Eagle Rock residents want city to remove homeless individuals living in RVs parked near schools
EAGLE ROCK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Students in Eagle Rock are noticing more and more homeless individuals near schools, with many living inside RVs permanently parked on nearby streets.
Area residents say the vehicles have been parked there for months - despite a parking regulation that states vehicles can't stay in one place longer than 72 hours.
"They have not moved. If they do move. it's within 5 feet or 10 feet, but they're always right here," said Matthew Carlson who lives nearby.
Residents say another concern is that the RVs are parked right next to a school. There is a Los Angeles city ordinance that bans homeless encampments within 500 feet of schools and day care centers
"If they were in tents, that would not be allowed to be near a park or a school. But since they're in an RV, apparently it's OK," Carlson said.
Students who attend the nearby school say that in addition to these RVs, there are other homeless individuals in the area.
"Sometimes they're a little too loud. They get a little too close to where we have to kind of move, where we're from," said student Maya Garcia.
MORE | Despite ordinance ban, homeless encampment still near Koreatown school
"They wander around the street and sometimes they're in front of the school or by the gas station by the school," said Abraham Ramirez, another student.
Corey Wilson lives in one of these RVs. He said he is staying there for now, because he can make money making deliveries.
"What's the most important for me is having the space and time to work on my music, and also just learn and develop as a person. So that's why the situation works for me," Wilson said.
The RVs are parked in the district of embattled City Councilmember Kevin de León. Residents say they called his office and the city to enforce parking laws.
"And it's against the law, the parking regulations, which have been there on the books for decades," said area resident Steve Elkins.
De León's office said it contacted the Department of Transportation. His office released the following statement to Eyewitness News:
"Individuals associated with the RVs have been offered housing but declined those offers. Transportation engineers are finalizing plans that will restrict RV parking at the location and are expected to implement a solution within the next 30 days."
