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Habitat for Humanity presented its plans to build a four-building complex comprised of two and three-bedroom condos at the southeast corner of the intersection of Locust Avenue and 14th Street. Just 14 of the 36 units would be market rate, with the others being set aside or low-income (20) and very-low-income earners (2).
While the project could provide critically needed affordable units in the city’s Washington Neighborhood, a common obstacle for new projects in the city reared its head: lack of parking.
Surrounding business owners called into the meeting to oppose the plan as presented, saying it could negatively impact their businesses that were already dealt a number of blows by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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From feeding families in need to co-leading protests against crime affecting his area, Jesus Esparza has served as a leader in the Washington neighborhood near Downtown Long Beach. But when he and his family contracted COVID-19 recently, the roles reversed.
Esparza’s wife, his 12-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter began feeling symptoms more than two weeks ago. Esparza’s lungs and kidneys began to hurt, he felt weak, and, like his son, he lost his sense of taste and smell and developed a cough. His daughter developed a fever.
Esparza’s wife was the only one still bringing an income for the family but needed to pause her warehouse job to recover from the virus. Esparza has been unemployed after a pipe fell on his back while working at a construction site over a year ago.