Let me just say that there are far worse alleys and streets elsewhere in Los Angeles. So why should I point out this one in Valley Village?
It is one of many canaries in the coal mine popping up in what were otherwise problem-free areas in the Valley. That’s why.
I won’t mention the specific location out of respect for the privacy of the adjacent residents.
The alley is a little over fifty yards long, but in recent weeks, an old sofa and a used tire have been dumped – none of which belongs to the neighbors. One of the impacted residents called 311 to no avail.
I’ve tried calling but gave up after listening to prerecorded music for fifteen minutes. That’s not the first time I have experienced such a wait.
To add to the mess, one resident decided to commission students to paint graffiti on her fence, apparently in protest of her neighbor’s building addition. The addition is another story – it has been stalled for about two years. There is no telling what damage the December rains did to the exposed structure.
It may be that the city will not be able to classify the “mural” as graffiti since it was done with the owner’s permission. Councilman Krekorian’s office is looking into it.
If that’s not enough, another house on the alley has been abandoned for at least two years. The owners took a perfectly beautiful Spanish style cottage and turned it into a tasteless two-story structure. It gives new meaning to curb appeal – as in gutter.
The house has already attracted graffiti and the property is weed-infested.
The worst part is that people are giving up trying to get resolutions for problems like these. I can’t say I blame them. Frustration wears you down. I sense that more and more of us are accepting third world standards as the norm.
That has to change.
We need to insist that the city deals with the structural deficit that is dragging our quality of life down. Neither the City Council nor the mayor want to deal with renegotiating benefit-laden union contracts that suck up more of the general fund as each year passes.
Apathy is our worst enemy. Unless we repeatedly call our elected officials to complain, the deterioration will continue. I fear that too many residents will not until the streets turn to dust, tree limbs fall like rain and used furniture piles up on the curbs.
I’m sure our officials would like that. It makes their overpaid jobs easier.
I personally witnessed three young Graffiti “artist” with spray cans “painting” these walls last week. How is this a mural when the Handy Car Wash on Ventura Blvd. can’t display a historical mural of SFV history? We all know that graffiti like this will only attract MORE graffiti, crime and illegal dumping of trash in our community, which has increased since this “art” went up. This boggles the mind. How about a mental health call for this property? Clearly there is something seriously wrong with the judgement of the owner. It feels like the City of L.A. is going to the dogs!
I share your frustration. I have a feeling we will need the services of the City Attorney on the mural.
Let’s just say the property owner is “unique.”
Having “artist,” “painting,” and, “art” in quotation marks is offensive to anyone who does consider street art to be an art form. Just because you do not appreciate it does not make it any less of any art form, and if you come into this issue with an attitude that graffiti art is something worthless or less than other art forms is inherently closed minded and a bad way to approach any issue. These students have found an artistic medium that is appealing to them, and in these times, with art as under encouraged and taught as it is, it is important to continue to encourage that, especially in cases such as this, when they have been offered a legal way to do it.
Finally, to suggest that the owner of the house is crazy for liking this type of art is incredibly closed minded and offense.
I don’t believe the “artist’s” motivation was about “art”. There is much more to this story, but I will not discuss it here.
If you really want to see Los Angeles in a degraded slide take a look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15113857@N05/sets/72157625475270199/show/with/5261792863/
Trees that are in desperate need of trimming, potholes galore, raised sidewalks ripe for a trip and fall suit, trash piled up for weeks, illegal dumping that was there so long the taggers took over, impassable sidewalks. Makes that alley look like Rodeo Drive.
Dan- That is exactly what we are trying to avoid here. Graffiti is sprouting up more & more since the “artwork” came to the neighborhood along with illegal dumping. Anonymous -You can call whatever you like… I don’t like it!