Compton residents protest proliferation of RVs on their street

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Residents of one Compton neighborhood are getting tired of RVs lining their streets, causing nuisances and hazards.

A group of residents marched down 148th Street, which is lined with the vehicles, as they chanted "No RVs, no RVs."

"We're here because we're tired of these vans and trailers," said local resident Sergio Orozco. "We don't have our sidewalks, our kids cannot walk because it's so dangerous."

Residents say the recreational vehicles have been parked on their street for several months, some of them lining a school for students with developmental disabilities. They believe the vehicles ended up there after efforts to get them off main roads.

"The trash, the feces and everything that they're dumping into the street," said Jacquelyn McGee. "It's just a health hazard. And it's dangerous for our community. So we're tired. We need something done immediately."

One man who is living in one of the RVs said he simply has no other place to go. Living in the vehicle is his alternative to sleeping on the streets.

"We don't have a place to live," said Juan S. "What do people want, us to live on the street with the tents? Get cold, get sick?"

Residents say even clean, parked RVs are a nightmare for the neighborhood. They've sought help from their county supervisor, Holly Mitchell, but haven't gotten any.

"Her office has not responded at all to any of us," McGee said. "So I don't know what our next step is but we have to do something. We're not going to give up."

Mitchell has since issued a statement, saying she shares residents' "urgent need for more permanent solutions."

"This is why I put forward a plan focused on addressing RV encampments as part of LA County's Pathway Home program. In the seven months since LA County's Pathway Home program launched there have been 12 homelessness encampment resolutions across the county, out of that, 88 people move into interim housing, 206 RVs were removed and 56 people moved into permanently housed. My office will continue to raise the alarm on the higher rates of RVs in our unincorporated communities, including West Rancho Dominguez, and ensure ongoing outreach including cleanups are happening while the Pathway Home program continues to scale up to reach every neighborhood."

Residents say they'll continue to march and protest until some action is taken.