How a Mecanico From El Sereno Took On Cops, The D.A. and a Major Construction Project To Hold It Down in His Neighborhood

[dropcap size=big]F[/dropcap]rancisco Gonzalez’s dream was to own a mechanic shop in El Sereno, the neighborhood where he grew up. That dream became a reality when Gonzalez started G-Spot Automotive but shortly after that, it turned into a nightmare. Over the course of about 15 years, Gonzalez endured regular visits from a task force of law enforcement agencies poking around for illegal parts and stolen vehicles, a criminal case that he says was bogus, as well as a multi-million dollar city construction project that brought his business to a standstill.

We explore Gonzalez’s story in Episode 4: “Progress Over People” in our podcast with Neon Hum media called Smokescreen: The Sellout, an investigative series about the community that fought back against gentrification and former Councilmember Jose Huizar.

Flanked by Ascot Hills Park’s sun-scorched foothills, G-Spot Automotive is positioned on the corner where Soto Street, Mission Road and Huntington Drive all converge on the border of Lincoln Heights and El Sereno. Today it’s one of those frustrating intersections where you can get stuck at a light for what feels like an eternity. But back in the day, when the Soto Street Bridge was still around, it was a beacon.

“The [Soto Street Bridge] was our gateway. So When we came to the bridge, and we went through the curve, like I knew, okay, I'm almost home,” Yolie Garcia, an El Sereno resident since childhood and co-founder of the El Sereno Historical Society, recalled during an interview with L.A. TACO and Neon Hum. “So that was a landmark for us growing up.”

“To me, it was like a different world,” Yolie’s husband, Jorge, another co-founder of the Historical Society, recalled moving to the neighborhood from South Central when he was in middle school, during a joint interview with his wife. “It was so open. You know, there was so much nature here. I remember seeing hawks and snakes and thinking, ‘Wow, where am I?’ You know, because to this day, it's a very open landscape. I was like, you know, this is a beautiful little island in the middle of a city.”