On North Hollywood’s 7700 block of Varna Avenue, a long-vacant lot has gone from neighborhood eyesore to full-blown safety and sanitation headache, according to frustrated residents. Neighbors say the property, where the original house burned down years ago, has sat empty for more than a decade and is now regularly occupied by people living on-site. They describe mounting trash, stolen cars and episodes of violence, and say that after years of complaints, a promised cleanup this week feels overdue — and only a first step.
What neighbors say
Residents say the problems around the lot have steadily escalated. “We all see homeless people go in the back doing drugs,” neighbor David Abrahamian told reporters, while Robert Baindourov said he has witnessed “multiple shootings, overdose deaths” and stolen cars abandoned in front of his home. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, neighbors say the original house on the parcel burned down years ago, and the now-empty property has generated a steady stream of calls to the city.
Council response
LA City Councilmember Adrin Nazarian told reporters the city has logged 28 calls for service related to the Varna Avenue lot since the beginning of 2023, including 10 that were initiated by police officers. “Since the beginning of 2023 alone, there had been 28 calls for service,” Nazarian said. He told neighbors the lot should be cleaned up by the end of the week, according to NBC Los Angeles. Neighbors say they are watching closely to see if that promise sticks.
How the city handles vacant properties
The city does have tools for dealing with abandoned properties. The Department of Building and Safety can order abatement, remove hazards, then bill the property owner or place a lien to recover cleanup costs. City records on vacant building abatement explain how inspectors can declare a parcel a public nuisance, solicit bids to clear it and recover costs through liens if owners fail to act. These mechanisms are all spelled out in the city’s code-enforcement guidelines, according to documents in the Los Angeles City Clerk’s online files: Los Angeles City Clerk.
Neighbors want a lasting fix
Neighbors, however, say a one-time sweep is not going to cut it. They argue the lot needs to be secured with proper fencing, that the property owner should be held accountable, and that any long-term solution has to include services for the people currently staying there, not just a cleanup crew. Councilmember Nazarian represents Council District 2, which includes North Hollywood, and his office has posted contact information for residents who want to follow up on the promised action: CD2 Los Angeles.
