Owner of controversial Sylmar RV lot pleads no contest, ordered to clean up property

SYLMAR, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The owner of a controversial makeshift RV lot in Sylmar unexpectedly pled no contest on Wednesday in a court case seeking to force her to clean up the property.

Homeowner Cruz Florian Godoy was not expected to appear until Aug. 3 for a hearing over the property, which has been subject to years of complaints from the neighbors over waste spilling into the streets and other code violations.

But the hearing was moved up and Godoy pleaded no contest on Wednesday to one of two counts in the complaint, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.

She was sentenced to 12 months probation with court-ordered conditions that include bringing the property into compliance with city codes and orders, not keeping any RVs on the property, and keeping the property free of trash, debris and waste.

On Wednesday, AIR7 HD was over the scene as at least one RV was being towed from the property.

At one point before the city crackdown there were more than 20 RVs on the property and many of them still appear to be there for now. People who lived in the RVs said Godoy was charging them about $500 a month each for rent.

See our previous reports on this property here on YouTube.

Some tenants have left and accepted help from the city, including housing in an emergency shelter. Others appeared to be trying to stay after the initial court-ordered deadline to leave passed days ago.

"We continue to encourage everyone to be compliant with the judge's order," Los Angeles Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said. "We are offering resources, we have an emergency shelter available for them."

Godoy has 45 days to show significant progress and owes $220 in court fees. She has a court appearance scheduled for Sept. 7 to provide an update on the case.