Monterey Park Residents Halt Data Center Project in Victory for Community Activism
A determined coalition of residents successfully pressured the Monterey Park City Council to commit to drafting a ban on data centers, reversing course on a controversial proposal that sparked widespread concern over environmental and health impacts.
The surge in demand for data centers – fueled by streaming services, cloud storage, and artificial intelligence – is placing unprecedented strain on resources across the region. While dozens of these facilities already operate from El Segundo to downtown Los Angeles, the city of Monterey Park became the latest battleground as residents mobilized to resist a proposed 250,000-square-foot data center in a local business park. Last Wednesday’s council meeting, stretching past midnight, culminated in a stunning victory for the community.
Residents initially sought a 45-day moratorium on data center development, a measure gaining traction after weeks of public outcry. However, the council ultimately agreed to go further, committing to draft an outright ban for a future vote. “That is more than I ever could have hoped for from this meeting,” said resident Steven J. Kung, expressing a sentiment echoed by many in attendance. “I am shocked and a little bit overjoyed.”
The fight began to coalesce when Kung discovered the project had been quietly progressing through the city’s planning process for approximately two years without community notification. He learned of the proposal only last month through a social media post by SGV Progressive Action, despite living just 1,300 feet from the proposed site on 1977 Saturn Street. “I was incensed that no one had told me, especially since I lived so close,” Kung explained.
Kung quickly joined forces with a grassroots organization, No Data Center Monterey Park, spearheading teach-ins, canvassing efforts, and yard sign campaigns to galvanize opposition. The group’s efforts tapped into deep-seated anxieties about the potential consequences of a large-scale data center, including massive energy consumption, pollution from diesel generators, and disruptive noise levels.
HMC StratCap, the Australian-based developer, had touted the project’s economic benefits, promising over $5 million in annual tax revenue and more than 200 construction jobs, alongside the construction of a new public park. However, residents argued these benefits were outweighed by the potential harms. The developer countered that generators would be strictly regulated, utilizing “closed-loop cooling technology” for efficient water use and maintaining noise levels comparable to typical commercial areas, as outlined in materials shared at the meeting.
Despite the developer’s assurances and agreement to conduct an environmental impact report, residents remained skeptical. They voiced concerns about the potential for future data center development, noting the developer’s ownership of an adjacent parcel. A core concern, articulated by Kung, was a perceived disregard for the city’s demographics. “They see a small city full of Asians and Latinos, and they don’t think we’ll fight back,” he stated. “But they’re wrong.”
The sheer volume of opposition was palpable. The City Hall lobby was converted into overflow space to accommodate the hundreds of attendees. Alex Leon, a mathematician who attended with his wife and two young daughters, encapsulated the community’s sentiment: “This has kind of been our dream, living in Monterey Park,” he said. “I just don’t want it to turn into an industrial farm for big data.” Leon, along with dozens of others, directly addressed the council, imploring them to prioritize people over infrastructure. “Monterey Park should be built for people, not machines,” he declared. “For families, not server racks. For community life, not industrial infrastructure. This is our home, and it’s worth defending.”
Even as a representative for the developer, Laziza Lambert, attempted to foster “open and honest conversations” with the community, she was met with jeers from the crowd. Residents also expressed frustration with city leaders, accusing them of a lack of transparency throughout the planning process. Katherine Torres, a local real estate agent and president of the Monterey Park Women’s Club, pledged to inform her members about the proposal, questioning why she hadn’t been informed sooner given her established relationships with council members. “I have dinner with you guys,” she said. “I go to your events. Why didn’t I know?”
A turning point came during the council’s comments. While Jose Sanchez’s opposition was already known, the unexpected support of Elizabeth Yang – who revealed her mother and stepfather live within a mile of the proposed site – signaled a shift in momentum. “I’m not going to vote for something that’s going to hurt my own family,” Yang stated, adding her disappointment with the developer’s lack of community outreach. “Because of all of you feeding us good information, I’m siding with no data center.”
The council unanimously approved the 45-day moratorium, during which city staff will draft an ordinance potentially banning data centers outright. Outside the chambers, Steven J. Kung celebrated the victory, praising the residents’ collective action. “I’m so proud of Monterey Park and our residents,” he said. “The more I’m here, the more I fall in love with the people.” He acknowledged the work was far from over, vowing to ensure the ban remains in place. HMC StratCap, however, indicated it would move forward with plans to host a town hall meeting with residents in the coming weeks.
