Living on the edge (city vs. county) (Los Angeles, Pasadena: condos, mattress)

[timtemtym]

So we live in a condo where across the street is Culver City and one block west of us is also Culver City, but we are in Los Angeles.

A few weeks ago someone dumped a couch and table and a half-eaten chicken dinner in the alley. Then another two couches came later (when one sees a pile, they think it's going to get picked up). Now there's a mattress and dresser there as well. This pile keeps growing over the 2 weeks it's been there. So we called the city of LA and they said it is a county issue since we're on the border.

How is this possible? We pay DWP and LA picks up regular trash. We aren't bordering LA county, the nearest county island is Marina Del Rey a mile away. We called the county and a snappy lady told us to call back on Monday, but not this Monday because "Monday is Columbus day and ain't nobody working." We tried to tell her that Columbus day is next Monday, but she was having none of it. She said she wasn't sure if LA county would pick up the mess, but to try again on a weekday.

What a bureaucracy! No wonder no one gets things done or cleaned in this city. We are going to put up signs asking future dumpers to please go over one block south or west so Culver City will handle things.

[Taiko]

Do you live in a city council district? If you only offer him money and not a vote then you and the ally being used as an illegal dumpster are indeed either a county supervisor or a Culver City problem. And it is the local politician who is the next step after the bureaucracy. Next is the news media watching the politician not helping his people.

[ccm123]

LA is known for this. Lived there for 20+ years and we lived in a LA county area which had a Pasadena address. We called 911 one evening, for a loud party that turned into a fight (thankfully, not a homicide) and the dispatcher could not assign the proper agency (LASO, or Pasadena Police) to our call for help.

The situation is a joke, but being a typical bureaucracy, nobody is accountable for anything in LA. People living there accept it, "as a way of life".

[timtemtym]

Originally Posted by ccm123

LA is known for this. Lived there for 20+ years and we lived in a LA county area which had a Pasadena address. We called 911 one evening, for a loud party that turned into a fight (thankfully, not a homicide) and the dispatcher could not assign the proper agency (LASO, or Pasadena Police) to our call for help.

The situation is a joke, but being a typical bureaucracy, nobody is accountable for anything in LA. People living there accept it, "as a way of life".

It's pretty crazy. We're calling the county again tomorrow to see what can be done. City of LA suggested we call the number on the dumpster nearest the pile. It was a private garbage service who said they have seen it there but left it because it's a special fee for large items. So they get the trash but not the big trash.

[ccm123]

I really wish you success. I think if you make a statement loud enough and be persistent, you will get to the bottom of it. The local government agencies really don't care in LA City and County, from my experiences. Great example of our "tax dollars at work".

Originally Posted by timtemtym

It's pretty crazy. We're calling the county again tomorrow to see what can be done. City of LA suggested we call the number on the dumpster nearest the pile. It was a private garbage service who said they have seen it there but left it because it's a special fee for large items. So they get the trash but not the big trash.

[ccm123]

The attitude of many of these agencies is "it's not my job", rather than helping out the taxpayer/citizen and finding a solution to an issue, which is affecting a community. Bureaucracy and inept government agencies, at it's finest.

[mefunding2009]

Find your County Supervisor and call that directly, push hard to get them get them on the phone. You probably won't but that should get you to a higher level staffer. Be nice but firm and tell them that you really want support the supervisor but what's happening is not acceptable.

Also, have you searched online for disposal services and "large items" through the county? If you just trying to get through the main County Office, you're not going to anywhere. You need to get into a Dept. Or even maybe try the city's webiste for the same.

Good luck, sorry you're dealing with this.

As far as, the comments about the Bureaucracy, don't you love getting an attitude from government workers who never have to work more than 8 hrs day and 40hrs a wk, pissed off they work at all, don't do anything that is remotely close to being outside their job description, yet have a fat pension coming, funded by your tax dollars.

It's all messed because people don't' vote in local elections.

GET OUT and VOTE, GET INVOLVED. WE, the people, ALLOW the Bureaucracy to happen! WE, the people, can change this.

[Panamajack78]

That's the problem with living in Los Angeles. Cities like Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Culver City or WeHo would have picked up that trash in 2 seconds. Good luck OP, I know, it sucks.

[Siroxian]

If it bothers you that much I say just gut up and move it where it will be picked up, sucks, but its better than it piling up there.

[timtemtym]

Update! So City of LA told us to call the county which told us to call the number on the dumpster. They said they charge a fee to whatever building rents the dumpster, but call the city back and they will do it for free. The city then told us to call Culver City which is across the street, but maintains that alley. Culver City said that is not in their city and it is in the city of LA.

So we called LA again and the guy told us to call our local representative. We told him that is ridiculous. Then he told us our street didn't even exist! He said, "I'm looking at the map right here, your street ends two blocks away." I don't know what early 20th century map he was using, but we corrected him and he said he is putting through an order for city of LA to pick the junk up, but they may ignore it since our street doesn't exist. He said to call the city council district in Westchester (nowhere near us) and call him back in two weeks if the furniture is still there.

So the junk is still there and growing!

What we notice when out walking is that the alley across the street is swept very clean while ours has years of built up grime and cigarettes and other junk.

We are not in a down area! Condos around here go for 5-700k and houses are even more. So we will see what happens next. We want to put up a sign that advises dumpers to please choose another alley served by a better city. I can't imagine Culver City would let this go on.