When Janie Thompson discovered three homeless encampments near her Encino home, she was worried because they were close to the community’s Encino Little League field near the intersection of Hayvenhurst Avenue and Otsego Street, where the league’s coaches teach children to play baseball.
And after a fire broke out at one of the encampments at Libbit Park on May 6 near the 101 Freeway, she was concerned that flames could potentially jump over the freeway and damage property, homes and the sprawling Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area, which has been the site of brush fires.
Thompson, vice president of the Encino Property Owners Association, which advocates on local issues impacting public safety, land use and zoning, said in an interview, “If there is a fire that gets out of control in there, if you have a hundred cars” trying to get on the 101 Freeway, “it’s going to be a little difficult for everybody to try and evacuate quickly.”
On May 7, Thompson was among 15 Encino homeowners who met with Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman’s office and expressed their frustration about the encampments in their neighborhood and what they see as a slow response from Los Angeles city officials.
Stella Stahl, a spokeswoman for Raman’s office, said in a statement to this newspaper that her office “worked swiftly and effectively to address encampments that have come up in this area in the past, and this time is no different.”
She added, “As soon as we were alerted about these new individuals, we have been working to bring outreach and housing resources to the site, and to bring people indoors.”
During last week’s meeting between representatives of Raman’s office and several Encino homeowners, residents were told that the councilmember’s office was working to find housing for those living in the three encampments. Thompson, who attended the meeting with Raman’s staff, said she wants the city to find that housing soon.
But as of May 14, all three encampments were still in place near the Encino Little League field, and still presented a fire hazard, according to Rob Glushon, president of Encino Property Owners Association.
Glushon pointed out that since the recent fire at Libbit Park, “we’re talking about potential problems.” And Thompson noted that the area in Libbit Park that is being used for encampments is made up of dry grasses and brush that could potentially catch fire.
“It’s really close to the freeway,” Thompson said. “It could jump over the freeway into the Sepulveda Basin,” a 2,000-acre expanse filled with woods and grasses and adjacent to San Fernando Valley neighborhoods. She said, “You get concerned about fire for everyone involved. Not just for those who live in houses, but those that are in encampments because that could wipe out tents and hurt people there.”
Related Articles
A Way Home: Homelessness is a moment in time, not an identity
LA County is no longer seeing a rise in homeless deaths, and officials credit naloxone
Backers of half-cent sales tax in LA County, for housing, seek a ballot measure
Mayor Bass returning to an LA focused on UCLA protests, violence after 3 days in Washington, D.C.
How will Southern California be impacted by the Supreme Court case on homelessness?
Encino residents’ concerns come as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tries to address the city’s homeless crisis by moving people out of encampments and into housing or shelter. An estimated 46,260 people were homeless in 2023 in the city of Los Angeles, a 10% increase from the previous year, according to the 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count results.
In Los Angeles County, the number of homeless individuals has reached 75,518, a 9% rise compared to 2022, according to the same data.
In early December, the mayor’s office released figures showing that more than 1,900 Angelenos were housed by Inside Safe, Bass’ key program to reduce homelessness, and that 21,000 homeless people were housed in L.A. during Bass’ first year as mayor
“We do know that they are making the effort,” Thompson said of Raman’s office. “They said it’s going to take a little bit of time, so I don’t really know the intricacies of what’s going on, with what they are doing. I do know that they care.”
Thompson added that her heart goes out to those who “don’t have a warm home to go to at night.”
“We can collaborate with all of our elected officials to do what we can to find housing for the individuals who are (homeless), for whatever reason, maybe they lost a job or maybe they had some family catastrophe,” Thompson said. “You don’t know why someone is up on the street. But we have to do everything we can to help them find a place to live.”
Related links
New affordable apartments in North Hollywood for women fleeing domestic violence
LA County is no longer seeing a rise in homeless deaths, and officials credit naloxone
UCLA survey: Quality of life rating is the lowest ever for LA County residents
This LA teen nonprofit holds free clothing pop-ups for low-income, homeless girls
How will Southern California be impacted by the Supreme Court case on homelessness?
