Judge Orders Man to Clean Up His Yard

A man who earned the consternation of his neighbors for storing “an emporium of merchandise” outside his residence was found guilty Thursday of breaking city zoning laws, a lawyer for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office said.

David Harel, who lives in the 5800 block of Fallbrook Avenue, was ordered by Municipal Judge Paul Metzler to clean up his property by Jan. 6 or face up to six months in county jail, according to Don Cocek, a deputy city attorney in the Van Nuys branch office.

As a condition of probation, the Woodland Hills resident will also be required to perform 10 days of community service doing cleanup work.

“He had a big open tent in the front yard filled with rows of things,” Cocek said. “He collected bicycles, computer screens, exercise equipment and clocks. You name it, it was an emporium of merchandise.”

Thursday’s conviction was Harel’s second for storing junk in his yard, Cocek said.

In 1990, city building and safety officials cited him when he lived in a North Hollywood neighborhood. He was later convicted and placed on probation.

Harel lived in Orange County for a while before returning to the Valley and setting up shop in Woodland Hills, where his residence again became an eyesore, according to neighbors and authorities.

“It was like ‘Sanford & Son,’ ” an official familiar with the situation said, referring to the 1970s TV show about a junkyard dealer.

“Everybody in the city cited him and he ignored them,” a neighbor said. “At least a dozen people complained. He refused to cooperate [by cleaning up his property] so what other option was there?”