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DTLA properties draw renewed scrutiny after fires
Residents along Hope Street say they are seeing some progress after fires damaged vacant buildings, but concerns about security and crime remain.
LOS ANGELES - Weeks after a string of fires damaged vacant buildings along Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles, residents say they are seeing some progress, but remain concerned about security and crime on the block.
"Yesterday there was a stabbing a block over here," said Travis McGahey, a concerned neighbor. "We see fires, they’re scavenging through things."
Local perspective:
For weeks, residents said they felt their concerns were being ignored as vacant buildings repeatedly caught fire and people continued entering the properties.
"I don’t think they’re doing anything. They don’t really care," one resident previously told FOX 11.
Now, after several FOX 11 reports highlighting the conditions on the block, some changes are visible.
Two of the properties have been surrounded by metal barriers, with signs declaring them a public nuisance. A police surveillance tower has also been installed in the area.
But residents say the properties are not fully secured.
"Look at this. Someone just came right there," McGahey said as FOX 11 observed someone exiting one of the properties.
"This is a little bit disappointing to see someone coming out of an area that’s supposed to be secure," he said.
Residents say the open properties have contributed to a broader crime problem on the block.
Video from Monday shows two people wielding knives during a fight in the street. One person was stabbed, according to residents.
The area is also where actor Johnny Wactor was shot and killed in May 2024 after confronting someone who was stealing the catalytic converter from his car.
During an online neighborhood council meeting Tuesday night, residents raised concerns about the properties and questioned whether more could be done to hold property owners accountable.
"Can we do more? Can we bar property owners from any future investment from any future property in the city of Los Angeles?" one person asked during the meeting.
While some residents acknowledge the visible changes, they say more needs to be done to fully secure the properties and bring the block under control.
"Hopefully we can maybe see some change," McGahey said. "It is a little disappointing, though, because as we saw, those buildings aren’t fully secured."
Dig deeper:
FOX 11 continued to see people entering and leaving some of the buildings. About half of the properties are boarded up.
What's next:
Officials and property owners are considering adding 24-hour security to the area.