A massive luxury RV parking lot in City of Industry, California, has been taken over by homeless squatters.
The lot, which carries 130 campers worth $6.5 million, has become a crime-ridden homeless encampment over the past two years after a private party who bought the RVs abandoned the area, Fox 11 Los Angeles reported.
Videos of the scene show the parking lot riddled with massive piles of trash and one of the campers engulfed in flames.
Those who work and live nearby told the station that fires are a frequent occurrence at the lot, and that rampant crime, including robberies, has since plagued the surrounding area.
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Millions of dollars in goods were stolen from a train that runs behind the property, according to the local outlet.
Nissan employees who said they use part of the parking lot for inventory overflow also indicated that the homeless often steal new car tires and gas from the tanks, Fox 11 LA reported.
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“At night it’s kinda scary to go to our cars,” Nissan receptionist Kiki told the local station. “Every morning the sheriff’s department drives through the lot and then they just leave, but they told us they can’t really do anything because it’s abandoned.”
Surveillance cameras, private security and law enforcement have not made much progress in stopping the rampant crimes. The station said security teams had previously attempted to retrieve the campers but feared for their own safety and gave up.
“Honestly, it comes down to our politicians who are doing nothing about it,” Nissan employee Khaled Ghrewahti said to Fox 11 about the increasing homeless population.
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The man who bought the new campers just left the RVs and has not paid rent in two years, Fox 11 reported, citing the property manager.
Raymond Henderson, a man who works at a local meat market and stays in one of the campers, said the RV owner has come back in the past. He told Henderson that he could stay as a tenant for $300 a month.
LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis said the property owner recently won a court order to remove the occupants after initiating legal proceedings to regain possession of the site last year.
“Although the City does not own the site, this issue is a private dispute between the property owners and a private party,” Solis said in a statement. “While the County of Los Angeles does not have jurisdiction over land use matters in incorporated cities like the City of Industry, my office has been proactive in addressing concerns at the lot. To that end, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) will continue to conduct outreach this week.”
The property manager said it would cost $80,000 to clean up the trash, Fox 11 reported. Cleanup efforts will begin Wednesday and crews hope to have everyone out within two days, the station said.
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