It started with a blown tire.
Daisy De La Rosa, 29, was walking in the driveway of her Compton home when her tire hit the edge of a ditch and exploded. This was the last time she had to fix her car because of a pothole.
She and her husband, Alex De La Rosa, 35, took quick action to repair the hole so they could return to work as independent contract couriers who rely on their car to make deliveries.
While the couple waited for the tire to be fixed, Alex watched YouTube videos on how to fill the hole.
Instead of asking the city to fix the deteriorating streets, they decided to take action.
With a newly installed tire, the couple headed to Home Depot, bought $400 worth of supplies and repaired not only the pothole in front of their house, but four others on the street.
Many neighbors, who appreciate the couple's work, have requested their services. But the city of Compton was not happy.
The city issued a cease-and-desist letter on March 14, demanding that the couple stop “unauthorized repairs to public roads.”
“Your actions have raised serious concerns [pose] A threat to public safety and the integrity of our city's infrastructure. It is essential that all maintenance and repair work on public roads is carried out in accordance with applicable regulations and procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors.
The couple said they were tired of paying for car repairs caused by punctures, and were disappointed with the city's response. Daisy said she wanted to invest in her hometown and felt the city wasn't doing enough to fix the roads in her community.
“[The city] “They're upset with us because we basically embarrassed them,” Daisy said.
A representative for the city of Compton could not be reached for comment.
In a statement to ABC7, the city said it has allocated funds for road repairs, but its Public Works Department is “severely understaffed, and efforts are underway to hire vacant positions.” Despite the shortage, the Streets Department team is actively working to fill the potholes, the city said.
Compton residents can report the location of the pothole through the city's official app.
According to the cease and desist letter, the couple could face fines, penalties and “potential liability for damages” for their action. But the threat did not stop them; They fill in the gaps between births or after work, thanks to the support provided by their community, Daisy said.
When they started receiving messages of support, Daisy created a GoFundMe campaign to pay for the bags of asphalt. The initial goal was $1,000, but as of March 29, they had raised $1,255.
In addition to the funding, more than 150 supporters signed an online petition to endorse the couple and their work in Compton. Two companies, Road Soup and American Road Patch, donated supplies and came out to see the couple in action.
This is not the first time someone has bypassed the local government office for road maintenance.
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was seen last April shoveling asphalt repair mixture into a pothole on a Brentwood street. He closed two pits – although one of them was not a pit but a service trench to repair gas lines.
