A group of Boyle Heights residents, including Mariachi musicians, and their supporters are staging a protest Tuesday against a planned affordable housing complex in a Metro owned lot behind Mariachi Plaza.
The protesters claim the development by East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC) ”threatens to displace mariachis from the only place where they have been able to work and provide financial support to their families for decades.”
ELACC has an exclusive negotiating agreement with Metro to develop the project, a five story, 60 unit complex with ground-floor retail. The nonprofit developer says the project is in an early phase and that the final design or scope of the project has yet to be finalized.
Protest organizers say they fear the construction will limit public access to the Plaza del Mariachi and the musicians who work there. They plan to picket at the Plaza, 1831 E 1st St, at 12 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Organizers say participants will be required to wear a mask or mouth cover, practice social distancing, and bring antibacterial hand sanitizer.
