Latest news with #neighborhoodsafety
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Oakland removes DIY speed bumps residents put in to stop sideshows
Residents of Oakland's Highland Terrace neighborhood say their safety is at risk again after the city removed their makeshift speedbumps last week. People living near East 21st Street and 19th Avenue installed the speedbumps because they said they were fed-up with years of sideshows. Michael Andemeskel said neighbors filed reports, created petitions, and contacted city leaders, but nothing was done. "When the city fails to act, we act," said Andemeskel. Andemeskel says it impacted everyone, people feared for their safety and needed to stay inside, but even then, they couldn't escape the smoke and the noise. "It's a terrible experience and the next day you're just not the same," said Andemeskel. "Kids can't go to school, you can't do work." Andemeskel spearheaded the effort, gathering money from neighbors and as a group installing dozens of speedbumps at several intersections. Another neighbor, who did not want to disclose his name, says it worked. "It was sort of our neighborhood watch that everybody chipped in, and they implemented it," the man explained. "It was safe for awhile until just last week it was removed and then the same day they came at night." At the intersection of East 21st Street and 19th Avenue, you can still see where the speedbumps once were. Neighbors say if the city won't put them back, they're going to do it themselves and they're not worried about the repercussions. "No one's afraid of what the city is going to do and if they're going to rip them out, we'll put them in again," said Andemeskel. "We can do it all day." Director of Transportation Josh Rowan says about a month ago, he was riding a bus when he was jostled by the speed bumps, that's when he realized he needed to take a look at them. "After reviewing the operations with my engineering team, we decided it was too much risk to the public to leave them there," explained Rowan. "We were actually observing cars swerving out of the travel lane to avoid these bumps that had been installed." Rowan says they are working on a safety project that will bring more funding to that area of town, but it won't start until 2027. In the meantime, they're working on a short-term solution of paint and posts to help. OakDOT has seen this solution have some success at the intersection of Redwood Road and Skyline Boulevard. "We want to work with them," said Rowan. "We want to get solutions that are solving these problems but they keep getting out in front of us, and that's not helping us or them." Andemeskel argues it's just a matter of time until someone gets hurt or killed and the city needs to act quickly. "We demand that they come up with a plan to deal with the sideshow issue by June 6th and they implement whatever the solution in a reasonable timeframe, four weeks or six weeks," detailed Andemeskel. "If not we'll just put them back."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Neighbors outraged as L.A. ‘Hell house' attracts constant stream of squatters, intruders
Residents in a Westwood neighborhood said a home on the street that attracts a constant stream of intruders and squatters has made living on the street unbearable and dangerous. Neighbors in the upscale neighborhood, located just off Santa Monica Boulevard near the Westfield Century City mall, said there are constant visitors to a specific home that is owned by a pair of older siblings — a brother and a sister. The visitors reportedly bring trouble with them and residents have seen public urination, drug activity, intruders climbing over fences and breaking into the home, squatters, possible prostitution and massive piles of garbage outside the property. Some of the visitors, who seem to arrive at all times of the day, have even harassed residents. 'They've been a menace to the neighborhood for the whole time that we've lived here,' neighbor Amy Gordon told KTLA's Chris Wolfe. 'But in the past 10-12 months, they are hoarders and they've hoarded themselves out of the home and they have been living in their cars.' Neighbors, who described the property as a 'Hell house,' said they fear for their safety. 'It has completely blown up and disrupted everything,' Gordon said. 'There's drug paraphernalia all over the neighborhood. It's across the street from a school, a family dental building.' 'I called adult protective services to try to get them to help [the siblings],' said neighbor Carrie Livingston. 'Sometimes in the winter months, their car is running through the night to provide them with heat.' Neighbors said they've contacted local law enforcement and city leaders for help, but claimed they were told nothing could be done about it. Some residents believe the home poses a health and fire hazard. Restraining orders have been filed against the siblings and more than 150 signatures were gathered for a petition that was sent to their L.A. city council representative, Katy Yaroslavsky. Carrie Livingston, who lives next door to the home, said she was forced to spend thousands of dollars to replace a fence on her property that intruders broke while climbing over it. She said she often finds all kinds of alcohol bottles littered on her property as the intruders tend to stash random items in her bushes. 'We always knew them as the creepy neighbors when we were kids,' said neighbor Graham Livingston. 'But it was only in the past few years when things started getting really serious.' The siblings, however, spoke with KTLA's Chris Wolfe and said the neighbors who have accused them of being negligent are lying. They claim that whenever they leave to run house errands, that's when the intruders would break into their home. They said they've reported the criminal activities to police, but have not received help. They do sometimes sleep in their cars, but claimed that was only done to keep a better eye on possible trespassers. They believe the targeted effort to condemn the house is an infringement on their rights. Residents, in the meantime, are asking for help from city officials who they believe have the power to condemn the property and take action to clear it. KTLA has reached out to Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky's office for comment and is awaiting a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
