LA neighborhood launches drastic measure to clear streets of abandoned vehicles

South Los Angeles is declaring war on its four-wheeled eyesores, plastering the neighborhood with signs urging residents to report abandoned vehicles clogging up the streets.Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren Price launched the “Clear the Streets.Reclaim Our Neighborhoods” campaign Thursday, putting up roughly 20 billboards and signs throughout South LA.The $25,000 campaign is expected to run through the end of the year as city officials try to tackle a problem residents say has been festering for years.“Abandoned vehicles contribute to neighborhood blight, attract illegal dumping, create safety concerns, and diminish the quality of life for people who live there,” Price said in announcing the campaign, according to Fox11.And residents say the abandoned-car problem is hardly the only eyesore.A drive through parts of South LA reveals streets dotted with abandoned and inoperable cars, RVs, piles of trash, encampments and even boats that appear to have been left behind.For resident Onaqui Barroso, the city’s latest campaign is long overdue.“It’s a real f—ing joke, because I see abandoned cars everywhere all the time,” Barroso told the outlet.

“Some of them — stolen cars — for years.”Local resident June Richards said abandoned vehicles can become more than an eyesores when people begin living in them.“The way that they’re using the vehicles, part of sleeping in them, not allowing residents to come in and out of their homes,” Richards told CBS.“Also, residents, we need to do more calling.

We need to do more advocating for our community.”Under the city’s process, reporting a suspicious vehicle sets the wheels in motion.Crews will mark one of the vehicle’s tires.If it hasn’t moved within 72 hours, officials can issue a citation.

Roughly 24 hours later, the vehicle can be towed if it still appears abandoned and there’s no evidence that someone is living inside.The campaign arrives as Price approaches the final months of his ...