Skid Row Cleanings Planned Through October

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — After completing a three-week cleanup of Skid Row streets and sidewalks in June, city crews plan to return to the poverty stricken area next week for a seven-day follow-up sweep.

Long-term maintenance plans, however, remain uncertain.

From Aug. 13-17 and 20-21, the coalition of city agencies involved in July’s “Operation Healthy Streets” will embark on a second round of power washing and disinfecting of the dirtiest blocks. Different segments of the neighborhood will be cleaned each day.

After that, crews will return every other Wednesday through Oct. 10 for “spot cleanings” to sweep and disinfect the most impacted blocks, said Michelle Vargas, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works. Those cleanings will not entail power washing or street closures, she said.

The maintenance regimen after that is in question.

Vargas said that Public Works has proposed undertaking comprehensive quarterly cleanups, along with twice-monthly spot cleanings. Funding for such an effort has not been determined.

Vargas said an assessment of the costs has been submitted to City Administrator Officer Miguel Santana’s office. Santana is expected to identify the total cost of the July cleaning and address budgeting options for a maintenance plan by mid-October.

“We have a maintenance schedule that we intend to implement, but it’s contingent on the budget,” Vargas said.

Since the initial round of cleaning wrapped up, crews have done spot cleanings every Wednesday.

The effort was launched a year after a federal judge ordered the city to halt its practice of seizing and destroying apparently abandoned property on Skid Row. City officials said the ruling, which was intended to protect the property of the homeless, has prevented workers from cleaning the streets, which has in turn allowed health concerns to fester.

Some community advocates countered that the decision by Judge Philip Gutierrez specifically allowed for cleanups to maintain public health and safety.

The city is awaiting a decision on an appeal of Gutierrez’s decision.

Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.