MARCH COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER

Spring is almost here, and the seeds we’ve planted are starting to sprout. Somos NELA weekly night market continues to be a space of connection and exchange. Our housing work is moving forward, and the steady flow of goods through our community closet is a reminder of reciprocity, sustainability, and sharing. Growth is everywhere.

In this NELA neighborhood issue

📖 2024 Annual Report + 2025 OKRs

🌚 Friday night fun at Somos NELA

🎉 We are in escrow for two housing complexes!

🫶🏽 Support our NELA Comparte Corner every Tuesday

Looking Back to Plan Ahead

2024 was a year of big moves—literally and figuratively. We settled into a new home, became property stewards, and deepened our commitment to community economies. None of this would have been possible without our incredible partners, our dedicated board of directors, and the small yet mighty LA Más team. Read more about our journey in the 2024 Annual Report.

As we find ourselves in 2025, we’re energized by what’s possible when we come together to imagine new futures. Instead of a traditional three-year strategic plan, we developed inaugural 2025 OKRs (objective key results)—a set of clear, measurable, and aspirational goals for the year. Thanks to the Helia Collective for guiding us through this process! We invite you to review our five OKRs and connect with us if you’d like to support our work.

Vibrant Night Markets at Somos NELA

It’s been over a month of weekly night markets, and the energy keeps growing! Each week, nearly 20 vendors—from a rotating list of 70—bring their goods to the market, welcoming 50-100 neighbors, kids, and even a few dogs. Food has been such a hit that we’re making sure at least a quarter of our vendors offer handmade meals and desserts, so you can stay for dinner.

In the next month, we’re adding even more—children’s activities, live music, a DJ-powered sidewalk dance party, and a community closet to browse or donate to.

This space is deeply personal for so many of us, including Lili who is on of our three community organizers who are producing the market each week. Read about why Lili is involved in this Clockshop feature!

How you can support local community economies…

🍲 Join us for dinner

We’re averaging $1K in sales each week, but our goal is $3K. Can you stop by two Fridays this month? Bring a friend (or two) and spend at least $25.

🙌🏽 Volunteer

Help with setup, cleanup, and keeping the market running every Friday. Email market@mas.la if you're interested.

📢 Grow the market

Join our bimonthly Community Economies meetings to shape the market and other programs.

Read the notes from our last meeting and join us on April 29th at 5:30 PM.

We’re in Escrow—Twice!

Exciting news! In early March, we entered escrow on two residential properties in Northeast LA in partnership with Self-Help Ventures Fund! We look forward to building on the incredible win last October with residents on Arvia Street in Cypress Park.

The first, a 5-unit complex in Lincoln Heights, came to us through a current resident who learned about our work with Arvia in the LA Times. With two vacant units, this project offers both housing preservation and new opportunities for local residents.

The second, a 3-unit complex in Highland Park, is fully vacant and includes family-sized units. During escrow, we’ll be assessing ADU potential and working to remove the property from the city's REAP program, which flags significant code violations.

Escrow is a critical time for refining budgets and securing funding. Property acquisition is complex, and we’re committed to demystifying the process for our community. We’ll be exploring low-cost loans and Program-Related Investments (PRIs) with institutional and housing partners. If you have financial resources and want to collaborate, reach out to helen@mas.la.

Want to learn more?

Join us at the next NELA Community Housing Alliance meeting! We’ll discuss the properties, the real estate landscape in NELA, non-traditional paths to homeownership, and available grants.

📅 Tuesday, March 25 from 5:30-7:30 PM
📩 RSVP: melissa@mas.la

New to NELACHA? Check out notes from past meetings.

Growing Our NELA Comparte Corner

Our NELA Comparte Corner (formerly the “community closet”) was born from the community itself—a space for exchange, sustainability, and mutual support. Every week, hundreds of items cycle in and out, finding new homes and keeping goods in use.

We invite you to take part! If you have gently used and/or new clothes, toys, appliances, or other household items, bring them to LA Más and be part of this ongoing exchange.

Drop off or pick up items during
📅 Community Hours on Tuesdays from 1-5 PM
🌙 Somos NELA Mercado on Fridays from 5-8 PM

Have questions about donations? Contact miguel@mas.la.