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LA City Councilman Jose Huizar addressed Boyle Heights residents last week in a town hall meeting that ended in protest. During the meeting held at the Puente Learning Center, Huizar outlined private and public development plans for the city’s future. One of twenty-six such development projects set to take place in the next five to ten years is the redevelopment of the Wyvernwood Garden Apartments complex. A proposal submitted to the city by the Miami-based Fifteen Group private investment firm, which currently owns the property, outlines a plan to replace all 1,178 units of the historic 1930’s era complex with more than 4000 mixed housing units. Only 15% of the new units will be under the city’s affordable housing guidelines, while a majority of the rest will be condominiums. Concerned residents organized with the group El Comite de la Esperanza see the plan as a gentrification scheme. They walked out of Huizar’s town hall meeting to join hundreds protesting outside. Councilman Huizar is expected to meet with Wyvernwood tenants and the group’s attorney tomorrow to discuss the future of the apartment complex.

GUEST: Elena Popp, Attorney representing El Comite de la Esperanza, Gumaro Ovieda, Vice President of the El Comite de la Esperanza