Skip to main content

Community Interview: How Does a Vacant Lot Affect a Neighborhood?

Support Provided By
The vacant lot sits in between two apartment buildings with only a chain link fence as a barrier.

Youth Voices is working with students from the Los Angeles River School to re-imagine the L.A. River and the surrounding communities as part of the Northeast Los Angeles Riverfront Collaborative. The students have formed teams to explore and investigate their communities, map assets, collect and share stories, data and community input for their projects. This includes conducting interviews with local residents and experts. All the while they are learning and expanding their knowledge of digital media and civic engagement. Follow their work here, on Twitter @Burnthesnail and on Instagram by using #kcetyv.

 
Our team's community cause is to improve an empty lot in the Fletcher Square neighborhood, located at 3324 Chapman Street. This is important to our community because the lot has been empty for a very long time.

We interviewed community member Raul Serrano. He has been living in this neighborhood for many years. We selected him because he lives close to the lot and has been observing the lot since 1987.

What do you think about the empty lot in Chapman Street?
It is ugly to look at and makes our community look bad. It attracts many animals, like rats, cats, and snakes. Inside the lot there are things that are dangerous to kids. Many kids go inside the lot play.

How long has the empty lot been at Chapman Street?
The lot has been empty since 1985.

Was it something before?
There used to be a duplex but it burned down. Since then the lot has been empty.

Does this empty lot affect the way you live?
Yes, because the lot attracts rats and the rats go inside the apartments from downstairs. I feel that the lot gets dirty everyday. I see people throw away their trash on the lot like if it is a big trash can.

What would you like it to be?
A place where kids can play and families can gather for mini family reunions.

Would you like to see a garden or a resting place?
Yes, having a garden or a resting place sounds like a good idea

How can a trash strewn lot be transformed to benefit a community? Tell us your thoughts here.

Large trash items as well as smaller trash litter the lot
This shows one vision for the lot, a community garden for the community

Support Provided By
Read More
A row of cows stands in individual cages along a line of light-colored enclosures, placed along a dirt path under a blue sky dotted with white puffy clouds.

A Battle Is Underway Over California’s Lucrative Dairy Biogas Market

California is considering changes to a program that has incentivized dairy biogas, to transform methane emissions into a source of natural gas. Neighbors are pushing for an end to the subsidies because of its impact on air quality and possible water pollution.
A Black woman with long, black brains wears a black Chicago Bulls windbreaker jacket with red and white stripes as she stands at the top of a short staircase in a housing complex and rests her left hand on the metal railing. She smiles slightly while looking directly at the camera.

Los Angeles County Is Testing AI's Ability To Prevent Homelessness

In order to prevent people from becoming homeless before it happens, Los Angeles County officials are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict who in the county is most likely to lose their housing. They would then step in to help those people with their rent, utility bills, car payments and more so they don't become unhoused.
blue themed graphic including electric vehicles are charging stations, wind turbines and trees, 2023 in reference to year

A Look Back at Climate Solutions In 2023

The U.S. may have a long way to go in its decarbonization goals, but these stories show signs of progress in climate solutions.