Central Los Angeles : COVER-UP
In the spirit of doing whatever it takes, Westlake residents are using creeping ivy in the battle against graffiti.
The walls that line 3rd Street have been a favorite canvas for gang tagging crews, who loiter outside homes late at night.
Frustrated residents tried for months to find a solution. In April, residents met with city officials and the LAPD’s Rampart Division officers at a home.
After more waiting, the city recently provided creeping ivy for the community to plant to cover the walls. Officers, whose patrols also help scare away vandals, even helped plant the ivy.
And neighborhood organizers now have a lesson plan for future community projects. “We’ve learned not to listen to people who tell us this can’t be done,” resident Leandro Cordova said.
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