Habitat for Humanity Foes to Appeal Judge’s Ruling
A group opposed to a Habitat for Humanity housing project in Wilmington plans to appeal a court decision allowing 13 duplexes for low-income families to be built.
The Wilmington Citizens Committee says it is planning to appeal a June decision by Superior Court Judge Robert O’Brien allowing the project to proceed without an environmental impact report.
The committee believes that Habitat for Humanity needs to make an environmental report before construction can begin.
The housing project has been delayed for years because of numerous legal obstacles. First, no one was sure who owned the land. Southern Pacific railroad donated the 1.8-acre property as part of a larger eight-acre parcel to the city of Los Angeles in 1977, designating it for use as a recreational open space.
But the city of Los Angeles, which has jurisdiction over Wilmington, had funds to build only a four-acre park on the lot. The L.A. City Council voted in 1995 to change the area’s use from recreational to residential.
Neighbors would still like to see a park instead of the 26 residences that would sell for about $70,000 each.
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