"Kids can't play in the street, neighbors can't walk their dogs, mothers can't walk their baby strollers," said a nearby resident who gave his name only as JJ. "Our neighborhood is unsafe. All the neighbors directly across the street -- they can't get property insurance because insurance companies won't insure them with this across the street."
Los Angeles City Councilman Adrin Nazarian, along with representatives from the city Department of Sanitation and neighbors of the property at 7779 Varna Avenue held a morning news conference at the location, located just east of the Tujunga Wash.
City officials said the home that was on the lot burned down in 2009 and since then, they added, unauthorized occupants have turned it into a magnet for unlawful activity.
Trash and rubble has piled up on the unkept lot, including furniture, cans, a trailer and even a toilet.
Nazarian secured a declaration of public nuisance and order for abatement for the property, which the councilman's office described as "a longstanding eyesore and public safety hazard."
The sanitation department began clearing and cleaning the property at the owner's expense, officials said.
According to Nazarian, the vacant lot "has been a serious concern to the North Hollywood West community for over a decade."
"Long neglected and ultimately abandoned by its owners, unauthorized occupants have turned the lot into an illegal junkyard and a magnet for criminal activity," according to a statement from Nazarian's office.
At the news conference, the councilman said: "Since the beginning of 2023, just to give you a perspective of what's been going on, there have been 28 calls for service tied to this property, to this address: 18 initiated by residents, 10 of them initiated by LAPD."
Robert Baindourov, a resident who has lived in the area for more than a decade, described what he felt when crews started the cleanup process.
"I'm overwhelmed when I really think about the possibility of having the feeling of peace and safety and security," he added.
Nazarian spoke at a Board of Public Works hearing last week, leading to the board voting to abate the nuisance at property, paving the way for police and sanitation department workers to " clear, clean and secure the property at the owners' expense."
If the owner fails to pay the costs, a lien can be placed on the property, according to Nazarian.
Eyewitness News has not been able to contact the property owner.
City News Service contributed to this report.