A sprawling homeless encampment under the 10 Freeway in downtown L.A. has locals concerned; however, those living there say this is their only option as they await shelter openings.
The encampment sits near 17th Street, where long rows of makeshift structures can be seen. A man who did not wish to be identified said he’s currently living in the encampment, but hopes to move into a more permanent living situation soon.
“It has water and electricity, for now, but we’re homeless,” he told KTLA’s Ellina Abovian. “We’re looking for help. We’re seeking aid.”
Inside his covered structure, there are two beds, a TV, chairs and furniture, all held together with tarps, wood and rope.
One nearby structure has even gone viral on social media, nicknamed “The Mansion” due to its large, sturdy construction, abundant furniture and home-like setup.
“We don’t like these living [conditions], but this is what we’re dealt with,” the man explained.
At the moment, he said local shelters aren’t an option as there are no openings. “Shelters are full right now,” he said.
When the weather gets chilly, many residents will light small fires inside metal pots to keep themselves warm.
“I’ll take some wood and some sanitizer and start a small fire to keep ourselves warm and it works for the most part, but if not contained, it can get out of control,” he explained. “These [tarps above] can catch fire so fast.”
In November 2023, just two miles from the encampment, a major fire broke out at a pallet yard underneath the 10 Freeway, destroying part of the freeway and severely affecting the commute for nearly 300,000 drivers. Parts of the freeway remained closed for days while repairs were underway.
With many living spaces created by mostly flammable material, residents and nearby business owners said they’re afraid the encampment will be the source of yet another destructive fire in the future.
“It looks like a hotel,” said Elvia Linton, who works at a tire shop next to the sprawling encampment. “The biggest thing now is we don’t want a fire like two years ago because two days ago, when it was raining, I don’t know what they were doing inside, but you could see the smoke coming out [from the encampment.]”
However, some locals believe that a solution to house the people living there should be the main priority for local leaders.
“We don’t want a fire, but I think the concern should be housing them and taking them out of that misery,” said Daniel Muhoro, a man who works near the encampment. “They don’t want to be there.”
Some residents told KTLA that city workers drop by occasionally to help, but the encampment remains and the people living there who need help don’t seem to be making much progress.
“The support around us, they don’t really want us here, so they harass us and do things to make us go,” the male resident said. “But where can we go? Somewhere else where they will just do the same thing. So right now, we’re really asking the city, the people around us, to have some compassion for us because not all of us out here are drug heads or abusers. Some of us are just down on our luck.”
In a statement, a spokesperson from Mayor Karen Bass’ office said, “Conditions like these are not safe. The City will respond. Since Mayor Bass took office, we have addressed more than 100 encampments all over the city. Many of them had created dangerous environments for the surrounding community and for people living inside the tents and structures. We will continue moving with urgency.”
KTLA has also reached out to Caltrans for a statement and is awaiting a response.
The post Locals concerned over sprawling homeless encampment in downtown Los Angeles appeared first on KTLA.
