1885 Cottage Burns in Echo Park

“Scout” lives in Echo Park/Filipinotown and helps out around the community.

Scout reached out with news of another fire - and photos indicating a pattern of neglect at the property in question. (Thanks, Scout.)

wanted to let you know about yet another fire , 359 N Patton St. Both that address and the yellow/white house next to it, 353/351 are owned by the same person . Lots of history I can share with this, stuff I've learned from neighbors....short version is this....I reported to LADBS as a courtesy to an elder on 6/8....it burned on 6/8 from a squatter . The owner is a holy terror apparently and has been allowed to leave unsecured properties and squatters moved in. Neighbors have seen the young woman recently and saw her leaving before the fire. The owner used to have a neighbor that he had an agreement with....caretake the properties and he stayed rent free. He kept the properties secure, cleaned and free of squatters. Owner and he had an argument, he was removed by police. I've emailed CD1 and asked for pushing this through to at least clean and secure for the neighbors benefit. Attaching a few photos for you.

[Ed. note: Well, at least the CD1 offices are willing to respond to SOMEBODY.]

I looked into building records and found a pending demolition permit application from 2023. Code complaints date back to 2008, but really ramped up in 2021.

Since the same person owns 351 and 353 as well, I looked those up and wasn’t surprised to see pending demolition permit applications from 2023 and 2024. There are similar code complains from 2020 and 2024, but not nearly as many as at number 359.

One application includes the words “DEMO SFR AND ALSO DEMO DETACHED SINGLE GARAGE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING.” There isn’t any evidence of an approved replacement project for the site in ZIMAS, and experience has taught me to be wary of developer promises.

It astounds me - and disgusts me - that there are people who feel entitled to let their properties fall into the kind of disrepair that negatively impacts the neighbors. It is one thing to put off fixing a squeaky floorboard because you don’t have time to deal with it. It is another to let trash pile up and leave a house improperly secured, even if you do intend to demolish what’s there now.

Nobody - I repeat, NOBODY - deserves to live next to a blighted property. Period.

359 Patton Street, Echo Park.

P.S. 359 was built in 1885. 353/351 dated to 1893. While they weren’t as fancy as the lost mansions of Bunker Hill, somebody who appreciates older homes could still have taken them off the owner’s hands, moved them, and restored them. But nooooo….