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Residents urge Commerce council to release raw vibration data and fund independent home inspections near Modelo construction
Summary
At the June 9 council meeting, multiple residents living about 27 feet from the Modelo project asked the City of Commerce to release raw vibration (PPV) monitoring data, provide independent, city-funded structural and vibration assessments, and respond in writing within 10 days, citing weeks of shaking, interior cracking and emotional distress.
Residents living adjacent to the large housing project commonly referred to in the record as "Modelo" pressed the City of Commerce on June 9 to release raw vibration-monitoring data and pay for independent structural and vibration assessments after months of heavy construction activity.
At the council meeting several residents — including Susana Larios, Cassandra Bautista, Veronica Chavez and Mark Chavez — described repeated shaking, dust, cracking and anxiety. Veronica Chavez said residents who live "27 feet away from the project" have endured "four months of daily heavy shaking," alleged interior cracking and health impacts, and asked the city to provide a written response within 10 days. Chavez also asked the city to "release the raw PPV data that the city installed" and to provide "independent structural and vibration assessments for affected residents paid for by the city, not the residents." She added that, according to the record, an enforcement action by an air-quality regulator led to a temporary shutdown of work.
Mark Chavez said his house already shows damage and that he felt forced to hire a private forensic engineer after what he described as an inadequate city survey. "It's been three months that we've asked for the raw PPV vibration data," he said, pressing the city for the timestamped sample files rather than dashboard summaries.
Speakers said construction noise and vibration occur daily, often from about 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and described the toll of relocation to developer-provided hotel rooms. "Being in that hotel room is so isolating and so lonely," Susana Larios said.
Several commenters blamed inconsistent city oversight. Veronica Chavez said the developer admitted the original building was "built like a bunker," that the city did not provide original blueprints before demolition was approved, and that the city attorney directed raising vibration thresholds after exceedances — a course she described as harmful. Residents asked the council to clarify what the city can and cannot do to help homeowners.
Council response and next steps: Council members acknowledged the seriousness of concerns and several asked to meet with staff (city manager and finance director) for further briefings. No formal action was taken at the meeting; residents requested a written response and release of raw PPV data within 10 days and asked that independent, city-funded assessments be provided to affected households.
Context and limits of reporting: The transcript sometimes uses variant spellings for the development ("Modelo," "Mudello," "Mandela"); in this article staff and residents are quoted using the same words that appear in the record. The record also references an enforcement action by a regional air-quality regulator, recorded in the transcript as "AQMB." The city manager, city attorney and development representatives were present or referenced, and staff has said earlier that it will engage further with the council and residents about monitoring and mitigation.
What residents requested: written city response within 10 days; release of raw PPV vibration-monitoring data (timestamped samples); independent structural and vibration assessments paid for by the city; clarity about missing plans and what the city can and cannot do to help property owners.
What happens next: Council members said they will meet with city staff to review monitoring data and mitigation steps. The transcript records no formal vote or commitment to fund city-paid independent assessments at this meeting.
