An abandoned and unfinished house overlooking the San Fernando Valley is drawing scrutiny from Los Angeles officials, leaving Studio City neighbors on edge over safety and fire concerns.
The hillside structure, located directly below the popular Universal City Overlook, was meant to be blocked off by two chains and locks guarding a narrow trail. Residents say trespassers easily bypass the perimeter through a chain-link fence.
"It's just right under the Universal Overlook, and people come at night, use it to party," said Ted, a local resident who lives near the property. "There's graffiti all over it, beer cans, and everything."
Concerned about safety, Ted locked the gate on Mulholland Drive himself on the Fourth of July. He acknowledged the act was illegal but said he believed he was protecting the property from fire and crowds.
Neighbor Chris, who lives down the hill, warned that the combination of dry vegetation and unsupervised activity poses a severe threat to the surrounding community. "We're in the hills, there's a lot of dry vegetation," Chris said, warning that a single spark could "blow up the whole neighborhood."
A fire at another abandoned property on Babcock Avenue in Studio City last week brought out media, Mayor Karen Bass, and City Councilmember Nithya Raman. Following the mayor's visit, the city moved to trim trees and erect permanent fencing.
Now the city is turning its attention to the Mulholland site. The Mayor's Office issued an order giving the property owner until Monday to remove all waste, debris, flammable materials, and hazardous items from the structure and property.
Aerial views show significant debris littered below the home, with evidence that trespassers or squatters broke out windows and discarded damaged items onto the hillside. Ted said he reached out to Councilmember Raman's office long before the order was issued but never received a response, prompting him to call the city directly a month later.