LA community cleanup teams receive $1.5M to address illegal dumping, graffiti

BOYLE HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In an effort to address illegal dumping and graffiti in Los Angeles City Council District 14, local and state officials presented $1.5 million to three community groups. The groups are all efforting cleanups in different parts of the district.

"It's very infested with rats, with feces, sometimes people drop dead animals. It's unbelievable," said Pat Reza, a dispatcher with Fuego Tech.

Fuego Tech is a group in Boyle Heights that's combating illegal dumping with cleanups. The other groups awarded money will do cleanup work, including in Skid Row and El Sereno.

"The $550,000 we are receiving today will provide 18 months of beautification work in El Sereno, Eagle Rock and other parts of CD 14 for two part-time crews of the LA Conservation Core," said Wendy Butts, chief executive officer of L.A. Conservation Corps.

Each group received $500,000 to help fund their cleanups in their communities.

"It's reallocated money from revision-reimagine Los Angeles," said Councilman Kevin De Leon. "Reimagine fund was a debate in regards to the LAPD budget and how we could reimagine Los Angeles in certain types of neighborhoods."

According to state officials, a recent report shows illegal dumping in public areas went up 450% from 2016 to 2020. While these additional funds will help clean up thousands of tons of illegal dumping, there are other community groups doing their own cleanups, like The First Blocks of Whittier Boulevard, who said they need more help.

"What we are doing is bringing awareness to the neglect that our community has suffered here for over 40 plus years," said Jacobo Estrada with The First Blocks of Whittier Boulevard. "And these conditions bring hate, bring destruction to people's hearts. You go to a nice neighborhood and the first thing you feel is peace and just calmness, and that's what we're trying to bring in Boyle Heights."

De Leon also said they will continue with community outreach to inform residents about what they can do to prevent and report illegal dumping.

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