Stephanie Hernandez and her family seek refuge at the beach to escape the smell of rotting food from a nearby warehouse.
Stephanie Hernandez and her family have relocated to Dockweiler Beach to escape the overwhelming odor of rotting food from the Lineage food storage facility. The warehouse, which suffered from a fire, has left residents in the Boyle Heights area struggling with the smell of once-frozen food melting in the summer heat. Hernandez, a mother of four, noted that the conditions became intolerable for her children, leading her family to seek temporary housing in an RV. While Lineage has removed over half of the 85 million pounds of rotting food waste, the city is taking action to prevent future issues. Mayor Phil Bass issued an executive order directing the City Council to introduce an ordinance placing a moratorium on large cold storage facilities near residential zones. The administration also ordered a multi-agency investigation into the site's proposed uses and environmental reviews. While 400 households have been offered housing vouchers, Hernandez's home falls just outside the current eligibility area, prompting calls for the city to expand the housing support map.