LOS ANGELES, CA – A fire at a vacant commercial building on South Hope Street in the South Park area of downtown Los Angeles on Oct. 12 has renewed safety concerns among residents, who say people keep entering the repeatedly burned buildings despite metal barriers, a police surveillance tower and city nuisance declarations, according to city officials and neighbors.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) logged a structure fire at 1235 S. Hope St. at 7:46 p.m. Oct. 12. The alert described a vacant two-story row of commercial buildings with fire showing on the first floor.
LAFD said 56 firefighters knocked the fire down in 24 minutes. One civilian was assessed for smoke inhalation, and the cause was listed as undetermined.
Residents say the neighboring property caught fire the same night the owner had begun demolishing a building on the block that was damaged in earlier fires. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said LAFD is the lead agency investigating the fires.
Mayor calls situation unacceptable
Mayor Karen Bass addressed the fire in a statement, saying: “This is unacceptable.” She said the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) issued an order requiring the owner of 1235 Hope Street to clean up and barricade the building after the fire.
Bass’ office said it continues working with residents, business owners, LAPD, LAFD and LADBS to secure the buildings. The efforts include installing cameras, making sure property owners hire private security and making changes to building facades.
The mayor’s office said it will keep working with city agencies and property owners on safety concerns along the block.
Earlier fires on the same block
The Oct. 12 fire is the latest in a series of LAFD responses on the 1200 block of South Hope Street this year. On May 10, firefighters responded around 3:59 a.m. to a commercial building fire at 1225 S. Hope St., near Pico Boulevard, in a two-story office supply company, according to an LAFD news release. About 124 firefighters were initially assigned, the incident became a Major Emergency, one firefighter was hospitalized and the cause remained under investigation.
On July 10, crews responded at 5:31 a.m. to 1224 S. Hope St. In an LAFD alert, the department said first-arriving companies reported “a two story vacant commercial building that was previously burned.” About 71 firefighters extinguished the fire within 23 minutes of the 911 call, no injuries were reported and the cause was undetermined. LAFD requested that the Department of Building and Safety investigate.
Eight days later, at 1:04 a.m. July 18, firefighters returned to 1224 S. Hope St. for another fire, according to a second LAFD alert. The building was described as a 100-by-150-foot two-story row of commercial space with previous burn damage and fire on the first and second floors.
Incident Command ordered a defensive posture to protect neighboring structures. Later, the alert said, “Crews transitioned back to an offensive posture as flames were brought under control.” No injuries were reported, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and LAPD assisted.
In May, the office of City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents District 14, said residents “deserve to feel safe in their homes.” The office said it was working with city departments on unsafe and unsecured properties on the block.
Nuisance declarations and barriers
The city’s Board of Building and Safety Commissioners declared 1220, 1224 and 1246-48 S. Hope Street public nuisances on Aug. 25. Metal barriers were installed afterward, and a police surveillance tower was brought in to watch the block.
Residents say those steps have helped, but that people still get inside. Resident Jeremy Lara said people are going in and out of the buildings, including scrap metal collectors, and that it has made walking in the area unpleasant.
Residents also say they raised concerns about the buildings months before the latest fires. About two months ago, one resident warned that a woman staying inside another property could be at risk if the building caught fire.
How vacant building abatement works
LADBS runs a Vacant Building Abatement process for buildings that are open, vacant and abandoned. After a public hearing, the department can declare such a building a nuisance, a hazard or both.
LADBS then issues an order to the responsible person to abate the problem within 10 days of the mailing of the order. When owners do not comply with orders to clean, secure or demolish, LADBS contractors perform that work.
Council shortened abatement timelines in June
The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-0 on June 4 to adopt amendments to Divisions 89 and 90 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code on nuisance, hazardous and substandard properties, according to Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez’s office. Rodriguez represents District 7.
The amendments cut the time to begin abatement from 30 days to 15 days and the time to complete it from 90 days to 45 days. They also allow the city to use other departments and contractors for abatement, cost recovery and demolition when warranted.
Mayor seeks $2 million for priority properties
In a statement from the mayor’s office, Bass asked the City Council to restore $2 million to clean and secure priority nuisance properties. The Council had removed the money from her proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27.
The mayor’s office said LADBS counts more than 100 priority vacant nuisance buildings across the city. It said it is working with LADBS to strengthen enforcement tools so the city can step in earlier and move faster.
Neighborhood council calls for faster process
Jens Midthun, president of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, said the problem reaches beyond Hope Street. He said abandoned buildings in the Fashion District are also catching fire, and that the properties matter to the neighborhood because they are surrounded by residential areas.
Midthun said residents have organized to push for changes to the city’s enforcement process. They have called for streamlining the process of declaring properties nuisances and giving it more force, he said.
According to Midthun, at least three properties along the block have been declared public nuisances. Residents say they want stronger measures to keep people out of the buildings and prevent another fire.
Man found dead on Hope Street
Separately, LAPD said a man was found dead Sunday morning, Oct. 18, in the 1200 block of Hope Street. Central Division officers responded around 10:36 a.m. and requested help from the fire department.
Paramedics pronounced an adult man dead at the scene. LAPD said officers documented the incident as a natural death investigation, and that no connection between the death and the fires has been confirmed.
Fire investigations remain with LAFD
LAFD is the lead agency investigating the fires, and LAPD referred questions about their causes to the fire department. The cause of the Oct. 12 fire was listed as undetermined.
The order for the owner of 1235 Hope Street to clean up and barricade the building remains in place, according to the mayor’s office. The city’s work with residents and property owners on cameras, private security and facade changes is continuing.
