LA’s Westlake District post office parking lot overtaken by the homeless

People in Los Angeles’ Westlake District neighborhood Thursday called on the city to clean up a post office parking lot that’s been overtaken by homeless people.

Several spots within the parking lot were blocked by trash as of Thursday, affecting businesses nearby. The parking lot of the post office, located on West 7th Street and Burlington Avenue, looked like a dumping ground.

Those who work and live nearby told NBC Los Angeles that the homeless have taken over the lot, living in the parking lot in makeshift houses and piling trash bags, mattresses and other bulky items in parking spaces.

“They have trash, and it smells. It’s awful,” said Linda Pulido, who has to use the post office to send packages for work. She said she often had to park in the bus lane out front because the lot if overrun.

“It’s bad. It’s getting worse every day,” Pulido said. “More homeless people are living there. And nobody does anything.”

Some business owners in the area said they have seen people in the lot using drugs and being disruptive.

“I’m worried customers will feel too unsafe to come to my shop,” Lucrecia Ramirez, a salon owner across the street from the post office, said in Spanish.

One of the men living in the parking told NBCLA that this is their — his and other people’s.

“We are here because we have nowhere else to go,” Alejandro Cruz said.

The post office was aware of the problem and looking for solution, officials said in a statement.

“We would like to partner with local law enforcement, city/county/congressional personnel and USPS authorities to find viable solutions to this growing concern,” post office officials told NBCLA in a statement.

Mayor Karen Bass’ office called the situation “acceptable.”

“She will be working with the councilperson for this district to come up with a solution and that an outreach team has already visited,” the mayor’s office told NBCLA.