Residents at Boyle Heights senior complex frustrated over nearby encampment

Encampment near senior housing upsets residents

Residents at a senior apartment complex in Boyle Heights are outraged over a growing nearby encampment.

LOS ANGELES - Residents at a senior apartment complex in Boyle Heights are outraged over a growing nearby homeless encampment.

City leaders say outreach teams have visited the site several times, but tenants say the problems persist.

The encampment is near Boyle Avenue, not far from the 6th Street Bridge.

Residents at the senior apartment complex say they've been trying to get the city's attention for a while to address the encampment for good.

The encampment butts up against the senior apartment complex and wraps around the corner.

Residents say the city has been out several times to clean it up, but only for all of it to return.

FOX 11 spoke to long-time tenants of the complex who claim people at the encampment light fires, and they say they just don't feel safe anymore.

Tenants say one of the biggest issues is the fact that the encampment is now encroaching on the Metro bus stop, making it harder for people to get on and off and wait by the bus stop.

"It's gotten really bad. The bus comes and goes, and no one can get to the bus stop without going through the encampment," said Laura Arvizu. "I walk my dog back there, and I don't feel safe anymore. I am just at my wits' end now. No one listens."

On Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass helped open a new mental health care center in Chinatown, calling expanded treatment and residential services key to reducing homelessness.

City leaders and agencies say homelessness in the region has declined for two consecutive years, but FOX 11 pressed the mayor on the city's progress, noting that some residents remain skeptical about the numbers. A recent audit has raised concerns about transparency and how billions of dollars allocated for homelessness programs are being spent.

FOX 11 reached out to Councilmember Ysabel Jurado's office about the complaints of the Boyle Heights encampment that is in her district.

Her office provided the following statement:

"Our office is aware of the encampment and has been actively coordinating with service providers to address the situation. LAHSA outreach teams have visited the site several times, and the new CD14 LOVE Team is already conducting proactive outreach, connecting people with housing referrals and services to help get them off the street. Councilmember Jurado believes the most effective approach to addressing encampments is consistent outreach that builds trust and creates pathways to housing. Many people living on the street have experienced deep trauma, which can make accepting help difficult at first. By building those relationships and coordinating across City partners, we can respond to neighborhood concerns while helping people move toward stability. We will continue coordinating closely with City departments and service providers to protect public health and safety for everyone in the community, both housed and unhoused."

In February, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado announced the launch of the LOVE Team (Leading Outreach with Valued Engagement).

It is a dedicated homeless engagement team serving Council District 14 in partnership with Urban Alchemy. Funded through discretionary funds from the councilmember’s office, the LOVE Team "expands CD14’s capacity for proactive, relationship-based outreach rooted in dignity, equity and care."

According to Councilmember Ysabel Jurado's office, "The LOVE Team will be on the ground every day across CD14, meeting people where they are and building trust through consistent, compassionate engagement. By focusing exclusively on CD14, the team ensures faster response times, reliable follow-through, and outreach strategies tailored to the needs of each neighborhood."

FOX 11 spoke with several people living at the encampment in Boyle Heights. Some said city employees had been by recently but are waiting for the city to follow up with assistance.