Mayor Karen Bass is sponsoring new state legislation, Assembly Bill 817 (AB 817), to enhance accountability for cold storage facilities and safeguard communities from industrial disasters, following the significant Lineage fire in Boyle Heights.
Introduced by Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez and supported by Mayor Bass and several community organizations, AB 817 mandates large cold storage facilities to establish a contingency fund before receiving new building permits. These funds would cover essential services like food assistance, temporary housing, air quality monitoring, healthcare, and vector control in the event of an incident.
The legislation also includes tax relief provisions for residents, property owners, and businesses impacted by the Boyle Heights fire, ensuring settlement funds for harm and displacement are not taxed as income. Mayor Bass emphasized, "At every turn, Lineage has failed to meet its responsibility to Boyle Heights and East LA and to provide meaningful support to residents and small businesses."
Willie Armstrong, Senior Director for State Affairs for Mayor Bass, testified that the Lineage fire became a crisis for families, leading to "unbearable odors, rotting food, rodents, and flies." Mayor Bass has already issued emergency orders, demanded the removal of spoiled food, and provided housing assistance to over 1,300 residents. She has also called for litigation against Lineage and Chill Build. "We cannot change what happened in Boyle Heights, but we can change what happens next," Mayor Bass said.