Koreatown residents call on City Council to help trash-collecting neighbor

For seven years, neighbors in Koreatown have endured the towering pillars of trash stacked on top of a trio of vans and the putrid stench, typically accompanied by mangy rats scurrying around the junk.

One resident living near the corner of North Barendo and Council Streets likened the experience to living next to a dumpster. The people who live near the makeshift junkyard believe that the garbage belongs to one woman who lives in a neighboring apartment. 

There's so much trash stacked on top of the vans that the suspensions sag, allowing the frame of the vehicles to scrape the rear tires. Despite this, neighbor Lisa Derrick said she's seen the woman drive the vans. Another neighbor said the woman drove one of her trash-filled vans to work Thursday.

"Her vans will break down and she'll get new ones and start building her monoliths of bags in ever-escalating piles," said Derrick. "I'm concerned about the breaks. I'm concerned about her ability to see over the dashboard given the amount of garbage in the vans."

The neighbors said they have reached out to the Los Angeles City Council several times in the past three months but have not received substantial responses. 

Councilwoman Heather Hutt's office said they have been "collaborating with the Bureau of Street Services and the Department of Sanitation to address this issue. They added that they will meet with the City Attorney to explore options for removing the debris. 

However, the City Attorney's Office said they have not received any calls about the problem. 

Neighbors said that one van was set on fire a few months ago and are worried it may happen again. 

"Please assist this woman for not only her benefit but for all citizens in the neighborhood," said Derrick.