Watts Residents Seek Gates on Five Alleys
A group of Watts residents protested at Los Angeles City Hall Tuesday, claiming a councilman has ignored their repeated pleas to close five alleys that have been plagued by crime and illegal trash dumping.
Representatives for the group, Watts Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, said Councilman Rudy Svorinich Jr., whose district includes Watts, has failed to address their repeated complaints about the alleys.
The group wants the five alleys closed under a citywide program aimed at reducing back-alley crime and dumping by installing 8-foot wrought-iron gates. Under the program, city officials give the keys to neighbors, who are responsible for maintaining the enclosed property.
But the program is so popular that the city has a waiting list of more than 200 alleys throughout Los Angeles. The program has funding to close about 35 alleys per month.
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