Community Split Over Proposals for East Wilmington Site
A proposal by Habitat for Humanity to build 13 duplexes on an abandoned railroad right of way in east Wilmington has split the community.
At issue is whether a park would be preferable to affordable housing on the site.
Los Angeles City Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr., who represents the harbor area, has met twice with Habitat representatives and with several community groups, but has not been able to forge an agreement.
“We’ve been trying to find some consensus on this because we want to support whatever it is that the majority of Wilmington residents support,” Svorinich said. “But so far there’s no consensus.”
He said Wilmington Homeowners want the land used for a park. Banning Park Neighborhood Assn. is undecided but leans toward a greenbelt, while many residents in east Wilmington favor the Habitat proposal.
The Wilmington North Neighborhood Assn. also favors the housing project.
“I would say that 80% of our members were in favor of it,” said WNNA President Gertrude Schwab. “But we would like to sit down with them before anything happens and see whether they’re willing to mitigate some existing conditions.”
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