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JULY 10, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE
HELPING RENTERS IN FORECLOSED PROPERTIES
Homeowners are not the only ones getting hit by the nation's housing crisis.
Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti visited the home of Cynthia Spears and Armenta Mallory, two women who rent apartments in a rent-stabilized South Los Angeles duplex. After their building fell into foreclosure, the women received letters on behalf of their new landlord - Countrywide Bank - asking them to vacate their apartments and offering them $1,000 in exchange for leaving.
 It might sound like a good deal, but city laws prevent tenants from being evicted simply because a property's ownership changes hands. Also, if a landlord does decide to pursue a "no fault" eviction, the minimum relocation fee they need to pay tenants of rent-stabilized properties is $6,810, far below what Countrywide offered Cynthia and Armenta.
Council President Garcetti, Councilmember Bernard Parks, and City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo stepped in to help Cynthia and Armenta. By the next day, their eviction notice had been rescinded.
"In the midst of this foreclosure crisis, we are doing everything we can to keep Los Angeles residents in their homes - including renters who have paid their rent on time and are good tenants. They are truly innocent victims in this mess," said Garcetti.
Renters who find themselves in a situation similar to Cynthia and Armenta should seek help immediately by calling the Los Angeles Housing Department's renters hotline at 866-577-RENT. More information is also available at the Los Angeles Housing Department's website.
COUNTDOWN TO OPENING DAY AT MADAME TUSSAUD'S BEGINS
Hollywood is about to get another exciting attraction with the opening of Madame Tussaud's Hollywood just one year away. The museum's famous wax figures are expected to delight millions of locals and tourists alike.
"Like so many classic movie stars have done over the years, Hollywood is experiencing a comeback," said Garcetti (pictured with sculpted versions of Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles and the real Mayor Villaraigosa). "Madame Tussaud's Hollywood is part of the great renaissance that this neighborhood is undergoing with new housing, jobs, and a safer environment for those who live here."
Madame Tussaud's has museums in metropolitan cities around the world including Hong Kong, New York, and Berlin, in addition to its original location in London. The Hollywood museum will include figures of local notables including the late Johnny Grant, who was Hollywood's honorary mayor.
GARCETTI CELEBRATES OPENING OF WITMER HEIGHTS APARTMENTS
Council President Garcetti joined in celebrating the grand opening of the Witmer Heights Apartments, a 49-unit complex for low-income families in the Pico-Union neighborhood. In addition to the one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, the complex also features two community rooms, a rooftop terrace, laundry facilities, a computer center, and a tot lot.
"The Witmer Heights Apartments are a wonderful addition to this community and are providing quality, affordable housing to Los Angeles families," said  Council President Garcetti. "We're proud that the City of Los Angeles's Affordable Housing Trust Fund helped make this project possible."
Two schools and a soon-to-be-opened park are just a short distance from the new complex giving tenants the opportunity to walk to these destinations.
Tenants will also have access to free classes on job skills, computer literacy, personal finance, health, nutrition, and more.
$50,000 REWARD OFFERED FOR INFORMATION RELATED TO DIEGO CRUZ HOMICIDE
The City of Los Angeles is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the identification, apprehension, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of 15 year-old Diego Cruz. Fifteen year-old Cruz left his house on Christmas Eve to buy a gift for a friend. He never came home. Cruz was shot while crossing Santa Monica Boulevard and died in front of the Sears store.
LAPD Detectives believe that with so many people in the neighborhood doing last minute Christmas shopping, someone must have seen something. They have followed a number of leads, but none have panned out.
Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the police department at 1-877-LAWFULL.
L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti represents the Thirteenth Council District which includes all or part of the communities of Glassell Park, Little Armenia, Thai Town, Atwater Village, Elysian Valley, Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown, Silver Lake, East Hollywood and Hollywood. Councilmember Garcetti serves as President of the Los Angeles City Council.
Council President Garcetti and his staff can be reached via e-mail at councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org or by mail or phone at City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 470, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-473-7013; 5500 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028, 323-957-4500; and 3750 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065, 323-478-9002.
www.ericgarcetti.com
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