"Prevention [of fires] is the most cost-effective tool we have," said Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who sponsored the proposal."
"When we are in imminent threat of wildfires, especially as it relates to or is exacerbated by these types of encampments, we have a duty to act."
"If a private property owner is not responsive, it puts the rest of the hillside community under threat," Rodriguez said in an interview."
Los Angeles City Council advanced a proposal to allow the city to remove hazardous materials, including homeless encampments, from private property in Very High Fire Severity Zones such as the Santa Monica and Verdugo Mountains. The council voted 11-3 to direct the city attorney to draft municipal code changes for a future vote. The motion seeks faster access when property owners are unresponsive, citing delays in determining ownership and obtaining permission. LAFD data show rising rubbish fires tied to homeless Angelenos; between 2018 and 2024 about 33% of all city fires and over 40% of rubbish fires involved homeless individuals.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]