Man builds homeless estate along Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - It is an oasis along the Arroyo Seco that has become a unique image of the Los Angeles homeless crisis.

Using scraps, a man in Highland Park has built a home and a garden for him and his girlfriend.

FOX 11’s Susan Hirasuna took a tour of Alejandro Diaz’s home. Unlike homeless encampments or makeshift setups that have drawn the ire of Los Angeles residents, Diaz’s home is nowhere near any businesses, schools or traditional homes.

While there’s constant noise from the nearby 110 Freeway, Diaz’s makeshift home has a concrete path to the front door. The other side features a garden with freshly planted flowers and trees.

How did he pull this off? Diaz, who immigrated to the United States from Guatemala, explained he installed ladders to access the small plot of land. Then, using a pulley and scraps of materials, he put together this makeshift-house that he’s called home for about two years.

FOX 11 reached out to Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez for comment and his office issued the following statement: 

"Our office regularly works with unhoused residents living in and around this encampment. We engage multiple partners to provide services, including street medicine teams, mental health professionals, and providers who coordinate housing placements. Multiple people living in this area recently transitioned into permanent housing or into our newly opened interim housing site, Northeast New Beginnings. Right now, there are simply not enough housing options available to accommodate the more than 46,000 people who are experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles, and our team is working with our partners to urgently create pathways for more people to come indoors."

While it's unclear if the City of Los Angeles has plans to do anything about the impressive Arroyo Seco setup, it is, however, clear that Diaz is enjoying a life that's being described by others as "happy and healthy" right off the 110 Freeway.