They lost their home over the holidays

Inequality Insights

A weekly dose of informed analysis, commentary and news items on the persistent issues of poverty and inequality in California

By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

January 5, 2024

María Vela assembles boxes before moving from her East Los Angeles home of nearly 30 years. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

Dear California Reader,

Good morning and Happy New Year, Inequality Insights readers. I’m CalMatters reporter Alejandra Reyes-Velarde.

Just before the holidays, I wrote a story about an East L.A. family who were evicted from their home of nearly 30 years because their landlords wanted to move in. The family fought the eviction for more than a year before they were served an official 60-day notice to vacate by Christmas.

Throughout December Maria Vela, a mother of four children, struggled to find housing near her former home. This was the first time in 20 years she’s had to look, and with her limited English and tech difficulties, it was hard for her to apply to open rental listings.

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As it dawned on Vela that her family would leave their beloved home, she said, “It feels like someone is taking a part of my story.”

It’s not Vela’s family’s fault; they weren’t behind on their rent. Their landlords were using “just cause” or “no fault” provisions in state rental laws that allow landlords to oust tenants if an owner wants to move into a unit, renovate it or just stop renting it.

Tenant advocates have been fighting for stronger protections in “just cause” evictions because some landlords take advantage of these laws and evict tenants so they can later increase rents and make a profit.

Though that’s not always the case, and it may not be in this case, the effect is the same: a lack of affordable housing means families like this one are displaced.

“It’s a very complicated and nuanced story and doesn’t lend itself to easy culprits and easy answers,” said Stuart Gabriel, real estate professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.

Vela and her family did end up finding an apartment in El Monte. It’s smaller than their East L.A. home and charges nearly double the $1,000 rent they had been paying.

Their former landlords paid them about $12,600 in relocation assistance, which will cover some moving expenses and rent. But Vela doesn’t think they’ll be able to afford their new home for even a year, not on just her husband’s meatpacking earnings.

Rather than immediately move into the apartment, Vela said, her family spent the holiday in San Bernardino with her sister because gas had not been set up yet in their new home. They’re starting the new year unpacking.

“We’re doing well, but we’re still trying to get organized so we’re not so cramped,” in the new apartment, she said.

The family has a GoFundMe page to help cover moving and rent expenses.

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The California Divide Team

California Divide is a statewide media collaboration to raise awareness and engagement about poverty and income inequality through in-depth, local storytelling and community outreach. The project is based at CalMatters in Sacramento with a team of reporters deployed at news organizations throughout California.

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