U.S. News
LA Candidate Pledges Trailer Life Amid Park Crisis
Clear Facts
- Raul Claros, candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 1, announced he would live and work from a trailer near MacArthur Park if elected.
- Claros said his move is to draw attention to crime, homelessness, and drugs plaguing the area.
- Current councilmember Eunisses Hernandez’s office dismissed Claros’ plan as a publicity stunt.
Raul Claros stated he will live and work in a trailer by MacArthur Park if he wins the District 1 council seat. He believes this will shine a light on the city’s worsening crime, homelessness, and drug issues.
“We need to do something out of the box,” Claros said.
He acknowledged the plan was meant to gain attention for the issues affecting local residents.
“We definitely do want the attention,” Claros added. “We want the attention of every department and resource.”
Claros criticized Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, saying she has not addressed homelessness in the city and that recent years saw two homicides in the park.
“Councilwoman Hernandez’s office is in disarray,” Claros said. “She wasn’t able to defund the LAPD. Smarter heads on the city council stopped Eunisses Hernandez from accomplishing the only goal she has set out for herself. Now she has eight other candidates who don’t want to defund the LAPD or let crime fester, so she lashes out because by this time next year she won’t have this job anymore.”
Naomi Villagomez Roochnik, speaking for Hernandez, stated the office is focused on results, not publicity stunts.
“Our office remains focused on delivering results, not exploiting low-income neighborhoods for publicity stunts or misleading residents about how the city works,” Roochnik said.
MacArthur Park has recently experienced heavy federal law enforcement activity, including immigration raids over the summer. Federal officials note the area has a significant MS-13 gang presence.
Mayor Karen Bass criticized the raids, saying they frightened children in the park.
“What happened to the criminals, the drug dealers, the violent individuals?” Bass asked. “Who were in the park today were children. It was their summer day camp. Those kids now have no activities. They were ushered inside so that they didn’t get exposed to the troops that were walking in formation across their playground area.”
Residents and voters may see Claros’ campaign as a direct challenge to the current city council’s handling of local crises. The election could become a referendum on how citizens want their city’s problems addressed.
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