A massive luxury RV parking lot in the City of Industry, California, has been overrun by homeless squatters. The lot, which holds 130 campers valued at $6.5 million, has turned into a crime-ridden homeless encampment over the past two years after a private party who purchased the RVs abandoned the area, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles.
Videos of the site reveal the parking lot filled with massive piles of trash and one of the campers engulfed in flames. Nearby residents and workers told the station that fires are a frequent occurrence at the lot, and rampant crime, including robberies, has plagued the surrounding area.
Millions of dollars in goods were reportedly stolen from a train that runs behind the property, the local outlet said. Nissan employees, who use part of the lot for inventory overflow, shared that homeless individuals often steal new car tires and gas from their tanks, Fox 11 LA reported.
“At night, it’s kinda scary to go to our cars,” Nissan receptionist Kiki told the station. “Every morning the sheriff’s department drives through the lot and then they just leave, but they told us they can’t really do anything because it’s abandoned.”
Despite the presence of surveillance cameras, private security, and law enforcement, little progress has been made in stopping the rampant crimes. Security teams had previously attempted to reclaim the campers but feared for their safety and abandoned the effort.
“Honestly, it comes down to our politicians who are doing nothing about it,” Nissan employee Khaled Ghrewahti told Fox 11 about the growing homeless crisis.
The individual who purchased the campers reportedly left them behind and has not paid rent in two years, the property manager told Fox 11. Raymond Henderson, a local meat market worker who stays in one of the campers, said the RV owner returned once and offered him a tenancy agreement for $300 a month.
LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis stated that the property owner recently secured a court order to remove the occupants after initiating legal proceedings last year to regain control of the site.
“Although the City does not own the site, this issue is a private dispute between the property owners and a private party,” Solis said in a statement. “While the County of Los Angeles does not have jurisdiction over land use matters in incorporated cities like the City of Industry, my office has been proactive in addressing concerns at the lot. To that end, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) will continue to conduct outreach this week.”
The property manager estimated that cleaning up the trash would cost $80,000, Fox 11 reported. Cleanup efforts are set to begin Wednesday, with crews aiming to clear the site within two days.
Bonny Chu is a Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital.
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