BURBANK—Developers of a recently approved 40-unit condominium project in Burbank’s Rancho neighborhood have become the targets of racial harassment, even receiving a vile email referencing the Armenian Genocide. The email, received last Sunday, read: “You aren’t welcome here. This is why the fu@%ing Turks killed your families.”
“This hateful rhetoric is deeply painful and despicable,” said Garen Gozumian, a team member at Butterfly Gardens, who is the property owner and applicant for the development project. “As Armenians, we carry the legacy of 1.5 million ancestors lost in the Genocide, and to see it invoked in this way is beyond of obstruction, misinformation, and now, open racism.
The developers emphasize that the project adheres to all state and local legal requirements and will provide much-needed housing supply pursuant to California’s historic crisis. They also call on community and city leaders to denounce the racist and hostile behaviors that have surfaced during the review process.
“Hate speech and misinformation have no place in this or any community,” said Gozumian. “It’s time for Burbank leaders to step up and dispel misinformation about our motives and our integrity, which has been weaponized to incite hateful attitudes and actions. This type of behavior should never be tolerated.”
Garo Manjikian is a team member at Butterfly Gardens, a 40-unit condominium project.