WESTLAKE : Housing Authority Under Fire for Delay

A residents’ council formed in January at a senior citizens’ apartment building run by the city Housing Authority is protesting the agency’s appropriation of recreation areas and parking spaces for its use.

The dispute between residents of Union Ferraro Towers, in the 400 block of Union Avenue, and the Housing Authority dates back several years to when the authority moved some staffers into the building due to lack of space at its other offices and facilities.

When Housing Authority staffers moved in, the residents lost the use of a library, a game room and a hobby and crafts room. Residents now have one lounge with tables and chairs.

The dispute led residents of the 15-story, 199-unit building to form a council with the help of a grant from the Santa Monica-based Liberty Hill Foundation and the unflagging energy of John Mills, president of the 17-member, multilingual board. The approximately 250 residents, most of whom are 60 or older, speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Korean and English.

“The residents never spoke up before,” Mills said. “Now we’re organized and we have a council with some teeth.”

Residents were scheduled to meet Friday with local officials, including representatives from Councilman Mike Hernandez’s office, to air their complaints. Representatives of the Housing Authority were also invited.

Housing Authority spokesman Marshall Kandell said the agency has had to find space wherever it can for its growing staff, a situation he hoped would be eased somewhat this fall when some operations are moved to a facility on Wilshire Boulevard. The authority manages 1,000 housing units for seniors and handicapped people in 10 buildings hundreds of low-income units throughout the city.

But residents of Union Ferraro Towers said they have been told for years that the appropriation of recreation space is temporary. The use of guest parking spaces for staff vehicles has also created hardships, residents said.

With few available parking spaces on the street in the densely populated neighborhood and with the constant threat of break-ins and vandalism to cars left on the street, relatives and visitors often refuse to come to the building if they cannot find guest spots in the gated parking lot, residents said.

“When you deny senior citizens visitors, you really hurt them,” Mills said.