Column: Lincoln Heights night market becomes nightmare for residents, who beg

Americas - USA West Los Angeles
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From April:

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Looks like those open air Paloma vendors ruined it for everyone… They night market is being SHUT DOWN.

https://twitter.com/mottsmith/status/1423352039900254208

My brother lives around the corner and went just last week. It was REALLY getting out of hand with the cocktail guys and the trash. People were getting super territorial and that area has a history of shit going down. He enjoyed the market… but really felt it would be better in an organized place. Most of the folks going there could afford to pay a dollar more for a taco if there was a safer and better environment for everyone involved.

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When I went people were actually driving through the center. The best thing I ate there was some molotes from a mom and daughter vendor. Most of what I sampled was average fare.

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The city closed Artesian Street from Avenue 33 to Humboldt Street, Cedillo’s office said in a statement, which would “eliminate illegal alcohol sales, public defecation and urination, and crime and violence that was caused by the market.”

During the closure, the statement said, the city “would fully assess the street and sidewalks, determine and perform work to abate human waste, cooking oil and flame damage, and restore vandalized signage, sidewalks, and curbs.”

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Residents described waking up to freshly dumped trash, puddles of urine and human feces. Business owners said blocked driveways prevented employees from driving home at the end of their shifts.

Edited to add:

…another vendor, Luis Peralta, sent a letter to Cedillo asking to meet and talk about the market. Peralta said he and his family ran a Mexican candy stand known as El Dulce.

“We the vendors understand the complaints of residents nearby and we would love to find a middle ground where we can continue to provide income for our families and joy for our community,” Peralta wrote. “We understand there is a right way to do things, from pulling out all the necessary permits to complying with city laws and regulations, we are willing to do it all. We just need help from people like yourself who can create a dialogue with the surrounding community to find solutions for their wants and needs as for ours.”

He and other vendors planned to move to a nearby street in Lincoln Heights to sell once more.

“It’s the only income we have,” he said.