LA Offers $20K for Illegal Squatters to Leave El Sereno Houses

Squatters who settled into vacant homes owned by the state in El Sereno five years ago face eviction while being offered $20,000 each in public funds to pack up and leave.

Los Angeles County judges have ruled against several members of the housing activist group “Reclaiming Our Homes,” ordering them to vacate properties acquired by the state for a now-defunct freeway expansion, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The protests began in March 2020 when “housing-insecure” and homeless residents occupied long-abandoned homes owned by Caltrans. With support from activist groups, the so-called Reclaimers aimed to highlight a housing crisis by repurposing the empty public properties.

After public pressure, state and city officials brokered a temporary deal allowing the group to remain in the homes under subsidized leases. But those agreements expired, and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles has since sought to remove the remaining occupants.

Officials say evictions are a last resort.

Tina Booth, asset management director for HACLA, said the agency has offered financial settlements — including $20,000 and relocation support — to help the protestors find other homes.

“We thought it was still right to continue to offer them a settlement package,” she told the Times.

Despite the offers, many squatters refused to leave, fearing homelessness or disconnection from their community.

Some, like Sandra Saucedo, say staying stabilized their families. Saucedo, who moved into a duplex with her sons after living in her car, lost her eviction case last month. She now faces an uncertain future if forced to leave.

The long-running standoff stems from Caltrans’ decades-old acquisition of homes for the 710 Freeway extension, which was canceled in 2018. Many of the properties sat vacant or deteriorated for years.

Caltrans has since begun selling some to local governments and nonprofits for redevelopment as affordable housing.

The Reclaimers argue they should be allowed to purchase the homes themselves — an option granted to some long-term tenants. A lawsuit seeking that right, dismissed last year, is now under appeal. Accepting settlement offers could disqualify them from any future purchase opportunities if the ruling is reversed.

Los Angeles Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, whose district includes El Sereno, said her focus is ensuring the Reclaimers are treated fairly. Meanwhile, HACLA and Caltrans say their hands are tied by contracts and legal boundaries.

Benito Flores, 70, now facing renewed homelessness, remains defiant. “I’m going to resist in a very strong, very creative way,” he told the Times.

— Dana Bartholomew