A bill introduced in the California Legislature on Friday aims to seek reparations for the families of people who were displaced from their homes in Los Angeles in the 1950s on land that eventually became the site of Dodger Stadium. Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, a Democrat from Los Angeles, introduced the bill after years of calls from organizers who have demanded reparations, either through financial compensation or the return of land that was taken from their families.
The land, now known as Chavez Ravine, was once home to the communities of Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bishop, where approximately 1,800 families, mostly Mexican American, lived. These families were displaced in the 1950s by the city of Los Angeles under the guise of building affordable housing, a project that was never realized. The land was later acquired by the Dodgers after their move from Brooklyn in the late 1950s.
Assemblywoman Carrillo stated, “What happened to the families at those three communities, which are now known as Chavez Ravine, was unjust. The promise of housing was never fulfilled, and those families were also robbed of homeownership and generational wealth because their homes were taken away.”
The bill, named the Chavez Ravine Accountability Act, calls for the formation of a nine-member task force by the city of Los Angeles to provide compensation to the displaced families or their descendants. The proposed forms of compensation include city-owned land or fair-market-value compensation. Additionally, the bill calls for the construction of a permanent memorial in the area to honor those displaced and the creation of a searchable database detailing the history of the land acquisition.
Ricardo Lara, the state insurance commissioner and a sponsor of the bill, emphasized the need for overdue compensation for the residents of the three communities and highlighted the importance of reconciliation and healing through this legislation.
While the bill marks a significant step forward, some advocates, like Aurora Vargas’s niece, Melissa Arechiga, and Vincent Montalvo, expressed a desire for the Dodgers to play a role in the reparations, as they continue to benefit from the land. The bill, as currently written, does not involve the Dodgers or Dodger Stadium.
The bill will need to pass through the California Assembly’s Judiciary Committee and move through the Assembly and State Senate before reaching Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk by September. The legislation also sets a deadline for the database of former residents to be ready by January 1, 2027, before any compensation process can begin.
Ms. Arechiga expressed a mix of emotions, including gratitude and relief, about the bill, noting that while there is still work to be done, the introduction of the legislation validates the efforts of those advocating for reparations for the displaced families.
