UPDATE: A growing crisis in Lincoln Heights has residents demanding immediate action as abandoned RVs continue to flood Humboldt Street, causing severe sanitation issues and rising crime rates. Residents are turning to local news outlet 7 On Your Side Investigates for answers, underscoring the urgent need for solutions.
The situation has escalated, with RVs lining both sides of Humboldt Street, creating a hazardous environment filled with sewage, trash, and lawlessness. “This is not OK,” declared Stacy Vierheilig, an industrial building owner whose property is now fortified with security cameras due to rampant crime. Pools of wastewater now spill into the streets as the RVs bring a host of criminal activities, including theft and drug use.
Just recently, Vierheilig’s security footage captured a thief stealing copper wiring from her air conditioning unit, highlighting the desperate situation on Humboldt Street. “We need help,” she implored, as more businesses are forced to reinforce their properties against crime, including installing iron fences and caging utilities.
Gabriel Perez, who manages the nearby St. Vincent de Paul thrift store, reports frequent break-ins and heightened safety concerns for employees and customers. “Break-ins happen almost every night,” he stated, stressing that the ongoing issues detract from their mission to support the community.
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the area, has acknowledged the crisis, stating her office is prioritizing the issue. Recently, she voted against a new state law that would allow the city to remove RVs valued at over $4,000. “I met with community members living in these RVs,” she explained. “I didn’t want to give constituents false hope that this would be a game changer.”
Instead, Hernandez is focusing on securing funding for additional homeless shelter beds, indicating that this may help alleviate the situation in the future. “I don’t have a timeline for when those RVs will not be on that street,” she admitted, emphasizing the complexities involved.
Despite Hernandez’s reservations, the city is now moving forward with the new law, which will go into effect next year. The Mayor’s Office, led by Mayor Karen Bass, is optimistic about the legislation as a “vital tool” in addressing RV encampments across Los Angeles.
As the situation continues to develop, residents like Vierheilig and Perez are left to fend for themselves, fortifying their properties against the ongoing threats. The urgency of this issue has sparked a rallying cry for action among community members, who are increasingly concerned for their safety and overall quality of life.
With discussions ongoing and no immediate solutions in sight, the residents of Humboldt Street are hoping for a swift response from city officials to reclaim their neighborhood. Stay tuned for further updates on this critical situation as it unfolds.
