With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
LA Wants To Turn Caltrans Properties Into Affordable Housing
An activist decries the actions of CHP officers and Caltrans on Sheffield Ave. and Popular Blvd. in El Sereno on November 25, 2020. Officers removed families occupying Caltrans owned properties on that day.
(
Brian Feinzimer
/
LAist
)
The city of Los Angeles has announced a plan to turn some vacant Caltrans homes in El Sereno into affordable housing, three years after the state abandoned plans to expand the 710 freeway through the neighborhood.
The city wants to buy 77 parcels once Caltrans opens bidding, potentially as early next year. Most of the properties have boarded-up homes that the city wants to rehabilitate.
Councilmember Kevin de León, who is also a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, says there are also plans to build accessory dwelling units on many of the lots and some could become park space.
“Given the housing crisis right now throughout the state, but especially it's acute in Los Angeles, this is a really golden opportunity,” De León said. “It’s surely not the panacea to all the housing woes that we have in our region. But it is one step forward, especially with the whole saga and the drama of the 710 freeway.”
Sponsored message
The homes have been vacant for years. Unhoused families moved into some of them about a year ago when activists argued that no one should be homeless when homes are sitting empty. CHP officers forcibly removed those families the night before Thanksgiving last year.
A new state law enables L.A. to purchase these lots for the original price that Caltrans paid for them. The city has set aside $2.5 million for this purpose.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
