Residents are demanding tighter security around a planned $82 million park in Los Angeles after graffiti appeared at the site before it has even opened, with concerns also being raised about crime and possible homeless encampments.
The Sixth Street PARC, short for Park, Arts and River Connectivity, is being built beneath and alongside the Sixth Street Bridge, linking the Arts District with Boyle Heights. The 12-acre development is intended to include a soccer field, playgrounds, a splash pad, green space and facilities for community events.
But construction fencing still surrounds much of the site and graffiti is already visible in parts of it. Tom Trafelet, a nearby resident, told FOX 11 that some of the markings were artistic but described most of them as “crap”.
Margarita Amador, another neighbour, said she feared the park could suffer the same problems associated with MacArthur Park, a large public space elsewhere in Los Angeles that has faced long-running concerns over crime and homelessness.
“We definitely don’t want a MacArthur Park duplication. We foresee that happening,” she said.
Residents seek 41.18 no-camping zone
Trafelet has started a petition calling for a Section 41.18 restriction around the new park. The measure would allow the city to prohibit sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal belongings in designated parts of the public right of way, subject to a location-specific council resolution.
Organisers said the petition had attracted hundreds of signatures. Residents argue that a restriction would help ensure the public can use the planned sports facilities without fear of encampments or disorder.
“We want to be able to enjoy our soccer field. We want to be able to enjoy our splash pad,” Amador said.
Trafelet said he understood the criticism that such restrictions could displace homeless people, but argued that preventing an encampment from forming would be preferable to removing one later.
The proposal comes as Los Angeles continues to use Section 41.18 for specific locations rather than imposing a blanket ban across the city. The city’s own guidance says the restrictions can apply where public access, safety or other specified concerns justify a local prohibition. ([cd2.lacity.gov](https://cd2.lacity.gov/news/la-enacts-new-limits-homeless-encampments?utm_source=openai))
Much of the PARC will sit underneath the Sixth Street Viaduct, which has itself been affected by vandalism, street takeovers and copper-wire theft. Police previously showed FOX 11 sections where wiring had been removed, leaving parts of the bridge without lighting, while lights near the park also appeared to be out during a recent visit.
Los Angeles city records show that officials are now pursuing a wider plan to restore the bridge’s lighting, strengthen vulnerable infrastructure and install cameras to deter vandalism and theft. The work is scheduled to be completed before the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. ([cd14.lacity.gov](https://cd14.lacity.gov/articles/councilmember-ysabel-jurado-announces-leading-global-engineering-firm-fortify-and-relight?utm_source=openai))
City sets out security and maintenance plans
The Bureau of Engineering, which is overseeing the park’s construction, has not announced an opening date. A city construction report lists December 2026 as the estimated completion date, although the timing for removing the fencing and beginning operations remains subject to the final opening plan. ([cao.lacity.gov](https://cao.lacity.gov/construction/20250304%20CAO%20FISCAL%20YEAR%202024-25%20%E2%80%93%20FOURTH%20CONSTRUCTION%20PROJECTS%20REPORT%20with%20Amendments.pdf))
Once the park is open, the Los Angeles Police Department is expected to monitor its security cameras live. Recreation and Parks will take responsibility for maintenance, while graffiti removal will be handled by the Office of Community Beautification and Recreation and Parks.
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado said her office was working with city departments and community groups on an agreement setting out responsibility for security, maintenance, programming and the park’s daily management.
“The Sixth Street PARC represents an $82 million public investment, and residents deserve a park that is safe, welcoming, and well maintained from day one,” Jurado said.
She has also backed the creation of a park advisory board to give local residents and users a continuing role in decisions about the space.
“Keeping this park safe cannot begin and end with fencing or a 41.18 designation,” Jurado said. “It requires clear accountability, consistent maintenance, regular programming, and a coordinated response when concerns arise.”
For residents, the dispute is about more than the graffiti already appearing on an unfinished site. Trafelet said the future of the surrounding neighbourhood’s “cultural and financial ecology” was at stake as the city prepared to open one of its largest new public spaces.
