A mother bear and cub are causing concern and debate in a South Lake Tahoe neighborhood. 

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it's a matter of public safety, but bear advocates say this is about preserving life. 

On Butler Avenue, wildlife officials have been keeping a close eye on a mother bear named Hope and her cub, Bounce.

They've been seen multiple times in this area and their presence is causing a lot of discussion. 

"I have owned the house for over 10 years and I will say I bought in 2012, I guess 13 years. Honestly, since then, there's a lot of bears in this neighborhood," said Katherine Maghan, who rents her home on Butler Avenue. 

It's one bear in particular that has been on the radar of state wildlife officials for years. 

The CDFW said Hope has been a known problem since 2022 and has been linked through DNA to at least 12 home break-ins just in the past month. 

"The staffer noted this location had evidence of bear intrusion, knocked on the door, and helped avert a potentially catastrophic home fire by calling 911 for emergency response after smelling gas from the stove that had been ignited as a result of the bear break-in at the unoccupied home," the CDFW said in a statement regarding the bear and her cub. 

For others, like bear advocate Ann Bryant, the focus isn't just on damage, but it's on protecting a bear that neighbors have come to recognize and respect.

"She was up a tree when we got there," said Bryant, the executive director of the BEAR League. "We got calls from several neighbors freaking out and worrying about her, they like her and they saw there was someone there with a gun and they were pretty sure they were going to shoot her." 

The incident has renewed conversation in city hall. This week, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to put wildlife interactions and city policy on a future agenda.

"It's the vacationers it's not there fault they don't know it's the agents that rent the units and the people that rent their homes on a short term rental lease that need to make sure that there's educational litature in every unit that welcome to bear country we have bears here's what you do and what you don't do and have a great time," Bryant said.

"I think short-term rentals should have more signage or awareness of the issue," Maghan said.

The CDFW said there are no plans to relocate the mother bear. For now, trapping efforts are set to continue.