Trash, encampments overwhelm downtown Los Angeles post office

80% of calls related to homeless: Fire station

A post office is feeling the stress of being surrounded by a growing homeless encampment.

LOS ANGELES - A U.S. Post Office in downtown Los Angeles remains open despite being surrounded by trash and homeless encampments, with conditions in the parking lot described by witnesses as unsanitary and unsafe.

Cellphone video obtained by FOX 11 shows mounds of garbage covering the property, including food waste, old televisions, and stripped copper wire. Rats can also be seen in the area.

Some people living outside the facility said they have been there for years, while others reported staying for several months.

Ariana Montero, who lives in an encampment at the site, described the area as unsafe.

"You don’t know who you’re talking to. You can’t trust anybody," Montero said. "Is it safe? No."

Montero allowed FOX 11 inside her encampment, which included shelves, a fan, a refrigerator, and a dog. She said they are able to access electricity.

"Honestly, we’re blessed they haven’t said anything," she said, referring to the post office remaining open nearby.

A busy Los Angeles Fire Department station sits directly across the street. Fire personnel, speaking off camera, estimated that about 80% of their calls are related to homelessness.

A postal worker at the location said safety is a concern.

"It gets crazy," the worker said, adding that he was once hit in the side of the head.

Others at the site said they have struggled to get help. A couple from Guatemala told FOX 11 they have not received assistance from the city.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the area, said in a statement that her office is monitoring the situation and coordinating outreach services, with a cleanup planned next week.

"Our office has been closely monitoring the situation … and we are coordinating outreach services and a site cleaning next week," the statement read. "We are also in communication with city partners about additional options, including deploying further personnel and support to this location."

Hernandez’s office said it has invested more than $27 million in "care-first" interventions in and around MacArthur Park, including regular cleanups and hazardous waste removal efforts.

The U.S. Postal Service said it is seeking to partner with local law enforcement and government agencies to address the issue.

"Responses are still pending in the matter; the local district would like to partner with local law enforcement, city, county, and congressional personnel and USPS authorities to find viable solutions to this growing concern," the agency said in a statement.

Despite planned cleanup efforts, trash and encampments remain outside the post office, where some people say they are willing to accept help if it becomes available.

"I’d jump on it in a second," Montero said.