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Calendar of Events.............3
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Animo Men’s Soccer Victorious
Congratulations to the Animo Inglewood Charter High School men’s soccer team on a 3-2 win against Cathedral and 3-1 win over Downey last week at the Cathedral Classic Tournament. Photo: Animo
Inglewood Charter High School
Protests on Housing Issues Bring
Renewed Urgency to City Council
By Haleemon Anderson
Contentions started early at the first 2019
meeting of the Inglewood City Council, with
more than 25 residents and supporters lining
the perimeter of the Council chambers -- some
wielding homemade signs in protest of rent
increases and other housing issues. Before the
meeting could begin, Mayor James T. Butts
invoked the fire code and asked those intending
to make public comment to stand in the lobby.
Council business proceeded swiftly, with
unanimous approval of various contracts and
agreements for city services and bills payed.
Of note: the City of Inglewood approved a
three-year contract for psychological evaluation
services for the police department, at
a cost of $30,000 annually, and authorized a
one-time 10-percent merit-based bonus for the
city attorney, city manager and police chief.
City Treasure Wanda M. Brown gave
the sole staff report. Brown reported the
investment portfolio has a total value of $7
million and a market value of $7.5 million.
She noted a trend in falling mortgage rates,
which could encourage buyers. She also assured
that federal tax refunds will be paid
during the government shutdown.
Public comment on non-agenda items
proceeded, with notice given by Butts of one
minute per speaker. Derek Steele, a community
organizer and frequent speaker at Council
meetings, said, “I’m here to talk about the
housing issue.” Steele represents an advocacy
group, Uplift Inglewood Coalition,that has
been critical of the development boom in the
city -- in particular its impacts on housing.
Steele commended the mayor on intervening
recently to stop a 127 percent rent
hike at a complex near the new stadium.
He presented a document to the Council,
detailing current housing trends in the city.
“We have a community solution,” said Steele.
“Let’s implement it.”
The speakers continued for 30 minutes,
with nearly all from ULC and protesting
rent increases. Maralene Martinez, who attends
college in San Diego, said rents have
increased at an accelerated rate. “I want to
be able to still live here,” she said.
Cynthia Guardado, who teaches at a college
in Fullerton, implored the Council to do
something to stabilize rents. “I can’t afford
a house on a professor’s salary -- not even
an apartment,” she said.
Reverend Francisco Garcia said the Council
must pass a comprehensive tenant protection
plan. Resident Jelani Hendrix said he
is confronting a 150 percent rent increase
at his building.
A woman who gave her name as Mama
Trina said she has been helping people who
come to her office with eviction notices. She
urged the Council to put together an oversight
committee to look into rent control.
The Uplift Inglewood Coalition handed out
flyers for a membership meeting to be held
Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. The group was
unsuccessful in getting a measure for rent
control on the past November ballot. Steele
said they will try again in 2020.
Eric Holly, a resident and representative of
the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce said,
“This is a California problem. It’s not just
an Inglewood problem.”
In Council comments, Butts noted the
majority of rentals in the city are “mom and
pop” entities who for decades have kept their
prices at market levels. “How can you argue
[no increases] when they have suppressed their
rents for so long?” he asked. Butts added that
these issues are at the forefront of leadership
concerns. “But averages mean nothing when
you are hit with a rent increase you cannot
afford,” he explained. Butts also noted that
he is monitoring any proposed increase of
over 50 percent, and has only seen one
such incident. “I would not let a company
come in and do that,” he said. “We are not
going to let people be in the streets.” He
then explained various mitigating formulas,
including a six-month moratorium on new
rental developments and deposit refunds and
relocation grants of up to $10,000 for tenants
who do decide to move. “This is an example
of the way tenants can have options.”
The Inglewood City Council meets every
Tuesday, unless otherwise noted, at 2 p.m.
in the Council chambers on the 9th floor,
Inglewood City Hall. •
Friday
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Saturday
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Sunday
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The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 68, No. 2 - January 10, 2019