Community says no to eviction of day labor center at Home Depot in Cypress Park

After more than 30 years of operating in the Home Depot parking lot in Cypress Park, the local day labor center managed by the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA), was threatened with eviction on Thursday. 

On Friday morning, elected officials and community activists held a press conference to denounce Home Depot for its bold move, made without a clear justification. 

CALÓ News contacted Home Depot and their spokesperson, Beth Marlowe, said the accusation of the eviction was false.

“There are no plans or discussions about evicting IDEPSCA,” said Marlowe. 

California Assemblywoman Jessica M. Caloza (D - 52) , who represents the area, said her team received a phone call on Thursday night from the head of government affairs stating that they would be delivering an eviction notice on Friday. Therefore, she called for an emergency press conference. 

“This was a call to action to call them out because their response, their denial of their eviction notice … none of this is surprising. We knew they would deny this,” she said. “One of us is lying and it’s not me.”

Caloza said Home Depot hasn’t been a good partner to any of the day labor workers. Since the massive ICE raids began, images and videos have shown that many of the raids have happened in Home Depot parking lots. 

According to Caloza, the reason given for the eviction was ordered by Caltrans, which leases the property to Home Depot. However, her team contacted the agency and verified that this is not true.

The labor center is more than a place to look for work

Pepe, a 64-year-old labor worker who has been with the center for more than 20 years said he felt really sad to know that Home Depot wants to evict them. He said all the workers who arrive at the center are ready to work to make honest money.

“We do all the dirty work, we go and do demolition with asbestos and all that ugly stuff, and we do it,” he said. “We really need this place, we really need it because this place has been like a training center for many people.”

Pepe said many day laborers have become contractors who now own their businesses and in return, they give more business to Home Depot by buying the equipment and materials needed. 

The center also serves people with medical help and even as a place of community gathering.

The center currently has about 230 laborers who come and go looking for jobs.  

“Home Depot is terrorizing the community that it serves,” Megan Ortiz, director of IDEPSCA, said in the City of Los Angeles there are three day labor centers at Home Depot parking lots; Cypress Park, Wilshire and Union, and one more in Van Nuys. 

She said Home Depot shouldn’t have to threaten the day labor centers, and instead should be grateful because in the City of Los Angeles, these centers have allowed them to open more locations.

In 2008 L.A. Ordinance 180174 required home improvement stores to set a space for day-laborer shelters with bathrooms, drinking water, seats and trash cans. 

“Part of the negotiation to approve the ordinance is that every time they build a new Home Depot they have to create a safe space for day laborers,” said Ortiz. 

Trying to stop the expansion

Hans Johnson, president of the East Area Progressive Democrats said they are currently circulating a petition to try to stop a new Home Depot from locating in the former Macy’s property in the Eagle Rock Plaza.

“Our councilwoman Ysabel Jurado is against it, the community is overwhelmingly against it and we need housing not another Home Depot location,” he said. 

If approved, this would be the eighth Home Depot store within an eight-mile radius.

“They are already saturating Los Angeles. We do not need another mega store, much less one that collaborates with ICE and in the thuggery and cruelty that we’ve seen Home Depot engaged in here,” he said.

Caloza said the reason why Home Depot didn’t show up on Friday with the eviction notice is that they quickly mobilized. 

Activists, elected officials and community leaders said the alternative to Home Depot is to support small businesses like local hardware stores.