A small campground of about 20 RVs that popped up on private property in Sylmar has drawn complaints from neighbors and the attention of the city.
Rows of RVs are parked close together behind a fence at Hubbard and Lucas streets. Neighbors claim sewage is being dumped and running into nearby streets.
“It’s a large property,” neighbor Christian Huerta told NBCLA. “You could understand two or three trailers there, but that many?”
Court documents filed in October indicated the owner of the property, who is also the residents’ landlord, has no permits for the operation.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Marcelina Lopez recently moved into one of the RVs. Speaking in Spanish, she told NBCLA that she had previously been living in her car. The property has no issues, she said.
Court documents show Cruz Florian Godoy as the homeowner. When NBCLA approached the property, a man claiming to be the property manager said the landlord was out of the country and defended the situation.
Manuel Famalt told NBCLA residents living in the RVs do not have enough money to rent an apartment.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez’s office released a statement that said, in part, "Upon being notified of this issue, my office initiated the inspections of the property in question with the LA Department of Building and Safety, which resulted in violations and notices for compliance.”
The property is located both in the city of Los Angeles and San Fernando.
“We are not a third world country,” said neighbor Hector Rivera. “This is California. It shouldn’t be like that.”
Godoy is facing two misdemeanor charges in connection with the property and is expected in court in July. NBCLA reached out to the property owner several times, but did not receive a response.
