Westchester residents frustrated with growing homeless encampment near library, senior center and park

Since the pandemic began, some Westchester residents say they don't feel safe going to their public park where a homeless encampment has grown and even spilled over into the parking of the library and senior center. 

On Thursday, handicap parking spaces taken by RV's could be seen, along with campers and their belongings in the breezeways, just some of the reasons that Lisa Gains recently organized a group called Save Westchester Park. 

"Fewer and fewer people are wanting to go to our own public park and our library because they don't feel safe," Gains told CBSLA. 

Gains, who organized the group after months of pleading with the city for help and getting no response, said she and her friends were chased by a homeless man with a golf club on Wednesday. 

Another problem she has with the growing encampment is that the location is listed as a cooling center by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but she says people are afraid to go. 

"When seniors, if they are driving by, thinking about parking to go into the senior center, they see something like that and they keep driving," Gains said. 

Asked for comment, Councilman Mike Bonin's office says it is working with the senior center, the Department on Disability and the Los Angeles Department of Sanitation to improve conditions in the area. In a statement, they said in part:

"Our homeless outreach team is working with service providers every day to connect people to services and housing, and in the last year, we have successfully moved more than 100 people from Westchester Park into housing, a proven strategy we are committed to continuing." 

As far as Gains is concerned, though, that's not enough. 

"Seniors, children and the handicap have needs to be met and the city needs to take action," she said.