Why Does South LA Have Gated Alleys? | History Behind Gated Alleys in South Central Los Angeles
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2021
- Why Does South LA Have Gated Alleys? | History Behind Gated Alleys in South Central Los Angeles
Today we’re talking about alleys. Odds are, if you’ve driven in South Central LA, you’ve seen these green gates either guarding alleys or flung wide open. Believe it or not, the city is not responsible for anything in between these gated allies. And this story goes back to the mid 90s.
Alleys have always been liabilities in Los Angeles. They have been hotbeds for illicit activities and illegal dumpings. Here's a report on illegal dumping across Los Angels - www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
This is why the Los Angeles City Council created the Nuisance Alley Conversion Pilot Project, which foot the $3,700 per-alley bill to install these gates. T
Here's the history behind the Nuisance Alley Conversion Project. engpermitmanual.lacity.org/re...
Here's the original notice letter to residents about securing gates for their nearby alley faircrestheightsnews.com/wp-co...
By 1996, the program was a success in South Los Angeles
- www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
But Illegal dumping in South LA--and the region at large--remains a problem. Check out these stats on the LA City Controller website - lacontroller.org/audits-and-r...
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Website: Ericmcraig.com
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Do you know someone who lives by a gated alley? What’s their experience?
I'm glad I came across this page!!!
Hi Eric. Thanks for this video! Found it doing research for the alley behind my house. We purchased our home in South LA but didn’t receive a key to the alley. Our neighbor told us the alley was there private property and won’t give us a key. We are a corner house and and our backyard has a huge gate that opens to it. We were told by 311 to contact our councilman for a key. Lol wish me luck!
Really glad you’ve found this video helpful. If your house is against that alley like you’ve said, you have just as much right to the alley as your neighbor does-and you should have a key.
Unfortunately, there’s little enforcement you can do around that…But a talk to your council person. It’s a start!
How’d it go ?
yes how it went? we are waiting here. c'mon myaaaaaaaan
What a great video! I am a real estate agent and was researching these gated alleys for clients of mine and stumbled upon your video. I'm so glad I found your channel and thanks so much for great info about South LA!
Thanks so much, Leiauna. I’m always happy to look into anything South LA. Feel free to drop questions on any comment section on my videos. So glad I could help!
Live in South LA, on a street with gated alleys. Never thought to question why they were there. On my street, the alley has 5 gates. 2 gates on the ends, and one in the middle. They definitely never stopped illegal dumping. Thanks for teaching me something new about my neighborhood!
I’m really glad this was helpful for you! It’s crazy that no one talks about them and in many neighborhoods they just “exist”
Thanks for the post!
Very informative, thank you!
Great information! Love the detail.
Thanks, Evan! I appreciate it!
I grew up in Watts and never knew this... truly informative!
Thank you for the info! Very helpful.
I’m really glad this was helpful to you!
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing- subscribed.
Thanks, Waldo. I appreciate this!
Hi Eric! Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica! Thanks for watching. Always great to see XU support. Hope you’re doing well!
@@SouthLARecap I'm hanging in there! Hope you're great! X! U!
Curran Price was talking about making some of them almost park-like and a Downtown BID was talking about Livable Alleys. South Los Angeles has so many. Imagine if they were upgraded instead of neglected and “vacationed” (what the city calls it when they wash their hands of streets and tell members of the public that it’s their problem now).
Love your work!
Thanks Gregory. I’m really glad that you find it useful. I’m always glad to look into stuff like this
I appreciate it I lived on 77th and Broadway many years.
One there too.
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION. We have an alley that others has said belonged to everyone. Who do NOT LIVE ANYWHERE IN ADJACENT TO THIS ALLEY. Thank you
I lived in a house for 9 years and never had a key to alley lock until the last year I lived there. Most of the alleys that are locked and supposed to be monitored by the people living on that block. The care of each alley falls to the home owners and some alleys that have strong block clubs monitoring them are well maintained. Some are impassible due to neglect, aka+= not my job.
This channel is very interesting 💯
Thank you!
Hi, SOLAR. Just found your channel while looking for info regarding the 110 Fwy and if it's changed much since I last drove it about 10 years ago. Anyway, I'm loving learning the history about South LA, even though I'm a native and have lived in South all of my life. Hope your channel continues to grow. Love your delivery and pretty smile!!!
Thank you, Shelly! This means so much. And I'm really glad I could share this info with you. Please feel free to request videos/ask questions in the comment section of any of my videos. We all contribute to the exploration of the region in this channel. Thank you so much for the well wishes
@@SouthLARecap I will definitely do that!! Keep up the good work! (Just finished viewing A Brief History of Crenshaw HS.) Thanx for being so eloquent in your delivery. Nice to be able to hear and understand the story without a bunch of histrionics!!
Great video!
Thank you for this video and explanation . I grew up in south L.A.( on 5th avenue off of Vernon Ave. ) during the 1960's. I remember as children riding our bikes down the alleys. I don't remember them even being overly messy. But times have changed and crime escalated over the years.
But a few years ago, when I returned to my old Neighborhood, I did notice the alleys fenced and locked. It gave me an odd feeling to see that. I guess what matters is how the people who live right next to the alleys feel about the situation...Has it prevented crime ? But do they feel its too much trouble for neighbors to get together and keep it clean ? Either way , thank you so much as you addressed the questions I had.
Glad I could help!
Great video, glad to have found your channel. Do you happen to know how alleys outside of City boundaries are maintained/managed, if at all (for example by the County or the local municipality)? I would imagine there's lots of similar alleys in these areas too?
Thanks, Ed. I’m not very familiar with alleys outside of LA County. I do know that 211 covers illegal dumping pickup requests without many limitations and that it’s likely utilities are still accessible through alleys, but county wouldn’t be in charge of that. Definitely something to look into.
Gated alleys are also a concept outside of LA, too. But I don’t know if any city has a policy as hands off as LA’s. I hope this at least provides some context!
Yes I’ve always wondered
Thank you for this great video. I have lived in South LA for the past 17 years. We have an alley behind our house and the gates are always open. Over the years crimes ranging from assault, drug dealing and arson have taken place in the alley. I’m your research, did you come across a process for homeowners to petition for having the alleys closed and homeowners being able to include and enclose their part of the alley so it becomes part of their back yard? It seems like it would solve a lot of the problems and it would finally give something positive back to the people of this community. Would be very interested in your thoughts on this. Thank you again for bringing great information on this area I’m your programming!
Hi James. I'm really glad that you found this video helpful! Though, I'm sorry to hear about your Alley. I know from experience that they can often times be a nuisances, and just about anyone can walk in...and even set up camp there. It can be uncomfortable to have the back of your home exposed like that.
Unfortunately, there's no documentation on how to take back the gates. It's crazy to think that the Nuisance Alley Project disbanded in the mid 2000s, when the majority of the nuisance alleys were gated up, and the city was relieved of its responsibility.
As far as the city is concerned, the Alley is not shared private property, owned by any landowner who has property that abuts the Alley. The legislation behind the alley did not specify to how much.
At best, all residents in the alley have to agree to the plan, and all residents of the alley have to pay for the plan. In the mid 90s and early 2000s, a unimproved (unpaved) South LA alleys were converted into shared gardens and community spaces by the Nuisance Alley Project, but that program is not around to continue that conversion. Here's more information: faircrestheightsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nuisance_alley_conversion_project.pdf
And there has also been some talk about converting some alleys into community Green Spaces about 7 years ago. These don't include gated alleys though - www.kcrw.com/culture/articles/can-south-la-alleys-become-pedestrian-friendly-parks
Unfortunately, whatever the solution to your issue is, it has to be decided and funded between you and all of the other landowners around the alley. That's a lot to ask from anyone. I hope this helped a bit.
You need to contact your councilperson for help.
Will you do any videos on the construction of Baldwin Hills with pictures of how it looked when it was first constructed?
That's interesting...,and insane
These alleys are so so sketchy. I stayed by one and it was a constant struggle to clean trash/dumped material and buying new chains to lock up the gates after someone cut the chain or lock. I do not miss that alley at all. That said, having a functional alley in which residents can store their trash bins beautifies the area and imparts pride in a neighborhood. I sure wish they could find a way to maintain the alleys and perhaps limit dumping by making drop-offs more available.
Keep it going! Great info. I guess I’ll be going out there and moving the the trash to the front of the house! 🙄
Thanks, Veronica!
I’m currently looking into how residents can reverse this process. It’s been a two-month conversation with Councilman Harris-Dawson’s office. I’m still waiting for a promised, written solution.
I’m sorry to hear about your trash, too. But yes, if you move it out of the alley the city will pick it up. I definitely recommend reaching out to your council person in district 8 or 9 (Harris-Dawson or Price) to see if you can get one-time assistance…And to voice your concern about how ineffective the gates have been.
Glad I can help, though. Let me know if you’d like to see anything else about South LA on this channel!
EC
im glad the alleys behind my grandmas house is not gated and being able to pass by. others near by do have gates being locked or broken into lol
Excellent review of status, so unfortunate. Many newer property owners unaware of this and were not part of initial request. What can be done to reinstate city responsibility and monitoring?
That’s a great question, Yesenia. There’s very little information on recourse against the gates.
A plausible option is for residents to petition their city council member (District 8 or 9) to remove the gates from the alley-and City Council would likely have to vote on the matter. But in all likelihood, 7 or 8 residents would not make the matter urgent.
But you’re right, it’s crazy to think that the Nuisance Alley Conversion Project is now disbanded and there were no directions to remove the gates! 20-odd years later new residences are dealing with old consequences!
You need to petition your city council member.
This is so interesting. Law and public policy really seeps into the most minor of things. I lived on 50th/vermont area and the landlord to a house i rented had access to the alley (ofcourse his tenants did not) but i never knew this .
That’s neat you landlord was able to keep his gate under control. But looking at these gates, you’d almost think they were built with the alley! 😂
I never really paid much attention to these but see them frequently. It kinda seems like a headache for both the residents and the city. Some of those are on very long blocks and I can only imagine what conversations with neighbors about opening and closing them must be like.
Many times there are no conversations at all. It's a terrible burden for residents-one new homeowners might not ever be aware of....
When my family lived across the street from one of my moms friend on Cochran Av., we as kids used the "catwalk" to get to and from our friends houses.
As the years passed the "catwalk" became a place where all sorts of nefarious folks would hit the alley for illicit sex, drugs etc., so the neighbor put up a steel gate with bar wire on top, which I guess the city approved.
on cochran and what i live right next to cochran and pico here in midcity
Is there a catwalk on gage. Between hoover and vermont?
I did know of this happening just not the fine details. Some alleys run east & west. Some run north & south. We had the experience of having an alley behind us that ran east & west. The city divided the alley evenly and gave the property to each lot on either side of the alley. It made each yard longer. That's how they closed off those particular alleys. It would be nice to be able to hold the dumping culprits responsible Some type of way.
You all were really lucky to be able to extend your back yards! Many homes have to keep
The alley open because it’s the only driveway access available, but that leaves so much risk.
But unfortunately there’s nearly nothing we can do about illegal dumping. It happens so fast, and literally no recourse
I worked for an insurance company back in the 1960's. Before I became a teacher. We were told that houses with alleys behind them were more likely to be burglarized. Stands to reason, secrecy and get away ease.
As an idea, it’s a great concept. After living next to one, it’s a nuisance.
I still remember the days when they were barely putting the gates up, I specially remember my favorite alley on Avalon & 85th growing up from 99 to early 2000 thanks for this information it’s crazy to know about these other details I only thought they put them up only cause if crime & drugs didn’t know about the other stuff.
By the way you look familiar, did you go to Gompers mid 2000s?
Glad this video can help. I'm actually working on another video on city-approved ways to take them down.
And yeah, I went to Gompers between 2005 - 2008
@@SouthLARecap Awesome, I definitely will be on the lookout for that!
You were in Band Class with Mr. Morris huh ?
@@YoungLARaider8 Yep. You were in band?
@@SouthLARecap Yessir, Saxophone group 🎷 I could never play that shit 😂
@@YoungLARaider8 Man, the crazy thing is, those were still good days. I just remember wanting to be drum major because I didn’t want to memorize my music…lol But Mr. Morris, he was a good guy. He really believed in the band. Never found out what happened to him though.,,
Hey! Can you make a video about wrigley field?
We had a alley on 106th Compton Ave it was sold and made into a drive way 50k
Hey, Benny! I’ll look into this one for you. Should be interesting!
@@larrylo2985 that’s pretty crazy. I’ve never thought about Alleys being sol like that!
damn living 25+ years here in south LA still there and never knew why there was a gate in the alley. Neighbor has a car blocking the gate now with a broken down car. Ive only seen it opened once.
Always wondered why they gated up the alley on Fig and 107th
Hi Eric. I have a question. I live in Leimert Park. Recently a neighbor that lives adjacent to the gated alley allows their three dogs to roam freely in the gated alley as if it were their own private backyard. The dogs run up to both gates, east and west of the block, and bark at every person that walks by. It's effective as it keeps anyone with bad intentions away but they have now taken complete ownership of this area. Can they actually claim this area as their own? It may not be claimed on title as their property but they have claimed it by force by allowing three large dogs roaming around freely. I always thought it was a shared area between the neighbors on the block. I am literally 4 houses away from the gate but I don't have a key. Can I ask for a key? Thank you!
Hi, Rene. Thanks for reaching out.
Gated alleys are considered private property among all of the properties against it. So if you use the alley for your driveway, or if the alley sits directly against your house, it's your shared property.
The situation with the dogs gets tricky: It's really a situation that needs to be settled between the neighbors that share an alley. The isn't any piece of legislation on gated alleys that could stop or event prevent your neighbor from taking over the alley. So if your four houses down from the gate and this alley sits against your property, then yes, you have a say (but don't expect the city or your councilperson to get involved).
As for the keys: As stringent as the Nuisance Alley Conversion Project was, there wasn't a standard way of handling key distribution. Some documents suggest the city council has access to the keys, but I've found that not to be true most of the time. locked alley gates are typically monitored by one home owner--the one that has been there the longest, who might still hold the original key to the original gate. Whatever the case is, you'll likely have to ask your neighbors (and they might not be so willing to hand over the key). The NACP suggest that all neighbors should have a key, but that doesn't play out so well all of the time.
I really wish I could be of more help with this. Wishing you the best of luck to get it resolved. Let me know if I can answer any other question about these gates for you.
Very interesting info. Thanks. Can you do a report on why in So. L.A. stores like Ralph's on Manchester and Western and Superior on Western close to Manchester only use one door to enter and exit? I notice this is not done in wealthier areas. What's the explanation? I think it's pretty dangerous..in an emergency everyone would head for that one door. Certainly worth investing.
High crime rate, more exits more way's to commit a crime, safety.
Crime is too high, the security guard was shot inside Ralph's on Manchester and Western in May 2023. If a fire was to break out inside Ralph's, a total disaster.
Thanks for another great video! The residents in my neighborhood petitioned the City in the early '90s to have the alley behind our homes gated because of frequent dumping and car abandonment. This alley spans a distance of about two blocks and provides the only car access to all the garages. The City denied the request stating that the closed gates would prevent emergency vehicles entry at anytime. As a consolation the City installed "No Dumping" signs at both ends of the alley.😩
Oh no! That is absolutely terrible. It’s sad to see that the city has really given up on trying to combat the problem-and feels above any repercussion. And you would think that emergency vehicle access would have been considered in the pilot!
I’m really sorry to hear about this. I want there to be another way around this
@@SouthLARecap Thanks for your concern.😁 After all these years we've all adapted to the circumstances. Calling 311 for dumping removal and installing bright lights and cameras have been effective.
Very interesting. I had no idea these gated alleys are considered private property now.
It’s really crazy to think there’s very little info on these things to begin with! Many new residents have to figure this out the hard way unfortunately!
Is that still available to Los Angeles county, Stv alleys?
Prostitution,Drugs etc.
Wow I didn’t know residents owned these alleys
Currently dealing with illegal dumping in the alley we use to access our garage. In addition, this past Sunday a car was speeding through the alley killing my neighbor’s dog.
Ugh, I’m really sorry to hear that…that’s so terrible.
It’s ridiculous to see there’s no recourse. I’m curious about doing a follow up to this piece by pulling in officials…Is your alley gated too?
I live next to an alley do you know if I’m allowed to paint the gate a different color? For example black or brown? That green is so ugly just want to know if it’s okay lol
I'm learning more about alley gates: You'll have to determine if the alley gates you're working with are temporary (installed by the Bureau of Engineering) or if they're permanent (installed by the now defunct Nuisance Alley Conversion Project).
If the gates are green, old, and rusty, they were likely installed under the Nuisance Alley Conversion Project, which means the gates are private property. You can paint them, but they'll have to come out of your private expenses. I would also try to get the okay from your neighbors (and maybe they'll pitch in, too).
I hope this helps!
For anyone else reading, here's more on the temporary gates installed by the Bureau of Engineering - engpermitmanual.lacity.org/land-development/technical-procedures/07-temporary-street-and-alley-closures
If someone that owns a home with one of these alleys, are they allowed to put their own lock on the gate?
Yes, but technically anyone else that has a home next to the alley needs to have a key. It’s joint private property
There are a lot of these Alleys in DTLA, some just want to make money off of Filming when they can. They are normally only cleaned out when a film company comes alone and pays to have them cleaned. Or they fill up with parked cars which might be an issue for the Fire Dept access.
There is no money to be made on or in these alleys. Until it does. Watch what the city does when that happens.
It is better for the community ..they belong to home owners..they increase exit ....
I got a better question.. Why do south LA area residents think it's legal to double park all night without hazards on, that's only in the ghettoest of areas, even in Willington, could it be they don't fear tickets or tows!?!
Giving homeowners the ownership of alley ways in areas where low income is prominent is crazy to me. People can care less about the cleanliness or functionality of an alley and it pavement until it's dilapidated and unusable, and since the local homeowners adjacent to the alley owns the property it will over all lower the value of each owners property. Sounds like lose lose to me.
Alleys were originally constructed so the sidewalks and curbs are uninterrupted by driveways onto the property giving the owners more space for gardens etc to access the property with a car you would use the alleys behind the homes.. i would think alleys are public property since they were constructed using taxpayer's money.. however i can understand why they would restrict the public access especially with the homeless and illegal dumping..
Right. Alleys in theory are great. But LA history shows they can be inefficient and a financial leech in some communities. It’s really sad.
For people wouldn't come and dump junk or dead bodies.
Man I just wanna thank those gates for those times the saved me from those Fckn pits on the street
I wish u would futher this story with actual south central community leaders
"South LA" or "South Los Angels" is code for black people. We used to live in "South Central Los Angeles." "South Central" was the code for black people and the most dangerous areas in the city. One day the city council decided to rename the area to just "South LA" in order to avoid the negative connotation. Yes, as if changing the name of the area would make things better.
I remember the trash people coming and picking up the trash and also the police patrol inos Ally's back in the early seventies and early 80s
A lot had changed, but some alleys are still patrolled/used as short cuts if the gates are left opened
Alleys, where we would run and get away from the police in the late 80s early 90s.
That's why homeowner's want them gated and locked !
Some stuff u r saying is not true