Los Angeles Post Office Encampment Cleared, But Concerns Remain

Neighbors and an unhoused man express skepticism about lasting change and inconsistent outreach efforts.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:59am

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A homeless encampment that had overtaken a Los Angeles post office parking lot was cleared out by cleanup crews on Saturday. While officials say they are working on a long-term solution, nearby residents and an unhoused man named Trey expressed doubts that the encampment will stay cleared, citing a lack of consistent outreach and resources provided to those displaced.

Why it matters

The clearing of the post office encampment highlights the ongoing challenges of homelessness in Los Angeles, where makeshift camps have become a common sight. The skepticism from locals and the unhoused individual reflects broader concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of the city's efforts to address the crisis.

The details

The cleanup crews removed garbage, drug paraphernalia, and rats from the parking lot of the post office off 7th Street and Burlington Avenue in the MacArthur Park area. A nearby business owner said he is not confident the lot will stay clean, predicting the encampment will return within 12 hours. At another nearby encampment, an unhoused man named Trey said he has been moved from encampments nine times in the past three months, but the city rarely offers housing or other resources, calling the efforts more of a "camera gimmick".

  • The encampment was cleared on Saturday, April 13, 2026.
  • On April 1, 2026, FOX 11 first exposed the unsanitary and unsafe conditions at the encampment.

The players

Trey

An unhoused man who said he has been moved from encampments nine times in the past three months, but rarely receives housing or other resources from the city.

United States Postal Service

The federal agency that owns the property where the encampment was located and coordinated the cleanup effort with the city of Los Angeles.

City of Los Angeles

The local government that worked with the Postal Service to clear the encampment, though it has not yet responded about the services offered to those displaced.

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What they’re saying

“I don't know what to say, nothing's really changing.”

— Nearby business owner

“It's a nice gesture, but honestly, as soon as it's gone and cleaned up, maybe like 12 hours later, they're going to come back with their tent, feces on the floor, needles. I've seen it multiple times.”

— Nearby business owner

“I'm not a lost cause. I shouldn't be forgotten about. No, I don't want to live like this. I was just stabbed.”

— Trey, Unhoused man

“A few times we were, but every time there was never a follow-up. It was more of a camera gimmick.”

— Trey, Unhoused man

What’s next

Officials say they are working on a long-term solution that might prevent the encampment from coming back, but the city has not yet responded about the specific services offered to those displaced from the cleared encampment.

The takeaway

The clearing of the post office encampment highlights the ongoing challenges of homelessness in Los Angeles, where makeshift camps have become a common sight. The skepticism from locals and the unhoused individual reflects broader concerns about the effectiveness and sustainability of the city's efforts to address the crisis, underscoring the need for more consistent and comprehensive outreach and support services.