Emergency Fire Relief for Chinatown SRO Tenants

January 5th, 4am, a fire broke out in a residential unit of 651 N. Broadway in LA Chinatown, during one of the heaviest nights of the rainstorm. Firefighters put out the fire before it reached other units, but not before the entire unit was charred. The two tenants living in the unit lost everything to the fire, including their cell phones and IDs, though fortunately they were not seriously injured.

The night following the fire, these two tenants slept on the ground in donated sleeping bags in an empty unit in the building, which did not have working electricity or heating, on a night that was 50° outside. Community advocates stepped in to arrange for them to stay in a nearby motel while a proper unit and basic furnishings such as a bed can be prepared.

This building is an SRO (Single Room Occupancy), where residents reside in a single bedroom and share communal restrooms and a kitchen. In addition to the burnt unit, smoke damage has greatly affected the rest of the building where about 25 tenants reside in 15 units. Tenants are reporting headaches and dizziness from inhaling the residual toxins in the air, toxins that the property management has not cleaned besides spraying air freshener.

The tenants are mostly elderly and poor or working class, some of the most vulnerable in our community. They have already been living in the undignified, unsafe, and slum-like conditions at 651 N. Broadway for decades. The fire has only made things worse and more urgent.

Our organization and fellow community advocates are working to assist the tenants affected; there is so much more to be done. We are seeking donations to help bring relief to the directly affected tenants and their neighbors as they recover their belongings and sense of safety. Funds raised would go towards providing the two affected tenants with cash assistance to purchase basic essentials for dignified living. Funds will also go towards assisting the building’s other tenants with needs such as air filters, cleaning supplies, meals, and more.

Please donate what you can and share this fundraiser with your communities. Anything and everything is appreciated.

Watch the video here

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About 651 N. Broadway

This is a 2-story building with businesses on the street level and about 30 residential units on the second floor. The building is owned by the Robert and Elaine Chan Family Trust, and is managed by their son Howard Chan. There are many health and safety issues that need attention, as well as a pattern of harassment from the landlord and management.

In December 2022, 651 tenants hung their laundry to dry in common areas and found their clothes tossed in the trash and in piles on the ground. This building has no in-unit laundry. The elderly tenants hand wash their clothes. In fact, there isn't even a laundromat in Chinatown to access at all. In response, the tenants and organizers staged a Right to Laundry March, garnering the support of local community and even LA City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez.

While the tenants are still organizing to secure their right to hang their laundry in their own living space, efforts are now compounded in the aftermath of the fire.

When the fire burnt a large opening in the ceiling, firefighters took out 1 window in each of the 2 adjacent units to let smoke out. As the rains continued, tenant advocates asked the property management to repair the windows as the elderly tenants in them still had to keep rain out as well as keep themselves warm at night. Maintenance refused to do so, stating he would only listen to direct orders from the landlord, not from tenant advocates or actual tenants (many of whom do not speak English).

These examples are just a few but many of the years of neglect, harassment, and abuse from Howard Chan. A few years ago, the Los Angeles City Housing Department inspected the premises, and ordered the rents be reduced 50% because of the gross violations of City laws, pursuant to the Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP).

Your donations are appreciated, and we invite you to join the fight to protect Chinatown at tinyurl.com/chinatownvolunteer. To stay updated on 651 N. Broadway Tenants Association, follow @CCEDLA on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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About CCED

Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (http://www.ccedla.org/) is an all-volunteer grassroots organization fighting to empower the residents of Chinatown LA. Our volunteers have been working with the tenants of 651 N. Broadway for over five years.

After a member of our organizing team (Patrick C.) receives the funds on behalf of the 25 tenants, we will do the following:

Unfortunately, we cannot reveal the names of tenants for fear of retaliation against them.