Oct 3, 2024
To pay just $770 a month in rent, Mariana Puche Hernandez tolerated the mold growing in the bathroom of her studio apartment, even the sparks that flew when she plugged her phone into an outlet.
Then the 11-unit complex on Simmons Avenue in East L.A. went up for sale and became a prime target for investors looking to renovate apartments and hike the rent beyond what residents could afford.
“There was panic,” Puche Hernandez said.