Your neighbors want trash picked up, like, a lot
Okay, so check it—we're talking about what's *really* happening on the streets, ya sabes? The 311 service requests for Los Angeles just dropped, and lemme tell you, it's a lot of "can you please pick this up?" and "who left that there?" We're literally drowning in trash, fam.
The Numbers Don't Lie
According to the latest 311 data, the top service request is "Item Pickups," with a whopping 8,418 requests. Close behind that, "Illegal Dumping Item Pickup" racked up 6,800 requests. Then again, another "Illegal Dumping Item Pickup" with 1,744 requests. No mames, that’s over 16,000 calls just for people wanting stuff gone. Like, are we just leaving our couches on the curb now? It makes you wonder what’s happening in these neighborhoods, if people are just dumping their old mattresses on the sidewalk because they can't afford proper disposal.
And then, "Homeless Encampment" requests hit 1,873. That's a huge number, and it’s a constant reminder of the crisis we're facing, especially when you see folks struggling on every block from Boyle Heights to the beach. It’s not just an "issue" on a spreadsheet; these are real people, real lives.
What's Next
So, what does this tell us? Our city still needs to figure out basic services while also tackling the big stuff, like, *actually* helping our unhoused neighbors. Keep an eye on your local council meetings, because these numbers should be driving their decisions on budget allocations for sanitation and housing initiatives.
Marisol Vega-Cisneros, MiTL Sports Desk, East LA. The crew on the morning show breaks this stuff down every day, live at mornings.live.