#  (Video) Melrose Village: Enough (Mansionization) is Enough!

     Details    Clark Carlton   ![logo](https://mail.citywatchla.com//templates/ja_teline_v/images/logo.png)         December 18 2014       [ARCHIVE](https://mail.citywatchla.com/archive)   - [  Previous Article **Raise the Gas Tax!** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8074:raise-the-gas-tax&catid=16)
- [  Next Article **Are Charter Schools Resegregating America’s Education System?** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8076:are-charter-schools-resegregating-america-s-education-system&catid=16)

  ###### Typography

- [](# "Smaller Font")  ****Smaller** **Small** **Medium** **Big** **Bigger****  [](# "Bigger Font")
- [](# "Previous Font Style")  ****Default** **Helvetica** **Segoe** **Georgia** **Times****  [](# "Next Font Style")

- [ Reading Mode](# "Reading Mode")

> <a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)
>
> ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Dec-2014/102z.png)OPEN HOUSE PICKETED-On Sunday, members of the Melrose Village Homeowner’s Association [picketed an open house in the 700 block of N. Vista Street](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQSOgC1jRc%20) to protest the mansionization of their historic area in Hollywood. The chosen site was in front of a two story, 4,000 square foot home built in the boxy, suburban style typical of most new homes in the area.
>
> “These giant Kleenex-boxes rob surrounding homes of sunlight and privacy, resulting in a loss of value to those homes,” said David Richards, a resident of the area who attended the protest. “We want to let developers know how passionate we are about our homes and the character of our neighborhood. We aren’t specifically opposed to development or renovation, but it must be in scale with the rest of the area. We also hope that people who are considering making an offer on these giant McMansions will think twice, knowing how these homes are hurting their prospective neighbors.”
>
> Over 50 picketers -- including supporters from other neighborhoods also subjected to mansionization -- marched with signs reading “No More McMansions in LA” for the duration of the open house, represented by Re/Max properties. Many passing cars also honked their horns in support, and only two parties crossed the picket line to view the house.
>
>  “A couple from Manhattan who saw the place spoke to us and said that while the house would be a bargain in Manhattan, it was certainly on the expensive side for Los Angeles, and it definitely impinged on the privacy of the surrounding homes,” said Richards. “They could look into all the backyards surrounding them. They told us ‘we’re on your side’ which certainly made us happy.”
>
> Richards says his organization’s concerns are not just about the size and character of the new houses. “One of our other issues is the speed with which houses are razed. Bulldozers come in and knock a house down in a day without any asbestos or lead paint abatement.
>
> “I’ve personally checked on that with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. These are homes that for the most part were built in the 1920s, and all of them have cancer-causing chemicals within the walls and ceiling that contractors are legally required to carefully remove before a demolition.
>
> “How the residents of this city can sleep at night knowing children and animals are being exposed to these carcinogens on a weekly basis is beyond me.”
>
> The organizers of the event made it clear that the picketing of similar McMansions will continue until the City Council finally eliminates the citywide loopholes in the Baseline Mansionization Ordinance.
>
> News crews from KTLA, KTTV, KABC and KCBS/KCAL covered the event.
>
> ● [VIDEO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQSOgC1jRc):
>
> ● [WEB SITE:](http://nomoremcmansionsinlosangeles.org/])
>
> *(Clark Carlton is a community activist and lives in Los Angeles.)*
>
> -cw
>
> CityWatch
>
> Vol 12 Issue 102
>
> Pub: Dec 19, 2014

  - [  Previous Article **Raise the Gas Tax!** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8074:raise-the-gas-tax&catid=16)
- [  Next Article **Are Charter Schools Resegregating America’s Education System?** ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8076:are-charter-schools-resegregating-america-s-education-system&catid=16)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>