Residents and Advocacy Groups Unite Against City Council’s Decision
By Dolores Quintana
In Los Angeles, residents took to the streets on Sunday to protest the city’s approval of a historic rent increase slated for next year. Members of local groups who stand for tenants’ rights joined together to show their disapproval.
The demonstration, led by tenants from various parts of the neighborhood and supported by the Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU), commenced with a morning march from the Normandie Recreation Center at 1550 South Normandie Avenue.
Diverse groups joined the protest, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. LATU is vociferously urging the L.A. City Council and the mayor’s office to halt the impending rent increase, prevent evictions, and cancel any rent debt linked to COVID-19. Advocates emphasize the importance of ensuring secure housing and fostering a vibrant neighborhood life that addresses community needs.
Magdelano Rosales, a LATU organizer, expressed outrage, stating, “We think this is an outrage when salaries are not increasing, but rent is increasing. In fact, we think that rent is more than high enough. In fact, rent should probably be way lower than it is,” in an interview with KTLA.
The approved rent increase could potentially impact hundreds of thousands of L.A. families, with rents expected to rise by approximately 6% in the coming year.
