Maggots, Rodents, and Fleas: LA’s Garbage Problem Is Getting Worse During the Pandemic

1. Until the pandemic began, the city of Los Angeles did regular cleanups around large homeless encampments.

2. But in the last six months, the city hasn’t asked homeless residents to move their tents in most areas, citing fears about COVID-19.

3. Some business owners and residents have to tolerate mountains of uncollected trash on their doorsteps.

Across the street from brand new apartments on Madison Avenue in Los Angeles sits a mountain of uncollected trash so big it now spans nearly the entire block.

The trash is piling up because nearby homeless encampments that used to get regular cleanups by the city of LA no longer get them.

Huge trash heaps can now be spotted in LA neighborhoods that have homeless encampments–including the San Fernando Valley, Venice Beach, and downtown.

“The stench around here is horrific. Bodily fluids everywhere,” said Estela Lopez, who represents businesses in the Central City East area near downtown, where there are thousands of homeless tents. “It’s been six months since these sidewalks have been cleaned.”

Until the pandemic began, the city did regular cleanings–often weekly–around large homeless encampments, where sanitation workers required residents to move their tents and then cleared all trash and disinfected sidewalks.

But […]

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