The Lincoln Place Love-In
By Erin
Grayson
Lincoln Place Apartments
provided a natural setting for the Love-In. The peaceful and quiet community has
been under attack by greedy landlords since 1986. The owners over the years have
slowly chipped away at the tenancies and there are now only 400 compared to over
2,500 people left at Lincoln Place.
The Lincoln Place Love-In was organized by
myself and Brittain Corey of Motion Events with a pot luck BBQ, nine piece
Brazilian Samba Band, and a spontaneous jam session with Lincoln Place tenants
and Venice residents singing out loud and playing like there was no tomorrow.
Everyone sang with passion for the
Lincoln Place rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The
tenants that are tenacious enough to remain do imagine a complete restoration of
this historic neighborhood and a win win for all parties involved.
At the Love-In we celebrated a victory
in Appellate Court to stay any further demolitions. City Councilmember Bill
Rosendahl was a surprise guest. He picked a peach right off the tree, took a
huge bite and said, “Preserve the Peaches and the People at Lincoln
Place.”
The 11th District
Councilmember took the time to speak at length to everyone who attended. On
August 5th there is a hearing in Sacramento to put Lincoln Place Apartments on
the California Register of Historical Resources. That is something AIMCO does
not want and has delayed twice in the last year.
Amanda Seward, who is Chair of the
Residential Council of the L.A. Conservancy’s Modern Committee and
incidentally a Gregory Ain homeowner (hot and Modern) nominated Lincoln Place.
She has been working around the clock to preserve the large complex built by
African American MGM Set Designer and Architect Ralph Vaughn and his partner,
Heth Wharton. She also found time to attend the
Love-In.
Brittain and I are planning
the next celebration Love-In for Sunday, August 14th. Bring some meat/veggies to
grill or a side dish and come over to the courtyard of 1062-64 @ Lincoln Place
on Elkgrove Avenue. We hope to be celebrating the California Historical
Resources Designation and other individual court litigations against AIMCO. As
long as the community is united a big bully like AIMCO will not get away with
pushing us around.
The first event I
ever produced was called the “Spring Fling.” We had artists display
their work in the halls and on the lawns, several bands including Suzy Williams,
The Smiling Minks, Figment, Electric
Brown plus local businesses like Trader Joe’s and La Cabana donated food.
We raised money for the legal costs to fight AIMCO the current owner of Lincoln
Place against using the Ellis Act out of context. What context one could ask?
Well, AIMCO stands for Apartment Investment and Management Company not Condo
Investment Co. As the largest rental housing corporation in the United States
they make enough money to give back to society but instead choose to make
grandmothers and WWII widows, vets and widowers homeless.
Another big event like the
“Spring Fling” is coming in mid-September called “September
Song” so watch for flyers and posters and come support the tenants of this
fabulous 50’s Modern Garden City Movement neighborhood. For more
information about the history and struggle to save Lincoln Place go to
www.lincoln place.net.
Also look for
Lincoln Place Preserves on the free side of the Ocean Front Walk in Venice. I
will be setting up a jellies and jam stand made from the fruit trees at Lincoln
Place. For more information about preserves and events contact me at
eg@eringrayson.com.
We are encouraging
everyone to show their support for Lincoln Place tenants by putting up Holiday
lights now!! It is not too early and it is never too late.
Posted: Mon - August 1, 2005 at 01:27 PM