RESEDA : Community Group Vows to Fight Apathy

The first meeting of the reactivated Reseda Community Assn. drew a small crowd of Reseda loyalists who pledged to fight the neighborhood’s biggest problem--apathy.

The group was started by lifelong Reseda resident Paula Elefante, who said an earlier version of the association had been dormant for several years due to lack of interest.

Monday’s meeting in Reseda Park drew about 20 people, including representatives from City Councilwoman Laura Chick’s office, Los Angeles County Supervisor Ed Edelman’s office and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Mark Pryor, senior lead officer for the West Valley police division, said that trying to organize Neighborhood Watch groups in Reseda has been difficult.

“My problem is basically apathy,” he said. “Very few people call us and say they want Neighborhood Watch.”

By contrast, he said, in Woodland Hills and Encino hundreds of people have volunteered to be block captains.

Elefante told the group there is widespread feeling in Reseda that things are not as good as they used to be, and urged those present to start small community improvement projects on their own.

“If you can’t go out to the police station, pull some of the weeds in your front yard,” she said. “Start with your own home, your own neighborhood.”

Those who attended wrote down complaints about Reseda for discussion. Topping the list were trash, abandoned cars and illegal immigration.

The group plans to meet at the park on the fourth Monday of every month.