Another #@$%*^&! Bungalow Court Fire

A century ago, bungalow courts proliferated in Los Angeles, and for good reason.

Bungalow courts fit multiple households onto one (or two) lots, often with shared green space, but tend to offer a greater degree of privacy and quiet than most apartments will ever offer. Historically, they’ve been an important source of existing affordable housing (some friends of mine made a map three years ago).

My grandmother had a friend I’ll call Mary (not her real name). Mary had a steady job, but (like many of us) didn’t make enough money to buy a house. She lived in the closest thing to a house that she could afford: a bungalow court.

In the 1970s, Mary was displaced when a developer decided her home should become a big apartment complex. She found another bungalow court. Then another developer came along and she lost her new home. This happened over and over, in several bungalow courts.

Surviving bungalow courts are still in danger today. Not everyone respects the quality of life that they offer.

525 South Union Avenue caught fire on the 26th. The fire began outside, but spread.

When I looked up the address in Google Street View and saw what appeared to be three front windows (or possibly two windows and a door) that have been filled in and stuccoed over, it prompted me to check for permits. (The only Street View images are from 2022, so the filled-in windows are not a recent alteration.)

(Note: the court does have a tall, sturdy-looking metal gate that would likely deter all but the most determined miscreants, but that is likely because Westlake is not the safest neighborhood.)

Back in 2021, there was a plan to build a 44-unit, 100 percent affordable TOC building.

Demolition permits were applied for (building 1 here, building 2 here).

There has been no progress on this since November 2022. ALWAYS take developer promises with a massive grain of salt, kids!

The bungalow court is scorched, but still standing. Hopefully this isn’t the end; it could still be repaired.

525 South Union Avenue, Westlake.