Boyle Heights warehouse rebuilding plans on hold until post-fire cleanup is complete, Bass says

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued another executive order regarding the Boyle Heights warehouse disaster, stating that the city will not forward any plans to rebuild at the site until a thorough investigation of the property is complete and any future use has been reviewed. The warehouse operator submitted a building permit to the city earlier this week.

At a Friday morning news conference, Bass said the East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights communities continue to suffer due to "irresponsible corporate action."

The operator of the warehouse, Lineage, already received an executive order from the mayor on June 29, a 45-day cleanup timeline.

While Lineage says it is doing everything it can to clean up the millions of pounds of rotting food and control odors, rodents, and pests -- the fines, violations, and formal complaints continue to pile up.

"The commitments they've made are commitments they failed to meet, I should say, are too many to count," Bass said.

She listed the company's shortcomings: failing to provide sufficient relocation support for residents, failing to address odors, failing to prevent flies and rats from migrating into neighborhoods, failing to address residents' health concerns, and failing to notify the community of any changes.

"But despite all of this, Lineage had the audacity to submit plans to rebuild their warehouse. This is a slap in the face of the families that are forced to suffer the consequences of these corporate actions, or I should say inactions, every single day," Bass said.

In Friday's third executive order regarding the warehouse, she directed city departments not to process Lineage rebuilding plans until the city and the public can review the investigation.

Bass also requested that the city council introduce an ordinance establishing a moratorium on the construction of new large cold storage facilities near residential areas and sensitive locations, such as parks and schools.

The LA County Board of Supervisors will be presented with a motion to increase penalties for public health violations related to the Lineage facility at its Tuesday meeting. 

A city building permit application requests fire damage repair and restoration, for like replacement of the damaged structure at 1400 Los Palos Street, with no change to the building size, use or occupancy.