Commentary: A walk through promising, problem-plagued MacArthur Park with its council member

I’m standing within the northern part of MacArthur Park with Metropolis Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, and the modern-day struggles of the historic area is throughout us.

Folks lie on the sidewalk or stand hunched over and immobile. Others lounge on spotty lawns close to overflowing trash cans. Graffiti besmirch timber. Police and firefighter sirens wail within the distance.

A lot to see, a lot to contemplate in a spot that has reworked right into a Rorschach take a look at for a way some folks see the challenges of Los Angeles. And what Hernandez initially needed me to concentrate to had been … light purple curbs.

“We redid all of them on this space,” the first-term council member proudly mentioned. “And also you’re in all probability considering, like, ‘Woman, like, that does not seem like it’s redone.’ However the quantity of labor and sources that we needed to put in to get this carried out, even when it’s not fairly anymore, that’s just a bit tiny little bit of the work you do round MacArthur Park.”

What I used to be considering, in truth, was that I used to be fairly underwhelmed by the light purple curbs as a signpost for progress.

For many years, dispatches from right here — in mainstream and social media — have depicted an out-of-control park two steps away from “The Strolling Lifeless.” The world is so nationally infamous that the Border Patrol selected it to stage an invasion right here in July, full with a literal cavalry of brokers trotting down a soccer discipline the place children often play whereas Nationwide Guard troops sat inside armored Humvees on Wilshire Boulevard.

It’s a disgrace, as a result of MacArthur Park is the yard for one of many densest neighborhoods in the US, a modern-day Decrease East Facet of immigrants and their kids. A succession of council members have labored for generations to maintain these 35 acres free from troubles solely to see it crash down on their political repute.

The most recent one is Hernandez, who’s operating for a second time period towards a slew of opponents making an attempt to hold MacArthur Park like an albatross across the neck of the 35-year-old politician.

Previous-line liberals have blasted the democratic socialist for de-emphasizing a police presence in favor of volunteers and contract staff armed with little greater than overdose kits, notepads and cellphone numbers. The New York Publish, scheduled to launch a California version subsequent week, has printed at the least seven anti-Hernandez tales since December, together with one which described MacArthur Park as a “zombie drug den.”

She accepted my invite to take me round it for an hour and present what she has carried out to enhance it, what nonetheless wants work and whether or not voters ought to decide her efficiency solely on this sliver of the first District, which works from Pico-Union all the best way to Glassell Park.

“MacArthur Park is experiencing” issues, Hernandez acknowledged shortly after we met at its neighborhood heart on sixth Avenue. “Is it every part? Completely not. And it’s a disgrace. With that hyperfocus, you throw that neighborhood away as a substitute of seeing its potential and worth.”

MacArthur Park is L.A.’s Norma Desmond — a spot lengthy lionized as a former jewel supposedly ruined by waves of newcomers and apathetic politicians. All through my life, I’ve recognized the place as gritty on its finest days. I noticed the worst in February, once I walked to Langer’s after a go to to the Mexican Consulate and noticed teams of individuals smoking God-knows-what whereas bored regulation enforcement officers stood round.

I repeatedly requested Hernandez what she was seeing as we strolled previous scenes of human distress. Previous fenced-off sections of Alvarado Avenue, the place distributors as soon as offered their wares. Close to a soccer match the place the gamers introduced in their very own goalposts as a result of the town can’t present any.

“I see lots of people, see lots of potential, lots of inexperienced area, lots of areas to activate,” Hernandez mentioned.

The scent of urine wafted round us.

“It’s stunning for everyone to care a lot about it.”

She then threw the identical query again at me.

“I see magnificence,” I responded. “I additionally see lots of people that need assistance.”

I see progress.

Over her three years in workplace, $28 million has been spent on MacArthur Park via metropolis, county, state, federal and personal funds. Folks reliant on social media reels would possibly suppose all of it a waste.

However the extra we walked, the extra I used to be seeing — dare I say — a change for the higher.

Close to a statue of St. Oscar Romero, Karen Bracamonte and Katharine Murphy helped a person fold his garments and place it in a laundry cart. They’re members of the town’s so-called Circle crew, psychological well being professionals tasked with checking in on unhoused folks.

“We cowl lots of floor, however, you understand, we will’t get every part,” mentioned Murphy, 40. She began at MacArthur Park final summer season. “There was a nasty batch of tranq final week, so we needed to cope with that as a substitute of serving to folks with common stuff.”

Bracamonte has labored at MacArthur Park for 3 years. Her son is unhoused. “Some elements are higher,” the 54-year-old mentioned. “As a result of there’s extra groups out right here that may help. However is it actually higher? As a result of now the place will we put folks up? There’s not sufficient beds. There’s not sufficient meals. There’s not sufficient every part.”

Throughout the nook from us was Langer’s, whose proprietor made nationwide information in 2024 when he vowed to shut his famed delicatessen if MacArthur Park didn’t enhance. Staff power-washed the sidewalk as Hernandez and I ambled on. Close by, folks huddled round a automobile handing out groceries.

What about critics who say the self-described police abolitionist ought to work nearer with regulation enforcement to wash up the park, I informed her.

“The heaviest arms have been representing this space earlier than me, and what did they’ve to point out for it? Nothing,” she responded as we made our manner right down to the lake. Hernandez introduced up “The Lease Collectors,” a 2024 ebook by former Occasions reporter Jesse Katz that covers the historical past of MacArthur Park via a gang homicide.

“It’s simple responsible me for the dereliction of obligation that has been happening right here for a lot of, a few years earlier than I got here into workplace,” she continued. “And a part of my time in Metropolis Corridor is making an attempt to get the town to do issues in a different way as a result of for therefore lengthy, they’ve been doing issues the identical manner and anticipating totally different outcomes. And what do we now have? A crumbling metropolis…This neighborhood, these folks, they deserve good issues.”

We now by the sting of MacArthur Park’s lake, which Hernandez hopes to enhance its water high quality so folks can use pedal boats on it for the primary time in 20 years. For an excellent three minutes, the scene round us regarded like a slice of Irvine.

Hernandez walks previous paintings painted on planters surrounding the lake at MacArthur Park.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Occasions)

Canada geese honked and waddled throughout stretches of grass the place I noticed condoms and damaged glass pipes final 12 months. Birds relaxed on the water. Senior residents did their morning circuits. There wasn’t a single distressed individual to see. It was nonetheless dirty, however MacArthur Park’s famed magnificence was there, a magnificence unmatched by newer parks — if solely Hernandez and others might burnish it.

“See that playground?” Hernandez mentioned, gesturing towards a jungle fitness center close to Park View Avenue.

The one broken by an arsonist within the fall of 2024 shortly after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment?

“We fought arduous for that to be fastened ASAP, and now there’s a bit little bit of safety round it,” pointing at a small fence. She then checked out streetlights. “They’re solarized. We put them up late final 12 months. It’s twofold. It will get us nearer to our sustainability objectives. And it additionally is way extra resilient to copper wire theft.”

Hernandez plans extra enhancements for MacArthur Park and its surrounding streets. Bushes. Spots for meals distributors. Programming with native nonprofits past the Levitt Pavilion bandstand that hosts summer season concert events. A $2.3-million fence proposed by the Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners final fall that may encircle it and which Hernandez helps as a result of “the park does deserve what state historic park will get, which is to shut down and refurbish.”

We crossed Wilshire Boulevard and bumped into David Rodriguez and Diego Santana, who function so-called peace ambassadors, an Hernandez initiative that contracts nonprofits to assist patrol the district. Each grew up within the neighborhood and have lived via MacArthur Park’s travails. Under us was the soccer discipline that the Border Patrol trampled over half a 12 months in the past.

“You see lots of children these days,” mentioned Santana, 35. “And it wasn’t like that lately.”

Rodriguez waved towards a gated pathway. “There was a 5K run that it was opened for,” mentioned the 42-year-old. “You didn’t see that earlier than.”

“It’s a lot cleaner,” Santana added. “There’s nonetheless points, nevertheless it’s getting higher.”

Peace ambassadors Diego Santana, left, and David Rodriguez clarify to Hernandez and Occasions columnist Gustavo Arellano, not pictured, how they imagine the park has improved.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Occasions)

A person named David approached us.

“You reside round right here?” Hernandez mentioned.

“I’m homeless,” he responded.

“Do you want any assist?”

“I want a job.”

Santana and Rodriguez walked away with him to take down his data and direct him to sources. Hernandez beamed.

“I feel folks and conservative media — and oftentimes even, you understand, not conservative media — they paint MacArthur Park as if the sky is falling,” she mentioned. “I hope folks additionally see past the crises that it is a jewel. There’s a lot life. However folks shrink it right down to problematic substances.”

We walked again to the neighborhood heart however not earlier than Hernandez stopped me from stepping on contemporary canine poop as she mentioned, “I’ve needed to struggle for each single penny and funding and sources which are on this neighborhood in my time period. And I’ll proceed to take action as a result of they deserve it.”

An overdose crew was checking in for the day. I requested the council member whether or not she was prepared to face by MacArthur Park below her watch as she campaigns for 4 extra years.

“Each day with my complete chest, 10 toes down,” Hernandez replied. “And that’s why I preserve coming again. I don’t run away from issues. I might have simply forgotten about MacArthur Park as a result of, you understand, that’s what historically has been carried out. However no, I ran to it.”

There’s nonetheless a protracted option to go, I believed — however Hernandez is getting there. She definitely appears to be making an attempt, regardless of what her haters insist. The council member received in her SUV and drove off, however not earlier than rolling down the window to shout out yet another message:

“You possibly can inform everybody that the sky isn’t falling right here and we’re simply getting began.”