Compared to other countries around the world, the USA has a fairly short history. Though not all of it was pretty, Americans are quite proud of the nation’s rich history. However, some worry that today, America’s history is being destroyed to make room for a more modern world.
Lupe Breard and her sister are experiencing this frustrating reality right now as she fights to keep her historic home in Echo Park, California, from being torn down to build a contemporary apartment complex.
The Story of the Breard Sisters and Their Iconic Home
In the early 1970s, Lupe Breard’s mother worked as a waitress in Echo Park, saving every 10-cent tip she earned to eventually buy her first home. In 1975, she purchased a beautiful Victorian for only $18,500 and moved her family in to begin the next chapter of their lives.
Even when Lupe finally started her own family, she continued to live in the large historic home with her children, her mother, and her sister, Sarah Padilla. Their mother passed away in 2018, but the sisters stayed in the home, as it was the only one they had ever known.
A Will That Changed Everything
Unfortunately for Lupe, when her mother died, she left the home to three of Lupe’s siblings, including Sarah Padilla. But she left Lupe and one of her other sisters off the deed.
Soon, two of the siblings named in the will found a buyer for the home who was willing to pay $1 million, more than 50 times what their mother paid for it almost 50 years ago. However, Sarah and Lupe, now 64 and 73, didn’t want to sell. They love their home and want to spend the rest of their lives there.
Reaching Out for Help
Lupe and Sarah decided to contact the LA Tenants Union to see if there was anything they could do to help.
Together, they filed an application with the city planning department to designate the home as a historical monument and created a petition for the sisters to keep and care for it. But while they were doing so, their siblings finalized the sale of the house.
The Worst Kind of Notice
Shortly after a company called NELA Development purchased the home for $1.2 million, they gave the sisters a three-day notice to “perform or quit,” meaning they could either start paying NELA rent while the company sent workmen to the house, or they could leave.
When the sisters wouldn’t leave, let the workers in, or pay NELA their requested rent, the company filed an eviction suit against them. Unfortunately for the sisters, the jury ruled in favor of the NELA Development and told Lupe and Sarah they would be forcibly removed if they did not leave the home.
The Sisters Began Selling Their Belongings
Lupe Breard told the press that because of her disability, she cannot work and has no idea how she is going to be able to afford rent in Los Angeles. She and her sister truly have nowhere to go.
So, when the jury ruled against them, Lupe and Sarah began moving their lifetime possessions into the yard. They knew they needed to find money somewhere, and as they were about to have no other place to live, they couldn’t take anything with them.
Some Might Call It a Miracle
In an almost unbelievable turn of events, just as the sisters were selling everything they owned, one of her attorneys called and said that they were going to appeal the jury’s decision for eviction. And much to their surprise, the judge sided with Lupe and Sarah.
Lupe told the press that immediately after the hearing, she gave thanks for the miracle at the tomb of St. Vibiana, the patron saint of Los Angeles, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels.
Fighting for the History of America
Even though the eviction ruling has been overturned, the fight is far from over. Lupe and Sarah don’t have to leave their home just yet, but they still have to figure out a way to negate the sale.
Lawyers on the case believe the best way to do so is to prove that the home is a historical and cultural landmark that will likely be destroyed by the NELA Development company.
The Rich History of Echo Park
Most of the beautiful homes in Echo Park were built in the early 1900s as Americans were flocking to Los Angeles. It was a wonderful, quiet community full of artists and musicians living in magnificent Victorian-style homes.
Over the past century, the neighborhood has become quite trendy, but it still retains its old-world charm. However, more recently, real estate development firms have been spending millions buying up as many of the homes as they can. And with $1 million offers, many long-time residents simply couldn’t turn them down.
Echo Park Could Lose Its Homes as Well as Its Charm
Those who appreciate Echo Park’s rich history and architecture are, of course, worried that many real estate developers will simply demolish the century-old homes to build modern apartment complexes that house more residents and, therefore, increase their profits.
Some Victorian houses have already been torn down and pricey apartments were built in their place. So, not only is Echo Park losing its beautiful houses and uniqueness, but it’s also becoming much more expensive to live there.
NELA Development Will Likely Argue That They Plan to Restore, Not Destroy the Home
NELA Development describes itself as a “family-run real estate and investment company dedicated to preserving and enhancing the many precious neighborhoods that make Los Angeles a special place to live, work and play.”
The company has won an award from the Highland Park Heritage Trust for preserving local homes, and it is highly likely that it will argue in court it intends to do the same with Lupe Breard’s home.
California Is Changing
Whether NELA actually preserves the historical home or not, the story of Lupe Breard and her fight for her home sheds light on a much bigger issue.
California is changing. It’s becoming more expensive by the day, especially when it comes to housing. And lifelong residents like Lupe Breard, and her sister Sarah, are being forced out onto the streets. As Breard said, “I love Los Angeles; it’s my home, [but] this is happening to so many people. You see people on the street, and nobody even looks at them.”
