Junk and trash returns to troublesome Los Angeles home
More than a year after city workers cleaned it up, garbage and junk have returned to the Fairfax home, once called the "Trash House."
Just like 18 months ago, neighbors reported the trash buildup to the city, which Mayor Karen Bass's office described as "disappointing."
"It is really disappointing that the owners of this private property have again allowed the conditions of the site to disintegrate," Bass's team said in a statement. "The City expended significant public resources last year to address this health and safety hazard including removing tons of non-hazardous waste and there is an open and ongoing criminal case against the property owner."
Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky's office called the situation "completely unacceptable" and has been working with staff to oversee the homeowner's progress for more than a year.
"This case shows how slow and fragmented the system is. It is designed to request compliance, not demand accountability," Yaroslavsky's office said in a statement. "That is why Councilmember Yaroslavsky is leading on a motion demanding the overdue nuisance abatement report so the City can strengthen and streamline enforcement and hold property owners accountable."
Resident Tonya Jaynes, who has been helping the 71-year-old homeowner, said the man has been recycling junk as a stream of income.
"He's recycling, trying to get everything organized," she said. "He knows exactly what goes in each bag because the recyclers trust him and have a relationship with him."
Jaynes blamed the city for the renewed requests for another cleanup and believes the elderly man is being targeted rather than helped. The homeowner's sister said in the past that the man has autism.
"He's doing what he wants and people are getting mad," Jaynes said. "If they don't like it, why not help?"
The Los Angeles Building and Safety Department cited the homeowner in 2014 for violations, including garbage on the property, excessive vegetation, open storage, and no driveway access.