She knew she had to go even though she couldn’t imagine moving somewhere else.
Maria Merritt has lived in El Sereno the better part of 30 years. Her little home on Poplar Boulevard served as the beacon in a turbulent life that led her to solid ground. She raised her four kids there, had a well-paid job and a spell of normal family life, cooking big meals on Sundays and adorning the front picture window with Christmas decorations in winter.
Even when she was homeless, the vacant house was always waiting for her return. Nearly five years ago, she broke in and reclaimed it…