A bus stop on Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown has been partially occupied by a makeshift sleeping area for at least 10 days, according to a field report on Aug. 6. The setup, made from green, blue and purple tarps and blankets, takes up about half the sidewalk next to a bench.
Reporters said the encampment has remained in place while patrol police, Metro personnel and bus stop management staff passed by without taking noticeable action. The situation comes as Los Angeles County has been under extreme heat warnings and advisories, with officials warning that people living without air conditioning, older adults and residents with chronic illnesses face a high risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
County health officials urged people to call 911 immediately if someone shows signs such as confusion, fainting, hot and red skin, or a body temperature above 103 degrees. City officials have also repeatedly asked residents to check on neighbors and vulnerable people while cooling centers are open, but the scene at the bus stop suggested little visible attention.
The report said the issue is not just one of inconvenience, but one of safety in dangerous heat. Metro and other responsible agencies were not immediately shown taking action in the field report, and the article questioned why the area had been left unattended.
