Sacramento Artists Told To Pack Up As City Evicts Collective

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Dozens of Sacramento artists are being forced out of their studios tonight after a city code enforcement inspection declared their building dangerous.

The scrutiny follows the deadly Ghost Ship fire at an Oakland artists' studio.

In the massive Panama Pottery studio, a setting meant for inspiration, there is now an artist exodus.

"It's really tough on the artists here who have to scramble and find a place," Panama Pottery manager David Davis said.

Thirty artists have been given orders to vacate within 10 days.

"The city's just pretty much given everybody the boot," Davis said.

The century-old, one-time ceramics factory made of aluminum, brick, and wood, and converted into studio space a decade ago is now declared too dangerous.

City code enforcement issuing the orders after finding 13 building code violations including, inadequate exits, faulty electrical wiring, and poor ventilation.

The inspection, based on an anonymous tip, comes after the Oakland Ghost Ship fire at an artists' make-shift studio that left dozens dead.

"We are not anything close to the Ghostship, we don't have anyone living here, we don't have parties," Davis said

Davis says the owner is working with this city on safety improvements but says the city should give displaced artists more help to move.

"We just don't have the resources," Davis said. We don't have places to go. It's hard to start up a whole new business."

Sacramento artists livelihoods suddenly in question, after the city forced their studios closed for their own safety.