An additional $1 million has been secured from vacation rental company Airbnb to help Boyle Heights residents affected by the fire at Lineage’s warehouse get emergency housing.
The putrid smell of rotting food that was once frozen and stored at the facility has clouded surrounding neighborhoods while crews work to meet the Aug. 13 deadline to remove 85 million pounds of food waste. The odor is so strong that it’s attracted rats and flies, affecting residents who live close to the warehouse.
With the additional funds, nonprofit organization 211 LA will identify community members living near the facility to help them book free stays through Airbnb. Those who’ve been impacted by the fire and clean-up process can also call 626-406-2786 for help getting resources and Airbnb’s housing support.
Residents who are eligible for the free stay through Airbnb live within the following perimeter:
- Between Los Palos Street to South Hicks Avenue
- Between Beswick Street to Union Pacific Avenue.
The fire broke out on June 17 and was burning for a week before crews were able to knock it down on June 24.
During the peak of the blaze, residents were ordered to shelter in place as a thick plume of smoke billowed over Boyle Heights and stretched into neighboring communities.
Although a cause for the fire has yet to be determined, representatives from Lineage said they believe the blaze began while a subcontractor working for Atlus Power, which owns the solar panels on the warehouse’s roof, was conducting tests on the panels.