Whittier cracks down on popular Halloween street event after past celebrations turn chaotic

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- It's become a bit of a Halloween annual event.

Vehicles file in long lines down Lisco Street and surrounding streets in Whittier to get a glimpse of the neighborhood that decks out their houses in spooky decor. Passengers sit in their cars as scarers interact with them, jumping in vehicles to get screams out of visitors -- but this year it'll look a lot different.

The city is limiting the residents to just decorations on their property, unless they get a permit to do more.

"It wasn't so much the people. We enjoy the kids and everything, but they were just leaving all their trash behind and parking anywhere they want," said resident Tom Armenta. "They were blocking our driveways, blocking our sidewalks. People couldn't even walk up here."

Armenta has lived in the neighborhood for 17 years and typically around this time, his lawn would be full of Halloween decorations. This year, however, he has significantly cut back on the spooky decor and he says many of his neighbors have as well.

"A lot of arguing and fighting going on out in the street... I don't know, it wasn't right," said Armenta. "So, I can understand why the city came in because they had police coming down here trying to patrol things. It got out of hand."

The city of Whittier says while decorations on private property is allowed, the interaction between scarers and visitors, and the presence of vendors, qualifies the activity as a special event -- which requires a permit.

The city cited public safety concerns and the need to bring in off-duty officers in previous years in a letter sent to Lisco Street residents.

The letter read, in part: "On a single night in October 2023, the city spent $6,000 on personnel deployed specifically to address the impacts resulting from the event."

"COVID's when it really blew up," said Ashley Kazarian, another neighbor. "I think it blew up on TikTok and it just got wild and people loved it. And we love decorating, but it got crazy."

Neighbors we spoke to say they love decorating for the holiday but they understand the need for city intervention.

"I feel like it's tamer. We haven't gotten as many cars yet," Kazarian said. "It's still early in the month, but we haven't got as many cars, as much traffic. We're hoping people still want to come see it, but maybe just calm it down a little bit."