The LA Local’s request for comment in time for publication.

Protesters along Colorado Boulevard in Eagle Rock say the issue of ED1 developments isn’t just limited to the Eastside and called for an end to the public safety crisis at the development on Huntington Drive in El Sereno.

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Andrew Lopez

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The LA Local

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Records obtained by the group and reviewed by The LA Local show that the city of Los Angeles opened a code enforcement case against SoLA Impact in April 2025 after a complaint that the building at 5100 E. Huntington Dr. had been left open to the public. City inspectors subsequently cited the South Los Angeles-based developer for unpermitted demolition of the structure. As of late April 2026, the case remained under investigation, with a third order to comply issued just days ago.

But now, over a year since issues began, residents say they’re out of patience.

“The idea that a developer would come in, tear something down illegally without permits, not be held accountable for those permits and start a homeless encampment right across the street from a previous one is upsetting to people. It’s upsetting to the community,” organizer Claudette Contreras told The LA Local. 

Contreras also said the group chose to protest outside the Eagle Rock CD 14 office to show that the issue is city-wide, not just limited to El Sereno. 

Protesters outside Ysabel Jurado’s Eagle Rock office speak with CD 14 representative Troy Carbajal about their issues with a development in El Sereno on April 28, 2026.

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Andrew Lopez

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The LA Local

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At one point, 10 protestors surrounded Troy Carbajal, a spokesperson for CD 14, outside the office and confronted him about what they see as a public safety crisis near the structure. 

“Our community does not need to see that. It’s been an eyesore for months and months, and our children deserve better,” a protestor told Carbajal, who fielded several questions and concerns from the community during the action.

Contreras said she’s also concerned that a five-story high-rise will be out of place in the largely single-family home neighborhood, and she said an additional hundred residents may increase tension over parking between neighbors. 

“Imagine 111 units, five stories, with 150, 200 additional cars in this area with no parking. It’s kind of outrageous. It also is on the business corridor, so it’s kind of devastating to the small businesses in this area who already have minimal parking on a very busy street,” Contreras said.

Am abandoned building at the corner of Huntington Drive and Portola Ave is the site of a proposed five-story, 111-unit development. Residents of the area say the development company is operating outside the rules and creating problems.

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Courtesy of Claudette Contreras

)

El Sereno resident Daniela Bailes said she feels like SoLa Impact and the councilmember’s office should have consulted with neighborhood groups to determine the best uses for the property.

“They have tried to do this under the radar under ED1, to allow for this building to sprout up with zero community input,” Bailes said, referring to Mayor Karen Bass’ directive to accelerate the development of affordable housing around the city. 

Signed in 2022, ED1 was meant to address the housing crisis throughout the city by helping eliminate the red tape that affordable housing developments can get tangled in. In 2024, Bass rolled out an amended version of the directive, limiting where and how some developers build in L.A. 

Protesters outside Ysabel Jurado’s Eagle Rock office speak with CD 14 representative Troy Carbajal about their issues with a development in El Sereno on April 28, 2026.

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Andrew Lopez

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The LA Local

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Another El Sereno resident, Ezequiel Olvera, considered the developer’s process problematic because it circumvents the legal process. He said the planning department needs to correct the violations on the property. 

“If you knock down a building, you need to bring it back to code. You can’t just go in there and demolish a building and say, ‘Let’s red tag this building so that we can get permits so we can start our process,’” Olvera said. “The city inspector should have them comply with the rules and regulations of the [Los Angeles Municipal Code].”

Olvera said Jurado has the authority to hold the developer accountable and a responsibility to listen to the needs of her constituents. El Sereno Neighbors has more than 1,100 signatures of affected residents demanding a public meeting with the councilmember.

“We’ve seen the pattern several times with different council members that put developers first and bring in the community at the last minute to get their input. By then, it’s already too late,” Olvera said, adding that residents are growing impatient with Jurado’s office. 

Contreras continued to urge increased communication and transparency from city leadership. 

“There should at least be a voice. There should at least be the normalcies that go with building a large development in an area,” Contreras said. “We’re not even asking for outrageous things. There should be parking and impact and safety reports, those are norms. And everyone is hiding behind ED1.”