BRENTWOOD—On Monday, May 8 residents of the 25 floor Barrington Plaza high rise apartment building were given a 120-day notice to vacate their properties.
“According to the property manager Douglas Emmett, the real estate investment plans to implement $300 million worth of safety upgrades to the old buildings over the next several years such as a fire sprinkler system,” CBS news stated.
The property was built in 1961. New properties requiring mandatory fire safety sprinklers has been in place since 1974.
French student Jeremy Bru, 19, was killed in a fire at the Barrington Plaza in January 2020. The fire also injured 11 people.
The city said Barrington Plaza is one of 55 residential high-rise buildings in Los Angeles lacking fire sprinkler systems.
“The timing couldn’t be worse and I am certainly sensitive to where we are with the housing crisis,” stated Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park.
“Yesterday, I got all these papers and I said Oh my god, I had no idea that this was happening” 94 year old Emma Schmole told CBS news.
“We were literally planning to stay there until we died if need be, given that it was rent stabilized” Andrew Rahm stated to ABC7.
Residents will need to vacate their properties by September 5. A total of 578 units were issued letters to leave their properties. The plaza contains three high rise buildings and 712 apartments.
Officials stated tenants can meet with relocation services and are eligible for relocation compensation.
