Another homeless encampment was cleared by city crews Thursday, the latest in a string of disturbing sites as the city struggles to house them. Video captured the scene as crews enters a storm drain tunnel in Canoga Park, where individuals had carved out makeshift living spaces beneath the streets. The subterranean refuge was accessed through a manhole entrance on the sidewalk near the Los Angeles River and Bassett Street, authorities said.
Rangers with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority moved in to safely remove the occupants, placing them into temporary housing and sealing the drain entrance to block future access. The interior was thick with debris, trash and human waste, turning the storm system into an unsafe shelter, KTLA reported.
Officials said many unhoused residents they encounter decline city services and later return to abandoned drains, digging deeper rather than seeking help. This cleanup comes just days after another recent operation in South Los Angeles.
That South LA site, near West 88th Street and South Grand Avenue, had been used intermittently as overnight shelter by those looking to avoid exposure on the streets. Neighbors around these underground encampments have long complained about crime, vandalism and drug activity pouring out of hidden tunnels and the tent communities above ground. One nearby resident told KTLA it’s a “terrible” situation and that officials could be doing more to protect the neighborhood.
The city has long struggled to address the sprawling homeless crisis.
At least $2.6 billion of taxpayers cash has been spent buying and renovating hotels, motels and dorms for the huge unhoused population in the city and county since 2020.
The properties were all purchased with $1.3 billion from Governor Gavin Newsom’s Homekey initiative, which are then renovated using another $1.3 billion in funding from the city and county of Los Angeles.
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