Safety Concerns Grow as Issues Arise Along the LA River Near Griffith Park
Los Angeles Homeless Crisis Expands to LA River
LOS ANGELES – The ongoing homeless crisis in Los Angeles has reached critical levels along the Los Angeles River, particularly near Griffith Park, prompting concern from both residents and advocacy groups. Reports of escalating gang activity, drug use, and increasing homeless encampments have intensified calls for urgent action.
An investigation found numerous individuals living in makeshift shelters, tents, and even storm drains, mere steps away from a popular recreational trail. Evidence of illegal activities, including drug use, is prevalent in the area, with used needles and paraphernalia scattered near encampments that often remain hidden from plain sight.
Cameron Flanagan, a clinical therapist and homeless advocate, highlighted the dangers present in the vicinity. "The gang members, they carry backpacks with tools, ghost guns… dangerous, very," he stated.
Many individuals have made the area their home for years. One man reported living along the river for 13 years, while a woman named Sarah noted that she has been in the area on and off for over a decade. When offered housing services, Sarah expressed her decision to decline, stating, "I did. It’s just not for me. I always just come back out to this. I just like it."
Flanagan characterized the site as a refuge for those who feel disconnected from traditional support systems, calling it "sort of a place for people who have been forgotten or want to be forgotten."
While some users of the adjacent trail have grown accustomed to the precarious environment, with one cyclist noting, "You get used to it for sure. It’s like seeing a goose or something else," others were reluctant to comment when approached about the encampments. Flanagan said many choose to ignore the realities of homelessness around them. "They put on the blinders. They look on their phones, focus on their workout… they don’t want to deal with it because homelessness is everywhere," he remarked.
In response to the concerns, Los Angeles City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman confirmed her office’s commitment to addressing homelessness and safety issues along the river. "Residents deserve to feel safe, and we take these reports extremely seriously," she said.
Raman noted that her district had secured two encampment resolution grants from Gov. Gavin Newsom, which facilitated the transition of 64 individuals from the river to stable housing in 2021. A subsequent grant of $4 million was awarded last year, with ongoing efforts to connect more individuals with necessary services and housing.
She acknowledged the unique challenges posed by the area’s geography, such as steep concrete embankments and hard-to-reach spots that complicate outreach and enforcement. "The only lasting solution is to bring people inside, and we are pursuing that solution with urgency," Raman asserted.
