Ex-Gang Haven Reopens as Neighborhood Center
A dilapidated, 70-year-old home in Lincoln Heights, once a haven for gang members, has reopened as a neighborhood center.
The “Unity House,” which opened Saturday, is a multipurpose facility that includes a youth activities program, a housing assistance office and a police service center. The home at 2516 Eastlake Ave. is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The idea to create the community center and rehabilitate a park across the street was sparked by concerns after the nearby fatal shooting of a 14-year-old during a police confrontation a year ago, said resident Brother Modesto Leon.
“It was a war zone before [renovation of the house began],” Leon said. He is a director of Soledad Enrichment Action, a nonprofit children’s project housed in the facility. “It feels a lot safer now. The center has become a focus in the community. More groups are going to move in soon . . . a parenting program, an office to help youth seeking jobs.”
For more information: (213) 225-1510.
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