Who Are the New Neighbors?
Foreclosures abound. Home sales are sluggish. But on your street, the vacant home with a realtor's sign has a promising carload of people in the driveway. The realtor's sign disappears. Fantastic! You’ve been spared the blight of a vacant building and overgrown lawn.
But one week later, there are four different cars in the driveway, beer bottles and a couch on the lawn. Last night, four people went into the house after dark. Not a flicker of light followed, but music blasted until midnight. Today, someone is removing copper pipe from the house onto a flatbed truck. A new stove leaves too. Who are the new neighbors?
Squatters? A new tenant who turned over the first month’s rent after being tricked into signing a fake lease with a fake agent?
Many properties don’t suffer the above fate. However, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Building and Safety, and LAPD work cooperatively to resolve nuisance vacant buildings throughout the City.
If you see a vacant property, take down the address and any available real estate agent information while the signs are up. You may need it later. Contact LAPD at 1-877-ASK-LAPD regarding non-emergency criminal activity, or call 911 for emergencies. If the building is vacant and open to unauthorized entry, or has potential squatters, make a report to Building and Safety via phone at 311, or online at:
www.permitla.org/csr/. If you are not really sure what the situation is, contact your City Attorney Neighborhood Prosecutor at 213-847-8045, or your area Senior Lead Officer at 213-485-2548. Stay involved and stay informed.
Donna Wong
Deputy City Attorney
Northeast Area Neighborhood Prosecutor
213-847-8045