Help Families at 751 S Normandie Displaced by Building Fire

751 S Normandie Tenants Association is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Update 10/2

Our tenants association met last night outside our building and as a group we decided that the three affected tenants that are part of our tenants association, Maria (Unit 101), Jessica (Unit 103), and Margarita (Unit 203), will each receive one-third of the raised funds by Zelle. Money will be spent on replacing items damaged by the fire and temporary living expenses associated with not being able to live in our units (e.g. temporary housing, eating out, etc.).

My name is Sam Lau (also go by Kit), I’m an organizer with the LA Tenants Union and have been in contact with the 751 S Normandie tenants and support the tenants association. As of 10/2, $1600 raised minus the transaction fees $57.85 will be split 3 ways between Maria, Jessica, and Margarita, each receiving $514.05 And any subsequent funds raised will be split this way as well (each tenant receives = funds raised minus any gofundme fees divided by 3). I’ll be withdrawing and distributing the funds to the tenants through Zelle or cash, and share any updates here.

So far the landlord has offered to not charge rent for 2 units while their units are uninhabitable and reimburse rent for 9/26-9/30. And for the 3rd unit, the landlord is waiting on the insurance and is trying to displace them from their unit through a cash 4 keys offer. No relocation has been offered so far.

Early Thursday morning, September 26, a trash chute fire started at 751 S Normandie Ave in Koreatown, which quickly turned into a structure fire that affected 6 units in the building across 5 floors. The fire ripped through the apartments of members of our tenant association and has made their homes entirely uninhabitable. Entire walls have been destroyed and there still remains a lingering smell of fire in units that is toxic to breathe in.

Tenants have been displaced from their homes and it remains to be seen if the landlord will do anything to help these tenants relocate and provide them with safe housing. When affected tenants called their property manager, Ari Avila, he refused to provide them any answers to their questions and said he wouldn’t do anything until the following Monday! The landlord, TDI Properties , has a history of neglect, routinely ignoring requests for repairs or only doing below bare minimum Mickey Mouse repairs.

That’s why we’re raising funds to support our neighbors at 751 S Normandie affected by the fire with necessities like temporary housing, food, medicine, clothing, and furniture, and pay for expenses that include any lost work and damaged personal belongings. We organize as part of the Koreatown Local of the LA Tenants Union and our block committee Union de la 8 .

Please support our neighbors in need and our community efforts!

La madrugada del jueves 26 de septiembre, se inició un incendio en el conducto de basura de 751 S Normandie Ave en Koreatown, que rápidamente se convirtió en un incendio estructural que afectó a 6 unidades del edificio en 5 pisos. El fuego arrasó los apartamentos de los miembros de nuestra asociación de inquilinos y dejó sus hogares completamente inhabitables. Se destruyeron paredes enteras y todavía queda un olor persistente a fuego en las unidades que es tóxico para respirar.

Los inquilinos han sido desplazados de sus hogares y aún está por verse si el propietario hará algo para ayudar a estos inquilinos a reubicarse y brindarles una vivienda segura. Cuando los inquilinos afectados llamaron a su administrador de propiedades, Ari Avila, este se negó a brindarles respuestas a sus preguntas y dijo que no haría nada hasta el lunes siguiente. El propietario, TDI Properties, tiene un historial de negligencia, ignorando rutinariamente las solicitudes de reparaciones o solo haciendo reparaciones por debajo del mínimo indispensable.

Por eso estamos recaudando fondos para apoyar a nuestros vecinos de 751 S Normandie afectados por el incendio con necesidades como alojamiento temporal, alimentos, medicamentos, ropa y muebles, y pagar los gastos que incluyen el trabajo perdido y las pertenencias personales dañadas. Nos organizamos como parte del Local Koreatown del Sindicato de Inquilinos de Los Ángeles y nuestro comité de barrio Unión de la 8.

¡Por favor, apoye a nuestros vecinos necesitados y a nuestros esfuerzos comunitarios!