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LA Chinatown tenants accuse landlord of pushing them out

Tenants took their ongoing battle with their landlord over what they consider to be unlivable conditions to the streets this week in Los Angeles Chinatown.

LAist reports the tenants accuse landlord Howard Chan of trying to push them out through illegal rent increases and “abusive” treatment.

“I live on Social Security and there is no option … we have to stay here,” said tenant organizer Ady Carrillo to LAist. “A lot of people are moving out because of the conditions…they are very bad.”

The tenants say the landlord has not repaired broken smoke detectors, holes in the floor in the communal bathroom and missing shower heads and toilet seats.

AsAmNews first reported on this controversy back in 2017. The tenants successfully prevented rent increases as high as 50% back then. Carillo accuses Chan of failing to make repairs in retaliation for that protest in 2017.

Chinatown rent protest, LA
Photo by Brittney Le, AsAmNews. 2017

As they did in 2017, the protesters demonstrated in front of Eastern International Bank because they say Chan sits on that board.

The tenants are being supported by the non-profit Chinatown Community for Equitable Development.

Craig Wong of CCED says the bank “symbolizes those who have the wealth in the community and those who don’t.”

Wong says half the residents of Chinatown pay more than 30% of their income to rent. The median income in the community is $19,000.

Chan did not return Laist calls for comment. Chan also failed to return the calls of AsAmNews back in 2017.

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