A house where mountains of trash were cleared out last year in the Los Angeles Fairfax neighborhood is once again surrounded by a sea of trash, prompting outrage from neighbors and city officials.
The property on Martel Avenue appeared to have plastic bags filled with trash on the front lawn as well as side yards.
In April 2024, following Mayor Karen Bass’ order, LA sanitation workers spent nearly two days removing over 7 tons of trash, discovering more safety and public health hazards from the infamous home.
Neighbors Wednesday said the terrible odor and the sight of trash are once again their daily routine.
“We had a plan,” Tonya Lee Jaynes, who befriended the homeowner as she tried to help. “He was going to call me when he was ready because I have a truck. We were going to take his recyclables.”
Mayor Bass was disappointed the effects of the sanitation work from last year did not last long, according to her office.
“The city expended significant public resources to address this health and safety hazard,” the mayor’s office said in a statement. “There is an ongoing criminal case against the property owner.”
LA City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, whose district includes the Fairfax area, also said she’s aware of the problem, saying the conditions from the house are “once again impacting neighbors and draining city resources.”
Calling the persisting issue “completely unacceptable,” Yaroslavsky said her office has been demanding the city attorney, LA County government and Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to address complaints from neighbors and ask for updates on court hearings.
“This case shows how slow and fragmented the system is. It is designed to request compliance, not demand accountability,” Yaroslavsky’s office said in a statement.
The councilmember said she’s “leading” on a motion that will force the city to streamline nuisance abatement enforcement and hold property owners accountable.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
