CCED is suing the City of Los Angeles and Atlas Capital for violating City and State planning laws to approve a 725 unit market rate development with ZERO affordable housing.

CCED’s attorney Mitchell Tsai states “The City is subverting the intent of the voters who voted for Measure JJJ by improperly exempting projects such as College Station from the affordability requirements for projects seeking special entitlements passed by voters in 2016.”

What we are fundraising for

• We are asking for donations to help pay for a portion of our legal costs to bring forward this lawsuit.

• If there are any funds leftover following this lawsuit, any funds raised here will be used to support either future legal actions or to support eviction defense for at-risk buildings in and around Chinatown that CCED is working with. 

Our Story

Chinatown needs to build more affordable housing in addition to preserving existing affordable housing

• 95% of Chinatown are renters
• Chinatown’s median household income: Around $20,000
• More than half of Chinatown residents pay over 30% of their income on rent
• A large number of our seniors pay majority of their fixed incomes on rent
• Average Market Rate Studio in Chinatown: $2000+/mo

College Station will lead to displacement

• College Station and similar market-rate projects will drive up rents even more
• It would be the largest market rate housing developments to be built in Chinatown
• It will cause irreparable displacement and harm by shifting housing and businesses towards wealthier residents and away from existing low-income residents

The City of LA has accountability to the community for affordable housing

• When the City and Chinatown’s councilmember Gil Cedillo allow projects like College Station to be built in working class neighborhoods, they are ignoring the needs of our low-income residents.

• LA’s own City Planning Commission approved the College Station project on the condition of 5% of units (only 37 total) be set aside for very low income affordable housing*. Despite this, the city ignored the City Planning Commission's requirement and approved College Station without any affordable housing.

  *Very low income affordable housing: 50% of LA County median income

Who are we? 

• Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (CCED) is an all volunteer, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization based in Los Angeles Chinatown that builds grassroots power through organizing, education, and mutual help.

• CCED was founded in March 2012 in the wake of the campaign to stop Wal-Mart from moving into Chinatown. Today, CCED works with residents to build a Chinatown with affordable housing, good jobs, a green environment, open recreational spaces, and quality education for all.

• We – the residents, youth, adults, business leaders, and friends of Chinatown – are the Chinatown community. We are united around a common vision for a vibrant, culturally diverse neighborhood, where everyone is valued for their talents and contributions to the larger community.

Read more about our fight in Knock-LA: Chinatown Fights Market-Rate Development

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References

http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/research/pdfs/statect.pdf