By Rachel Lampert
Los Angeles has been involved in a housing crisis for a number of years. This area in Southern California has been greatly affected by insufficient housing opportunities. The Los Angeles Times – Liam Dillion talks about one particular individual named Patrica Pyan. Formerly a DMW employee, Pyan lives in El Sereno. She resides in a one-bathroom, two-bedroom home which she currently rents. Dillion says. “The one thing missing for Payan was the home’s title. That’s now changing. Six years after the freeway was officially declared dead, Payan is in escrow to buy her house from the California Department of Transportation.”
CalTrans has been in the works of opening up the availability for tenants to purchase these homes and properties at a lower rate. They find this to be one of the few ways to be official homeowners. These prices range from under $38,000 to a little over $130,000 as these prices are not fully finalized. Jason Brown is another tenant looking to purchase his home as well. Dillion writes. “Jason Brown, who is buying the home in El Sereno he’s rented with his partner since 2007, said he’s tempered his enthusiasm. He’s seen little progress since entering escrow in January.” Brown is anticipating seeing the finalized results when they make more progress. Jason mentions. “I’m going to believe it when I see it.”
There is still progress to be completed as Tina Booth – L.A. housing authority’s director of asset management says. “We are trying to encourage folks to continue to work with us so that they can land in supportive housing or other affordable units and so that they’re just not simply displaced.” Please call CalTrans (916) 654-2852 if you have any questions or concerns.
References:
California Department of Transportation. (n.d.). Contact us. https://dot.ca.gov/contact-us
Dillon, L. (2024, September 10). “It’s a dream to be a property owner”: Years after freeway’s demise, L.A. renters are buying state-owned homes. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2024-09-10/caltrans-tenants-buying-homes-vacant-affordable-housing-el-sereno