In LA Koreatown, illegal dumping lingers for months despite repeated complaints

Los Angeles’ Koreatown continues to struggle with illegal trash dumping, as trash remains uncollected for months even after repeated reports to city services. Residents say the problem has worsened, therefore fueling frustration and safety concerns in residential neighborhoods.

Scott Shin, 54, who lives near Westmoreland Avenue in Koreatown, said trash dumped in front of his home went uncollected for nearly three months. During that time, he filed more than 10 complaints through the city’s service request system, MyLA311. However, no cleanup followed.

“I kept reporting it, but nothing happened,” Shin said. “Even on days when the city said crews would come, no one showed up. Still, the case status was marked ‘closed.’”

As the trash piled up, the situation worsened. Homeless individuals began gathering near the site, and discarded items were sometimes thrown onto parked cars, causing damage. The area includes single-family homes and apartment buildings, therefore many families with young children live nearby.

“It got so bad that my kids didn’t even want to walk in front of the house,” Shin said. In addition, he contacted the Los Angeles City Council District 10 office for help, but he said he received no response. The trash was finally removed on January 27, roughly three months after the first complaint.

Koreatown records some of the highest numbers of illegal dumping complaints in Los Angeles. According to MyLA311 data, 12,640 illegal dumping reports were filed in Koreatown between April and December last year.

The area near New Hampshire Avenue and Fourth Street led the city with 206 reports during that period. Other high-complaint locations include 3525 West Third Street, 826 South Hobart Boulevard, and 734 South Ardmore Avenue. However, residents say visible trash often remains long after reports are filed.

On February 4, trash including old Christmas trees, plastic containers, cans, and cardboard was seen piled along a landscaped strip near New Hampshire Avenue and James M. Wood Boulevard. The waste emitted a strong odor and appeared to have been there for months.

A Korean American senior living nearby said, “Even if it gets cleaned once, trash comes back quickly. This area always looks like a dumping ground.”

Residents increasingly question the effectiveness of the reporting system. Steve Kang, president of the Los Angeles Board of Public Works, said some complaints were automatically closed due to technical issues.

“During an app upgrade last April, system errors caused some requests to be automatically processed or canceled,” Kang said. “Most issues have been fixed. However, a small number of cases are still affected.”

He added that the city plans to increase cleanup efforts in areas of Koreatown with severe dumping problems. In addition, he urged residents to continue using MyLA311 and remain proactive in reporting violations.

BY YOONSEO SONG  [song.yoonseo@koreadaily.com]