California state lawmaker vows to get cash reparations for 1,800 families displaced when the LA Dodgers Stadium was built during the 1950s

A California state lawmaker has pledged to provide reparations to more than 1,800 families displaced by the construction of Dodgers Stadium.

Democratic lawmaker Wendy Carrillo introduced her bill, AB50, to “address the historical injustices” surrounding the construction of the famed baseball stadium in the 1950s.

The crowd of families evicted from their homes in L.A.’s Chavez Ravine were mostly Latino, and they were led to believe they would return to improved public housing before the stadium was built on their property instead.

“Families were promised a return to better housing, but instead they were left destitute,” Carrillo said.

Los Angeles sheriff’s deputies photographed Chavez Ravine resident Aurora Vargas being forcibly removed from her home in 1959, the same year the stadium was built

California lawmaker Wendy Carrillo said at a news conference that she introduced her bill, AB50, to “address the historical injustice” of the construction of the famed baseball stadium in the 1950s.

The area where Dodgers Stadium now stands, Chavez Ravine, covered more than 300 acres and was “home to generations of predominantly Mexican Americans,” Carrillo said.

She argued that the families who lost their homes are entitled to reparations because they were unceremoniously locked out by Los Angeles officials.

The city acquired the land through eminent domain intended to rebuild improved public housing in the early 1950s, a move that displaced thousands of families.

The project, called Elysian Park Heights, would have consisted of 20 apartment buildings and more than 160 townhouses, as well as schools, a university and playgrounds.

Officials later rejected the plans and decided to sell the land to a private developer, who built Dodger’s Stadium on the site.

Construction began in 1959 and ended in 1962 at a cost of $23 million at the time – the equivalent of more than $236 million today.

However, getting the construction off the ground was far from easy, as virtually all families in the area initially refused to move – and some held out for years.

Construction of Dodgers Stadium began in 1959 and cost the equivalent of $236 million

Those who had their homes demolished were promised better public housing projects, which were abandoned by the city before selling the land to a private developer to build the stadium.

In addition to reparations, the new bill built a permanent monument at the stadium

The city acquired the land through eminent domain intended to be used to rebuild improved public housing in the early 1950s, a move that displaced thousands of families.

The Chavez Canyon Strike in May 1951

In the early 1950s, some families made deals to sell their homes outright, before offers were gradually reduced to sow panic among those hoping not to move.

In May 1959, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were called in to remove the last stragglers as some vowed never to leave their homes.

This led to an infamous image of Aurora Vargas being dragged from her home by officers, kicking and screaming from her property.

California Congresswoman Wendy Carrillo

Carrillo cited such scenes in a press release promising reparations to displaced families, who were left “destitute” by the forced relocation, but through no fault of their own.

Her bill is reportedly supported by the Buried under the blue organization, which says it is working for justice for the families who have been “forgotten and wrongfully evicted from their homes and lands.”

In addition to monetary reparations, the legislation would also establish a permanent memorial, and proposes “various forms of compensation, including offering city-owned property similar to the original landowners of the Chavez Ravine, or offering compensation for a fair market value, adjusted for inflation.’

“It also creates opportunities for displaced, non-landowners to receive relocation assistance, access to health care, employment assistance, educational opportunities and other forms of compensation deemed appropriate by a newly created Task Force,” Carrillo’s press release said.

The lawmaker added at a news conference: “For generations, Chavez Ravine was a beacon of hope and resilience, embodying the dreams and aspirations of families who built their lives within its embrace.

“With this legislation, we are addressing the past, giving voice to these injustices, recognizing the pain of those displaced, providing reparations, and ensuring we honor and commemorate the legacy of the Chavez Ravine community.”