Liquor Sales at Housing Complex Protested

Community representatives of the West Adams district are upset that a planned grocery store on the ground floor of a 52-unit senior citizens housing complex was awarded a permit to sell beer and wine.

The market and the housing complex, located at Western and Adams avenues, are part of a $5.9-million project of the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Opponents of the market, who are members of an advisory board to the CRA consisting of residents of the redevelopment area, protested at a City Council meeting this week, asking for the opportunity to appeal the city Planning Commission’s decision to grant the permit.

“[Selling liquor] would contribute to more blight and crime,” said the Rev. Roy Petitt, head of the CRA advisory board, in an interview after the protest. Petitt is the pastor at the Miracle Center Apostolic Church.

“It would make a bad situation worse,” Petitt said.

A city planning spokesman said the decision is not final and that the community advisory group can make an appeal to the City Council.

Before construction began on the project, the advisory board had voted against allowing any alcohol to be sold at businesses designated part of the revitalization effort.