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Help ELA Rebuild

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Hi,

I'm Ela, I'm an artist and designer living and working in London, UK. I moved to London with just 1 suitcase 3 years ago. I live in a beautiful 1 bedroom flat in a listed historic building that I've been renting for 1 year. Furnishing the flat and building a lovely sanctuary for myself has been one of my greatest creative projects this year. On New Years eve, everything I own was savagely vandalized, destroyed or stolen by a group of malicious teenagers. I'm raising money to repair the damages to apartment, the building, replace the items I lost and move to a new home. 

What happened: While visiting my family in Los Angeles for 6 weeks during the Winter holidays, I thought it might be good to have someone in the flat and cover some of the monthly expenses with an short term guest. My guest for 2 nights on New Years Eve, created a fake profile using a photo of someone else and wrote a detailed message about their plans to visit Royal Albert Hall and see the fireworks. I reiterated several times in our correspondence the rules- no parties, no smoking inside, no shoes inside... Reinforcing with a text, "I'm counting on you to take excellent care of my place."

I received a message from a friend in the building that night, alerting me there was a massive party in the flat and Police were there. What I've learned in the days to follow from speaking with the concierge and the Police is nearly 100 people came to flat. Neighbors called the Police because guys were seen with large knives and machetes . They didn't leave the first time police were called and it took 30 officers to get them out of the flat. They came back the next day and tried to enter the flat, but the police were called again. They sent friends to try to enter the flat and again police were called. My neighbour said he heard my guests in the gym the next day, saying they plan to sell the door codes to the building. I spoke with the concierge and he said police advised it may have been two groups rival gangs, although this hasn't been confirmed. This has put the safety of all the residents at risk. I don't feel safe to live there anymore, now that these guys know where I live and how to access the building.

The damage is staggering. I came home to find the front door and lock are broken where the police had to break in, the toilet seats are both broken and have smoke stains, the floors are covered in a carpet of broken glass, sticky alcohol, cigarettes and Nitrous Oxide canisters and drug baggies. They were standing on the Eames chairs and sofa until the legs and the frame broke. They put cigarettes out on my duvet and urinated all over my bed. My bed pillows have been trampled and one has blood on it. The upstairs carpets are destroyed, the wood floor is destroyed (cigarette burns, glass scratches and dents from high heels), this is particularly devastating as my landlord lovingly restored the wood floor by hand before I moved in, all of the walls have scuff marks and stains (alcohol, makeup and blood) , broken dishes, the plants have been thrown around with dirt and broken pots everywhere. Apparently there's further damage to the common areas of the building and possibly the plumbing when they flushed the drugs. They even left the heaters on all week! That alone will cost me a fortune. They stole jewellery, clothes, make up, electronics, valuables, etc. The Police said this new breed of ferrel teenagers are hideous. It's so devastating and traumatic to be violated and to lose everything I've worked so hard for in such a cruel way.

This will take weeks to repair. I have put in a claim to cover the damages and losses, which is pending, but I need cover all of the incidentals I've incurred that won't be covered- losing income as I'm missing work for weeks during repairs, losing money paying rent/ utilites on a place I can't live in, lost and damaged items that won't be covered, emergency flights, urgent relocation costs, etc.

This really goes beyond the items lost, worst of all is losing my home.

This campaign is intended to help me get back on my feet and to a safe home.


I would like to repair the flat and move home to Los Angeles. I want to be near my family after such a horrific experience. I'm raising funds to cover the incidentals/ financial losses mentioned above, the personal items lost, as well as cover costs to relocate and rebuild my life in Los Angeles. As a single woman working intermittent freelance jobs, there's no way I can cover the expenses which are getting into the 10s of thousands of pounds.

I'm so thankful that through all of this I have my community of friends and family get me through. I'm asking you today to extend your support to help me repair, rebuild and heal.

Thank you!

Love,

Ela

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Damaged door/ Broken lock
Stained ceiling
All walls are stained and scuffed with footprints, alcohol, makeup and blood (needs to be repainted)

One of many cigarette burns and scratches on floor (needs to be refurbished)

Carpet is covered in mud, stains and burns and needs to be replaced














Organizer

Ela Boyd
Organizer

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