Crews Thursday were due to clean up a nuisance property in North Hollywood that has drawn resident complaints over crime and drug use.
Los Angeles City Councilman Adrin Nazarian, along with representatives from the city Department of Sanitation and neighbors of the property at 7779 Varna Street held a news conference at the location Thursday morning.
Nazarian secured a declaration of public nuisance and order for abatement for the property, which the councilman’s office described as “a longstanding eyesore and public safety hazard.”
The sanitation department began clearing and cleaning the property at the owner’s expense.
Nazarian’s office also issued a warning to owners of other neglected properties in District 2: maintain your property or the city will step in and do what is needed, and the owner will have to pay for it.
According to Nazarian, the vacant lot “has been a serious concern to the North Hollywood West community for over a decade.
“Long neglected and ultimately abandoned by its owners, unauthorized occupants have turned the lot into an illegal junkyard and a magnet for criminal activity,” according to a statement from Nazarian’s office. “In the last three years there have been 28 calls for police or fire service tied to this location: 18 initiated by residents and another 10 by (the Los Angeles Police Department). These have included assaults, brandishing of firearms and open illegal drug use.”
Nazarian spoke at a Board of Public Works hearing last week, leading to the Board voting to abate the nuisance at property, paving the way for police and sanitation department workers to ” clear, clean and secure the property at the owners’ expense.”
If the owner fails to pay the costs, a lien can be placed on the property, according to Nazarian.