Residents fighting to save Compton Community Garden after property listed for sale
Residents of Compton are banding together to fight the sale of a beloved community landmark that was suddenly listed for sale overnight.
The Compton Community Garden has been a staple of the area for the last decade, highly-regarded as a sliver of serenity in the midst of how busy life can be. The popular spot, located at 1317 S. Long Beach Boulevard, has treated locals to gardening classes, concerts and other community building opportunities.
"In Compton, we don't have nothing," said Elisa Villegas, who gathers with her friends at the garden on a weekly basis. "Really, we don't have nothing. This place is nice for us."
Villegas is among the many locals who were shocked on April 1, when a large "For Sale" sign suddenly popped up in front of the property.
"We thought it was a cruel April Fool's joke," said Jonathan Fajardo, who works with the garden. "We made some calls and found out how real it was."
They say that the private landowner, from whom the land has been leased for the last 10 years, decided to put the property up for sale without any consultation -- and there's already a nearly $500k offer on the table.
"Our beloved garden - a free and & truly communal urban garden feeding free food to the people of Compton for over a decade - was for sale without warning or consideration to the humans serving this, nor the communities, ecosystems & lives this would impact right here in Compton/North Long Beach," said a GoFundMe to help stop the sudden sale. So far, the fundraiser has accumulated more than $104,000 of the $600,000 goal.
According to the GoFundMe, Tuesday is the final day that they can submit a counteroffer to prevent the sale.
Organizers say that the garden is not only a safe place for the community to gather, but it also acts as a place where residents can feed their souls and stomachs.
"Compton is a food desert," said Ivy Harris, who also works with the garden. "There is more access to liquor stores than there are grocery stores. There are fundamental barriers that prevent people from having access to organic, healthy food."
Community members are set to gather at the garden Tuesday evening for a rally, where they hope to persuade city leaders to join the fight and purchase the land so their long-lasting lease can continue.
"We think it's important to fight back and not let development from outside of our community dictate how our street looks and how the future of Compton looks," said Fajardo.
The community meeting began at 5 p.m., with dozens of passionate attendees providing their thoughts on the matter and pleading for help.
The GoFundMe can be found by searching for the keywords: "Save Compton Community Garden!"
