On a block near 61st and Main in South Los Angeles, neighbors say an abandoned building has turned their street into a magnet for trouble, and they are done waiting for help. They blame the property for repeated fires, piles of trash and tense confrontations that spill into the neighborhood. Home security videos and residents’ accounts describe people dragging sick and dead chickens onto the lot, and a recent fire that sent a plume of thick black smoke rolling across nearby homes.
In a statement to FOX 11, Councilmember Curren Price’s office said the property owner, SoLa Impact, is planning a new traditionally built development that would bring “approximately 145 units of affordable housing” to the site. Construction, however, is not expected to start until early 2027. The office called the current conditions “deeply unfortunate” for nearby residents and said the owner has obtained a trespass‑arrest authorization with the LAPD Newton Division while exploring extra security measures, including a taller fence.
Neighbors say the risks are escalating
Residents including Rosa Diaz and Rosy Martinez told FOX 11 they have contacted the city again and again with little to show for it. They now worry about attempted break‑ins, trespassing and people openly carrying weapons on their block. Diaz said she "no longer feels safe leaving her home at night" and described how recent incidents have rattled families and seniors who live nearby.
Developer history and stalled plans
SoLa Impact has held the parcel after earlier plans for modular housing at the southeast corner of 61st and Main stalled, according to local development coverage. The Los Angeles Business Journal reported that the 6100 S. Main project had previously secured construction financing for a modular, 87‑unit building, and Urbanize LA published renderings and progress updates in 2024. Separately, The Real Deal has detailed financial and regulatory headwinds that slowed construction on several SoLa Impact projects across South L.A.
What’s next
Neighbors say they want to see immediate, visible changes on the ground: a secure perimeter, better lighting and regular patrols, rather than waiting years for a new building to rise. City officials and the council office say they are working with the owner to tighten security while the long‑term housing proposal moves through approvals, and residents insist they will keep pressing until conditions outside their front doors actually change.
