A serene and peaceful feel. That's what people who live near the Ballona Wetlands and Marsh say they're supposed to experience walking the trails and seeking out the wildlife that lives here.
Instead that kind of view in nature area north of LAX, there are no less than 30 RVs and other vehicles lined up along Jefferson Boulevard near Lincoln Boulevard. There are many that haven't moved in months and trash -- piles of it.
"Very happy that there’s finally movement," said Lucy Hahn, of Friends of the Jungle.
Hahn first alerted NBC4 to what she says has been a growing problem here for years. It is not just happening here but it is happening in neighborhoods across LA County.
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"We’ve been waiting for this for, I mean, with COVID, at least two years I think," Hahn said.
In motion before the LA City Council yesterday, Hahn says she's finally seeing progress. Councilmembers voted 11 to 1 to do away with COVID-era ban on parking enforcement and to immediately resume parking enforcement for five categories of vehicles. This would include those that pose a safety or public health hazard, inoperable vehicles, and unregistered vehicles.
NBC4 spotted some vehicles with current registration but many more either with expired tags or none at all.
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Yet, while the city could technically start to tow Thursday, it hasn't.
"It’s so new, I think it kind of came up on them and just got approved, I don’t think they even realized it was going to full council yesterday," Hahn said.
Both LAPD and the city Department of Transportation which will both be tasked with enforcement say they have yet to receive their directive.
Hahn hopes it comes soon.
"Absolutely an emergency situation," Hahn said, "I mean we have the degradation of this area, I mean the more we wait I don’t know if they can get it back to the area to the pristine environment it once was.
As for where those who live here will go, it is still uncertain.
The local non-profit "Friends of the Jungle" says it offered 200 city-owned properties as options for potential safe parking areas, but so far no one's offered any specifics as to what will happen next.
