Residents in Los Angeles’ El Sereno neighborhood are demanding action over a homeless encampment that they say is blocking sidewalks, making it harder for elderly people and families to get around, and leaving them frustrated with a city response they believe asks them to tolerate conditions that should not be considered normal.
FOX 11 Los Angeles reporter Christina Gonzalez visited the encampment and spoke with both nearby residents and the people living there, one day after the Los Angeles City Council voted to remove a dozen anti-camping enforcement zones.
The dispute has become a small but telling example of the larger argument over homelessness in Los Angeles: how much pressure should the city place on people living on the street, and how long should surrounding neighborhoods be expected to wait while outreach workers try to persuade them to move voluntarily?
Residents Say The Sidewalk Is No Longer Usable
Gonzalez showed a sprawling encampment along Fithian Avenue in El Sereno, where tents and belongings had taken up a large portion of the sidewalk…