City Councilman Kevin de León spearheads neighborhood cleanup operation in El Sereno

Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de León spearheaded a cleanup operation in an El Sereno neighborhood early Monday, aimed at cleaning the waste left behind from the dozens of RVs lining streets in the area. 

The Care+ operation aims at providing interim housing for the unhoused people living in the recreational vehicles on Eastern Avenue, which were removed from the neighborhood. 

"Many of the individuals live in a concentration of RV's parked along the corridor and have become a source of community concern," said a statement from the councilman's office. 

They say that a large amount of debris and waste has continued to pile up in the area due to the people living in the RVs, which led city officials to spring into action. 

Video from the scene showed several of the vehicles leaking hazardous waste, at least one of which was described as a "non-operational ice cream truck," that someone was living in. 

De León spoke at the event, saying that no matter a person's beliefs, they should understand that helping get the unhoused into housing affects everyone in Los Angeles. 

"It doesn't make a difference in you're in El Sereno, Boyle Heights, the Palisades, in Venice, Encino, folks are not gonna be happy," he said. "Irrespective of who you are and where you come from. Irrespective of your political party — democrat or republican — folks are not happy when they have huge encampments, especially right in front of the residences. So I think a lot of folks, by far and large, are extremely happy."

The operation was completed in conjunction with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Department of Transportation and the Bureau of Sanitation.