Fire at abandoned Studio City property sparks another Raman-Bass clash

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

See more from the L.A.Times in Google Search.

Set us as preferred A fire on an abandoned Los Angeles property sparked another clash between Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman, with the mayoral rivals blaming each other for not stepping up and tackling a problem lot neighbors say has languished for years.Homeless encampments, piles of trash, vermin, and car break-ins have bedeviled the 4000 block of Babcock Avenue in Studio City since the property was abandoned, said neighbor Clint Ledsworth.Dozens of calls and complaints were made to L.A.

city departments and police, he said, but went unaddressed — with officials telling him they couldn’t go inside the private property.That had changed by Friday morning, after Bass and Raman clashed over a fire that broke out at the property earlier this week.

Ledsworth said he woke up to a flurry of activity.Sanitation workers were cleaning the area, cutting down trees, and erecting a new fence and lock to keep out trespassers.

“I’m glad it’s taken care of, but it’s too bad that it took a fire to finally get them out here,” Ledworth said.California The showdown in Sherman Oaks was the first face-to-face debate since Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman emerged as the top vote-getters in the June 2 mayoral primary.A day after the fire broke out Wednesday,Raman put out a statement saying her office had flagged the property to the mayor’s office 10 moths ago, but nothing was done.

Bass’ campaign responded with edited news clips of Raman, who represents the area, taking angry questions from residents in the Studio City neighborhood Friday.“Nithya Raman wants to lead the whole city, 6 years in office she can’t even get a single lot cleaned up in her own district,” the campaign wrote in a caption along with the video on Instagram.

After KTLA broadcast a segment on the lot and the fire, Bass ...