Law enforcement enters sprawling ‘junkyard’ property in Sun Valley

A team of Los Angeles Fire Department personnel and Building and Safety officials supported by law enforcement entered the property of a home in Sun Valley that has been described as a growing junkyard over the past five years.

Sky5 was overhead shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday as the teams worked their way through the large property in the 8600 block of La Tuna Canyon Road that is littered with old cars, tires and wheels, large appliances and trash.

“Interesting that some of those officers are in effectively tactical gear. They are coming in with what appears to be weapons out and ready, perhaps that’s out of fear of a person that may be staying on the property and/or animals,” KTLA’s Frank Buckley said.

Sun Valley resident Elena Malone said her kids once played and felt safe in the neighborhood, but over time, she said their next-door neighbor took all that away with what she described as a six-acre junkyard.

“It just kind of multiplied and became things that were pretty worrisome, you know, burnt car batteries, bags of trash, debris, moldy clothes, cigarette boxes,” Malone said.

Multiple complaints have been filed over the years about the property, which is in the district of Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.

Rodriguez held a news conference shortly after the operation began to share details about the property owner and the city’s involvement over the years.

“It was back in 2019 when my office began working closely with the Department of Building and Safety about the nuisance abatement and issues associated with the property,” Rodriguez said.

Her office received reports of “accumulation of vehicles, open storage, innoperable vehicles, trash and debris and grading without permits” on the property, which the councilwoman said involved multiple parcels.

Efforts to get the case in court in 2020 were thwarted at one point due to COVID but ongoing issues and citations ultimately led to the owner being sentenced to 180 days in jail.

“Of which, she only served one,” Rodriguez said.

On Monday, a court order allowing the Fire Department with the support of Building and Safety was issued for the inspection of the property, which was underway Wednesday.

Based on those inspections the City will “possibly, with court authority, be able to declare this area a nuisance that could then be abated by the City of Los Angeles. Until such time, the City of Los Angeles can’t go onto private properties to clear these cases,” Rodriguez said.

The current occupant of the property, believed to be the owner’s son, was taken into custody Tuesday night, according to officials.

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