Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
The Process To Take Down The Fence Around Echo Park Has Begun
Last year, a group of individuals disassembled the fence surrounding Echo Park lake. Another attempt was made this week, ahead of L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez saying he is starting the process of permanent removal.
(
Ashley Balderrama
/
for LAist
)
That fence around Echo Park? L.A. City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez said Thursday that it's officially coming down.
The timing
Soto-Martínez made an official announcement Thursday that his office is in the process of taking down the fence, but he wants to make sure the city can help anybody who might try to camp at the park once the fence is gone.
"We don't want to rush it," he said. "We want to make sure that we have all the resources, the service providers, the outreach workers lined up and ready to go before finalizing the exact date."
The backstory
Mitch O'Farrell, Soto-Martínez's predecessor, put up the fence almost two years ago after clearing a large encampment of unhoused people that settled in the park early in the pandemic.
At that time, the LAPD arrested around 180 people who protested the encampment's removal.
Sponsored message
Since then, unknown groups of people have torn down parts of the fence twice. The most recent instance was on Monday.
The removal of the people living in the park and the fence became a major campaign issue last year. Ultimately, Soto-Martínez, who is known for his progressive politics, defeated O'Farrell by 15 percentage points.
"We understood that this was a campaign promise, but we didn't wanna rush it," he said in an interview with LAist. "We didn't want to do the same mistakes that were done in the past."
He called it "coincidental" that another attempt to remove the fence took place this week, saying "our intention was to move this forward as one of our first items."
Soto-Martínez's full statement
Our full statement on the fence at Echo Park Lake pic.twitter.com/tHPEGP7yvJ
— Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez (@CD13LosAngeles) February 2, 2023
Help us understand the issues facing L.A.
As L.A. Mayor Karen Bass begins her term, tell us what issues feel most urgent to you.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
