Stop Hazardous Demolition in Boyle Heights Immediately

Stop Hazardous Demolition in Boyle Heights Immediately

Started
December 24, 2020
Petition to
Los Angeles City Council District 14 and 3 others
Signatures: 161Next Goal: 200
Support now

Why this petition matters

Started by Paul Guijarro

We are demanding an investigation into this matter for the safety of our residents and are submitting the following requests below:

1.     The ongoing dust clouds and particulate matter coming off the demolition site are an environmental and health hazard to the community. IT MUST STOP. 

2.     An immediate stay to the active/remaining demolition and haul away of rubble/materials until proof of demolition permits and health and safety plans are provided. 

3.     A detailed timeline of events that will sufficiently and completely show how and why the demolition occurred, and upon whose direction.

4.     Documentation of what requirements of notification and transparency were followed in this demolition under the terms of the Demolition Notification Ordinance.

5.     Written confirmation (with supporting documents) that shows the demolition was done within the procedures of the Building and Safety Code, per AQMD standards and by a qualified and licensed contractor. 

6.     Written confirmation (with supporting documents) that shows that all safety protocols, including dust/toxin abatement, were implemented in the demolition, or failing that, by what authorization the demolition was exempted from following such protocols.  

7.     A health screening procedure for surrounding neighbors who may have inhaled the dust and particulate matter from the dust cloud that potentially contained hazardous chemicals due to the demolition.

8..     Information detailing what plans, potential or adopted, the City has for the property.

9.      Information on what procedures and deterrents have been, or will be put in place so that this does not occur in the future with other historic landmarks or buildings.

This week the historic German Hospital ( aka Lincoln Hospital) at 443 S. Soto Street was quickly demolished in a fly by night manner meant to avoid current attempts to preserve the historic building for future redevelopment aiming to serve the community. 

No advanced notice or warning was provided to the residents living directly next to and near the huge demolition site. Continuous large plumes of dust, which most definitely contain numerous toxins and other pollutants, were shamelessly released upon the neighborhood. The morning after the site was reduced to a massive pile of rubble, everything outside of my house and surrounding houses was covered in a substantial layer of gray dust. Cars, trees, plants, and walkways all had the same layer of toxic dust. 

It's beyond unconscionable for this demolition to have been carried out during a pandemic, only adding pollutants to a community that has already been hard hit by COVID 19. It is known that poor air quality/pollution adds to the infectiousness and lethality of COVID 19. 

The entire situation is even more appalling because Boyle Heights has historically been deemed a community that can just be plowed over with impunity and its historic fabric destroyed. And this comes on the heels of Exide being allowed to abandon their duty to clean up the Superfund Site they created in our community, it is simply another slap in the face. How is it possible that once again the residents of Boyle Heights are forced to have devastatingly harmful toxins rain down upon us, our homes, our schools, and into our bodies? Just like the Superfund Site created by Exide, the huge rubble mound, that once was the German Hospital, will continue to produce plumes of toxins moving over our community if it's not handled per all the regulations set in place that are meant to protect human health. STOP THE DEMOLITION IMMEDIATELY! 

 

Support now
Signatures: 161Next Goal: 200
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • Los Angeles City Council District 14
  • The Los Angeles city council
  • The Office of Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer
  • The Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti