Some Compton residents are on edge and waking up everyday has become stressful. For the last three months you leave your home to find a notice taped to the front of it. You dread looking at it because you know what it says. Unable to fully comprehend its meaning you have to trust what is being told to you. Until your community comes to your rescue.
This is the plight of nearly a dozen residents residing at 305 W. Alondra Blvd. There landlord has been harassing them for months with notices, via a third party, saying you have to move.
In the state of California only a judge can issue an order for an eviction which is then carried out by the sheriff’s department. In these resident’s situation the notices aren’t coming from the court, they are coming from a “relocation consultant” hired by your landlord, who by the way bought the entire block.
Your landlord is no longer who you thought it was. It is now your local school district. They are asking you to move to expand a high school that according to the consultant “is to benefit thousands of children” and you are basically in the way. They need your “cooperation” by moving.
The caveat is the consultant has been on the district’s payroll for nearly a year, yet, there are NO solid relocation offers.
During the May 12th school board meeting, one by one, community members outraged with the resident’s dilemma wait patiently to speak to members of Compton Unified School District.
Board member Charles Davis implored both district staff and Board President Micah Ali to dispel the rumors that the residents were being evicted.
Technically, the district hasn’t filed an eviction, but how would you interpret 90, 60- and 30-day notices asking you to vacate your home?
Many of the residents speak limited English and according to district staff, the consultant was hired to conduct outreach workshops, community meetings at the housing site and relocation plans explaining to the residents what the notices meant. Who knew the process was this extensive?
Compton Tenants Union was formed to help the residents navigate the process presumably with the help of lawyers.
Oscar Zarate, is a Compton resident and member of the Compton Tenants Union, who called out the district for still collecting rent while asking the residents to leave.
Heron Carrillo, another long-time Compton resident, is concerned the district is pushing the residents into the streets during a global pandemic that is ravishing both Black and Latino residents in record numbers.
Aldaberto Rios is involved with the district’s ethnic studies department and is concerned the district is trying to get the residents to move to avoid paying relocation assistance.
Which brings us back to the consultant who has specialized in relocating residents, for capital improvement projects, since the 90’s when plans were finalized to expand LAX Airport.
Community members maintain that the district awards hefty contracts with no results. This particular consultant has worked with the district since approx. last summer and has yet to finalize relocation packages?
Board President Micah Ali was unable to be heard while many callers were on tonight’s call, but during closing remarks stated that the displaced residents could receive between $12,000-$25,000 towards relocation but stopped short of when those packages would be put in writing.
Ali was also adamant that he spoke with the residents who tell him they don’t want help from the unions they are happy working with the school district.
Board member Sandra Moss was also concerned that verbal phone calls between the district staff and residents are not legally binding and staff stated a finalized draft was prepared to go out to residents on May 13th.
1 Comment
Oh this is just down the street from where I live. The expansion of the school comes from the donation Dr Dre did. I see how it is a good thing but they should also help those residents during these unprecedented times.