Flies, rats and other vermin are swarming Boyle Heights. Who’s handling pest control?

Flies, rodents and other pests have been a persistent problem in Boyle Heights and nearby communities as millions of pounds of food rot in a nearby burned-out warehouse. It’s gotten bad enough that L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is asking for action from the L.A. County Department of Public Health.

In a letter sent Tuesday to county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, Bass said she’s “concerned with County DPH’s pace in addressing this disaster” and the risks it posed to health and quality of life.

“Possibly the worst manifestation of these risks is the severe infestation of flies in Boyle Heights and neighboring communities,” Bass wrote.

The Department of Public Health responded to Bass' letter on Wednesday afternoon. The letter, signed by county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, outlines what the department is doing and says the county shares “the city’s urgency in addressing the risks of severe infestation,” but doesn't commit to any new actions.

Public Health "staff have reviewed Lineage’s insect vector management plan, provided direction to strengthen its implementation and impact," and incorporated feedback from the city, according to the letter.

The Department of Public Health said in a statement to LAist that although it is required to monitor the spread of vectors and enforce Los Angeles County code regarding infestations, it does not perform pest control — it only requires that the owners or occupants of private property do so.

The back-and-forth between jurisdictions

Bass wrote that the city of L.A., which does not have its own health department, is largely dependent on other agencies for control of potentially disease-carrying vectors. The city has said elsewhere that its Sanitation Department did set about 250 rat traps in surrounding areas.

Bass’ letter says the county took its first steps to hold warehouse operator Lineage accountable for a fly infestation on July 17, ordering the company to remove flies and mosquitoes from the property.

“Although I appreciate that County DPH has taken this first step, the County’s report only directs Lineage to eliminate flies from Lineage’s own property,” Bass’ letter to Ferrer states.

Bass urged the county to compel Lineage to address pests at neighboring properties “with aggressive measures to eliminate the flies and any other vectors.”

An L.A. County Department of Public Health spokesperson told LAist on July 17 that it had itself directed the city and Lineage to address the pest situation.

“Los Angeles County Department of Public Health requested that both Lineage Logistics and the City of Los Angeles develop and implement a vector/insect control plan,” the statement reads.

Lineage’s part

According to Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights on the L.A. City Council and met with Lineage representatives on Monday, an inspector contracted by the company confirmed that the rotting food at the warehouse is serving as a breeding ground for flies. The infestation won’t go away without addressing the root cause, Jurado reported the contractor as saying.

“Removing waste, adding odor-control equipment, and conducting a pest inspection are important,” Jurado said in a statement. “But residents are asking a more fundamental question: Are conditions actually improving? They deserve evidence, timelines and accountability — not just a list of activities.”

Lineage has not yet presented its pest control plan to the public.

A ticking clock

The first day of instruction for L.A. Unified schools is Aug. 12, three days before the city’s current deadline to clear the warehouse — a deadline Lineage does not appear to be on track to meet.

That’s led many teachers and parents to raise the alarm about smells and pests that may very well still be around when school starts. An LAUSD spokesperson told Boyle Heights Beat that it is prepared to temporarily relocate nearby schools, as they did with summer programs during the warehouse fire.

Lineage meets deadline at last minute

Meanwhile, Lineage also faced a deadline of Tuesday to present a plan to air quality officials on how to address smells of spoiled food, which have been reported from miles away. A South Coast Air Quality Management District spokesperson said Tuesday that the agency received a response from Lineage at 5 p.m. and was evaluating it.

On Wednesday, Lineage told LAist in a statement that it's in "active discussions with AQMD to implement all reasonable and effective mitigation efforts throughout the cleanup process."

“Lineage is committed to the fastest and safest cleanup possible, including aggressive efforts to reduce odors and monitor air quality throughout the process,” said Alex Rodriguez, Lineage's vice president of operations. “We are committed to working closely with South Coast AQMD to address concerns and mitigate the impact of the warehouse fire on the surrounding community.”

Lineage has now posted its full response letter to South Coast AQMD online.