A week after a Thanksgiving Day fire ravaged an empty home on Sierra Bonita Avenue, angry neighbors who narrowly escaped harm called the city’s Community Safety Director, Danny Rivas, out to the scene and demanded he secure the troubled property from recurrent trespassers suspected of starting the blaze.
Residents had repeatedly warned the city that homeless people were using the unfenced, unlit, unmonitored vacant house at 1030 N. Sierra Bonita as a drug den. A website set up by one of the neighbors showed the squalid state of the property before and after the fire. Discarded lighters, torches and other smoking paraphernalia were consistently found inside the home and its detached carriage house, residents said.
About 20 minutes into the heated discussion with the director on the sidewalk in front of the charred home — which remained unfenced, unlit and unmonitored, and was still attracting homeless people — WEHOonline suggested the city station a Block by Block security ambassador on the property …
… and it appears City Hall got the memo.
Less than a week later, ambassadors can now be seen guarding the burnt down home.
What a strange sensation … is this “feeling heard”?
Instead of wasting time and money on ambassadors just tear down the house, clear the lot and put up a secure security fence. That house and lot could be cleared and secured properly in one day.
Awesome action……after the fact. Why be reactive when we can be proactive? smh
This isn’t exactly a cause for celebration. The damage to the residents of the building next door is already done.
We need to take real measures to eject the unhoused criminals from our city.
I was surprised to see the Block by Block guy there this morning but better late than never. I wonder if the City has notified the owner that the City will be charging him for the costs of providing necessary security? Nice ad hoc response but we need enhanced policies so we don’t keep seeing history repeat itself.
And we, the residents near the abandoned, attractive nuisance, overgrown, 1280 N. Sweetzer Ave., are still waiting for something to be readily done by the City of West Hollywood to prevent disaster from that derelict property. Why must we wait for disaster to first strike before the City recognizes that the “barn door should be closed BEFORE the horse gets out” – not after!
Maybe station a Security Ambassador detail on that property before an impending conflagration from intruders?
It is about time!! At least there is a responsible party and deterrent to watch the place.If there is a issue,the sheriff can be called.
I wonder if the city finally stationed security ambassadors at Sierra Bonita because they know that tonight residents of Sierra Bonita are going to come to the city Council meeting to complain. Does the city realize that this is going to make them look really bad and so they’re trying to cover their ass before the meeting??? The city should have been proactive. Why does it take someone losing their apartment and residents having to come out, scream, and beg for security before the city actually does something?? What’s going to happen with all the other dangerous vacant buildings in… Read more »
More than “heard you” it’s the pressure for the group of residents that formed and the news cameras. But at least there is some action.
Sigh. Just when I was thinking this was gonna be a good week…..
lolol
😆😆
“On the table, reach out, I hear you, I can connect you with………..” hollow bureaucratic words. Given the discussions about the Sweetzer property, which I personally discussed with him after his first public meeting, the city, should have had an urgent plan ready to implement. Even if it was repositioning and stationing a block by block ambassador on the property. The neighborhood does not want to hear about Mr. Rivas’s job responsibilities legal maneuvering, etc. which btw, he should resign from given his back peddle response. Rivas is definitely not in command of anything. The City has a responsibility of… Read more »
Good job WehoOnline! Using the security ambassadors for security is an excellent idea………Whatta concept!