The California Assembly Majority Whip says local officials should have acted differently during the Boyle Heights warehouse fire, calling for stronger emergency planning, accountability, and long-term support for affected residents.
“My hands are tied. I would have done things differently,” says Assemblymember Mark González, Majority Whip of the California State Assembly, as he begins discussing the fire that has affected residents of Boyle Heights and surrounding communities.
“From the day the fire started, I stayed on top of the situation, communicating with local authorities and discussing the best way to help the residents of Boyle Heights. For me, this is extremely personal. I have spent my entire political career serving these communities, and I know them well.
“I know that because of Boyle Heights’ geographic location, it is surrounded by four freeways, which has fueled significant industrial activity and, for years, contributed to negative environmental impacts. Before the Lineage fire, we fought against the Exide battery recycling plant in Vernon, which affected the health of nearby residents. We fought for many years until we got it shut down.
“So yes, this has affected me, and I’m doing everything I can to help from my position at the state level,” González says.
González, who represents California’s 54th Assembly District, has built his political career around community advocacy, public service, and representation. His district includes Boyle Heights and several central Los Angeles communities, including Downtown Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights, Westlake, Koreatown, Pico-Union, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Vernon, Montebello, and Commerce.
Before entering elected office, González developed a career in community organizing and Democratic politics. He worked in the California Legislature, including serving as district director for former Assemblymember Miguel Santiago and working with former Assembly Speaker John Pérez. He later became chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, becoming the first Latino to lead the organization. During his tenure, he focused on voter engagement, expanding political participation, and increasing representation.
In 2024, González was elected to the California State Assembly representing the 54th District. He was later appointed Majority Whip, a leadership position in the Assembly.
During the interview, González was clear about the limits of his role and the responsibility of local authorities.
“This is a hyperlocal issue. It is primarily up to local authorities to make the direct decisions. My role is to stay in communication with them, support their decisions, and help in any way we can, including securing state funding.
“My staff went to the area as volunteers to help and immediately distribute air purifiers.”
González also described the measures implemented by Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado.
“Residents were asked to avoid going outside, remain under a stay-in-place order, and the community assistance effort was launched, including the distribution of air purifiers.”
When asked about criticism from residents regarding the delayed communication between authorities and the community, as well as the decision to issue a stay-in-place order instead of an evacuation, González was direct.
“There are things I can do as an assemblymember and things I cannot do. That doesn’t stop me from having an opinion.
“I can call Councilmember Jurado and give her my opinion on something, just as I can with Karen Bass. But because this is a local issue, they have the authority and the decision-making power over what happens.
“Now, in terms of my opinion, I can tell you that I would have done things differently. First, I would have carried out an evacuation based on a house-by-house assessment. Second, I would have set up shelters where residents could stay while teams retrieved the personal belongings of those who still had items inside their homes. Third, I would have deployed mobile medical clinics to conduct health evaluations.
“But that is my personal opinion. As an assemblymember at the state level, my hands are tied,” he says.
González says the city was not prepared for an emergency of this magnitude and that the full scope of the disaster was not recognized quickly enough.
“This was something new, and even firefighters did not fully assess the magnitude of the disaster until the following day. Yes, it was unprecedented, but when it comes to helping people affected by a tragedy, we don’t see boundaries between one city and another.
“We have to move forward and secure the assistance these residents need. I cannot imagine what they have had to endure. No one should have to live through what they are experiencing right now—walking outside and breathing the smell of rotting food, living in conditions no one deserves, seeing rats in the streets.
“It’s a tragedy,” he says.
González acknowledges the devastating impact the fire has had on the community, working families, small businesses, and schools. He says there is a commitment to pursue every possible avenue to restore the quality of life Boyle Heights residents deserve.
“Looking ahead, we need to build a better plan so local government can handle a disaster like this more effectively. The reality is that what needed to be done wasn’t done.
“Now we have to make sure Lineage and everyone involved are held accountable. It is not possible that Lineage is seeking a permit to rebuild when the site has not been cleaned up and residents are still living under these conditions.
“Boyle Heights wants to see leadership,” González says.
Although González acknowledges the limits of his authority, he says he will continue pushing for support and accountability.
“I don’t have local jurisdiction, but I’m not going to walk away from this. I will do everything I can to help Boyle Heights recover. I will not rest until justice is served,” he concludes.
