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51 displaced in Chinatown apartment fires
Over 50 residents were displaced after a fire tore through four apartment buildings in Chinatown overnight.
LOS ANGELES - Prompted by a fire that displaced more than 50 Chinatown residents from their apartments, City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez introduced a package of legislation Wednesday intended to support those residents, address abandoned properties and bolster tenant protections.
Hernandez, who represents the First District, encompassing Chinatown, is calling upon the Los Angeles Fire Department to waive ambulance fees for victims of the fire. Additionally, she wants the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Bureau of Sanitation and Department of Building and Safety to adjust or waive fees for customers whose units were destroyed or damaged.
Her other two motions seek to address gaps in oversight and accountability for abandoned properties in the city in a bid to prevent such situations from happening again and to update tenant protections of multifamily properties regarding individuals displaced by catastrophe.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Massive fire sweeps through Chinatown apartment buildings
"The fire that occurred in Chinatown last Friday has devastated the community and left more than 50 residents without a home," Hernandez said in a statement. "This horrific situation is a glaring example of the lack of oversight and accountability for abandoned and nuisance construction sites, and some of our most vulnerable residents are paying the price.
"We must close these loopholes and ensure that tenants do not bear the burden of these catastrophes," she added.
On Sept. 13, a fire started in a vacant three-story apartment building under construction located at 708-712 S. Depot St., which then spread to three other buildings on the south side and the west side. It took more than 130 firefighters an hour and 36 minutes to contain the flames, according to LAFD officials.
The department reported that six people were evaluated, with two requiring hospital transport -- a 90-year-old man and a woman in her 50s with a "non-life-threatening burn injury." Four firefighters also sustained non-life- threatening injuries.
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51 displaced in massive Chinatown apartment fire
An 80-year-man is fighting for his life at the hospital and 51 residents were displaced after a fire swept through four apartment buildings in Chinatown early Friday morning.
"The families who have been displaced by this fire are already facing the tragic loss of their homes and belongings," according to Hernandez's motion addressing fees. "It is imperative that the city not allow them to face additional undue hardship through the accumulation of fees and charges."
The councilwoman's office noted the site had been permitted since 2019, but has had no construction activity since November 2022. The LAFD and the Los Angeles Police Department responded to calls for service over the past year related to unlawful behavior, she said.
Several complaints were made to city departments by residents and Hernandez's office regarding safety concerns at the inactive construction site, but gaps in enforcement and oversight limited the city's actions, she said.
Hernandez's motion related to holding negligent property owners accountable calls for plans to overhaul oversight and enforcement procedures. One key element is to mandate construction site security and insurance bonds the city may call on to demolish incomplete construction causing a nuisance.
On bolstering tenant protections for those displaced by disasters, such as fires, floods or landslides, Hernandez is calling on city departments to develop response plans, identify resources and services for property owners and tenants affected by disasters, and establish communication channels between government agencies, property owners and tenants.