Mayor Karen Bass called for legal action Monday against the owner of a Studio City property that neighbors said has been plagued by problems for years, including a fire at the San Fernando Valley location last week.
Bass directed the Los Angeles Department of Building Services to place a lien on the property near Babcock Avenue and Moorpark Street, just west of Whitsett Avenue. A fire broke out Wednesday morning at the abandoned property, which became a flashpoint in the campaign for mayor between Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman.
Liens can be placed on properties for unpaid fines, nuisance abatement, public nuisance declarations and other violations. Bass’s office said the lien on the property would be used to help recoup city costs.
Bass also asked the building and safety department and city attorney’s office to evaluate obtaining a court-ordered receiver — usually, a court-appointed third party who would manage legal matters involving the site — for the property and others owned by the same owner that are considered a community nuisance.
Crews worked to clear an abandoned Studio City property Friday. Teams were removing trash and other items from the property two days after the fire.
Residents said the lot has been occupied by homeless people for years and called the early morning fire the latest in a long list of problems that they reported to the city, including trash and disruptive behavior.
On Thursday, the city’s Department of Building and Safety said the lot was declared hazardous and that they would start demolishing and cleaning out the site Friday. Video from NewsChopper4 Thursday showed what appeared to be a mattress, shelving, table, clothes, containers and other items scattered at the site.
A notice of major cleaning was posted on a fence, indicating a cleanup was planned in the coming days.
In the meantime, the troublesome lot became a point of contention between Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman, her challenger in the November election. Raman, whose council district includes the neighborhood, visited the location Friday morning and spoke with residents and reporters.
“The fire at this abandoned property was preventable,” Raman said. “The residents of Los Angeles don’t need a back-and-forth between the mayor and me. They need results.
“This is not a criticizing of the system. It is evidence that the system itself is broken and needs repair.”
Bass said Thursday that she relies on each council district to tell her about nuisance properties.
“If that’s what it takes to resolves these issues, I’m happy to call the mayor personally and ask her,” Raman said. “But again, having to call the mayor and ask here is the sign of a broken city.”
Bass acknowledged the comments from Raman during her news conference Thursday at the site, but said it wasn’t acted upon because the property was not specifically labeled an “emergency.”
A fire broke out Wednesday morning in an abandoned Studio City lot that neighbors said has been a long-time safety concern in the San Fernando Valley community. Keenan WIllard reports for NBC4 at 5 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2026.
“I would agree that we can improve the process, there’s not question about that,” Bass said Friday. “I would also agree it should’ve worked one way. The point is, is that when your constituents are in danger because their health is compromised or their safety is compromised, you should do whatever it takes.”
Residents told NBCLA that they’re disappointed after years of complaints about the property.
“The blame lies at every level,” one resident told NBCLA. “Nobody truly had somebody working who cared to do something about it for over five years for us.”
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety general manager said if there is a reporting issue, the department will address the matter. The city department offers forms on its web site to report residential and commercial property complaints.
The city’s Residential and Commercial Complaint and Referral division is responsible for investigating property code violations, including those with commercial buildings, and single-family residences.
The city also has a Contract Nuisance Abatement Division, which handles open, vacant, abandoned, and vandalized buildings under a process known as Vacant Building Abatement. The process involves declaring properties a nuisance and/or hazard after a public hearing. If property owners fail to comply with an order issued by the city to clean, secure, rehabilitate or demolish buildings, the city’s VBA steps in for abatement work — cleaning, security and possibly demolishing a building through a contract that’s awarded annually to contractors.
Reports also can be made via the city’s 311 Call Center.