By: Elgin Nelson
Last week, South L.A. residents and stakeholders gathered in protest to demand the closure of twelve motels along the Figueroa Corridor. The protest comes in the wake of a wave of violence and exploitation in these motels, which the local community attributes to human and sex trafficking activities.
Responding to these concerns, Hydee Feldstein Soto, the City Attorney of Los Angeles, has initiated legal action against one such establishment, the New Gage Motel. Investigations by the city into the motel have resulted in over a dozen arrests related to prostitution, including an incident involving a minor. Soto emphasizes that the issue extends far beyond a single motel, stating, “it’s a problem along the entire corridor.”
The Figueroa Corridor, notorious as the “track”, is identified by Soto as the “most notorious human trafficking, sex trafficking ring in the United States”. The prevalence of these crimes in the area has been escalating for the past decade, with a peak in 2020. According to the Los Angeles Police Department data, incidents have decreased in the past year to resemble 2016 levels.
“We have been trying to deal with the issue for 20 years dating back to when Rita Walters was our representative on the city council,” said Quaford Coleman, administrator of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church located on Figueroa.
“We have been battling against the open prostitution, and I believe we have not had strong enough support from the full city council to eradicate it.”
Two motels on the corridor have been served revocation notices, and numerous individuals have been cited for illegal activities, as reported by Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. Harris-Dawson, a protest attendee, who acknowledges the severity of the situation.
“I’ve heard from the people in my District, and in response, we set up a multi-jurisdictional task force to disrupt trafficking on Figueroa,” said the councilmember. “We want to ensure that services and resources are provided to those who have been victimized.”
The Community Coalition, an organization committed to fighting systemic racism against African-American and Latino communities, is leading the drive to provide these resources. Alberto Retana, the CEO of the organization, led the protest march, assuring residents of their power to effect change. The coalition urges the public to join in the upcoming L.A. City Planning Public Hearings throughout October, which will be held virtually. The meeting schedule is as follows: Tuesday, October 17th at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, October 19th at 9:30 a.m., and Thursday, October 26th at 9:30 a.m.