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 think about in a spot that has reworked right into a Rorschach take a look at for the way some folks see the challenges of Los Angeles. And what Hernandez initially needed me to concentrate to have been … light crimson curbs.
“We redid all of them on this space,” the first-term council member proudly stated. “And also you’re in all probability pondering, like, ‘Lady, like, that does not seem like it’s redone.’ However the quantity of labor and assets that we needed to put in to get this executed, 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 pondering, the truth is, was that I used to be fairly underwhelmed by the light crimson 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 realm 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 youngsters 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 youngsters. 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 fame.
The newest one is Hernandez, who’s working for a second time period in opposition to a slew of opponents attempting to hold MacArthur Park like an albatross across the neck of the 35-year-old politician.
Outdated-line liberals have blasted the democratic socialist for de-emphasizing a police presence in favor of volunteers and contract staff armed with little greater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 telephone 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 executed to enhance it, what nonetheless wants work and whether or not voters ought to choose her efficiency solely on this sliver of the first District, which works from Pico-Union all the way in which to Glassell Park.
“MacArthur Park is experiencing” issues, Hernandez acknowledged shortly after we met at its neighborhood heart on sixth Avenue. “Is it every thing? Completely not. And it’s a disgrace. With that hyperfocus, you throw that neighborhood away as a substitute of seeing its potential and worth.”
Los Angeles Metropolis Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, heart, talks with homelessness outreach staff Katharine Murphy, left, and Karen Bracamonte at MacArthur Park on Jan. 15, 2026.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Occasions)
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 identified the place as gritty on its finest days. I noticed the worst in February, after I walked to Langer’s after a go to to the Mexican Consulate and noticed teams of individuals smoking God-knows-what whereas bored legislation 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 bought their wares. Close to a soccer match the place the gamers introduced in their very own goalposts as a result of town can’t present any.
“I see lots of people, see numerous potential, numerous inexperienced area, numerous areas to activate,” Hernandez stated.
The scent of urine wafted round us.
“It’s lovely 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 by metropolis, county, state, federal and personal funds. Folks reliant on social media reels may assume 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 town’s so-called Circle workforce, psychological well being professionals tasked with checking in on unhoused folks.
“We cowl numerous floor, however, you recognize, we are able to’t get every thing,” stated 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 features are higher,” the 54-year-old stated. “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 thing.”
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. Employees power-washed the sidewalk as Hernandez and I ambled on. Close by, folks huddled round a automotive handing out groceries.
What about critics who say the self-described police abolitionist ought to work nearer with legislation enforcement to scrub 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 means all the way down to the lake. Hernandez introduced up “The Lease Collectors,” a 2024 e-book by former Occasions reporter Jesse Katz that covers the historical past of MacArthur Park by a gang homicide.
“It’s simple guilty me for the dereliction of responsibility that has been occurring 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 attempting to get town to do issues in a different way as a result of for thus lengthy, they’ve been doing issues the identical means and anticipating completely different outcomes. And what do we’ve got? 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 a great three minutes, the scene round us appeared like a slice of Irvine.
Hernandez walks previous art work 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 particular person 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 stated, gesturing towards a jungle health club close to Park View Avenue.
The one broken by an arsonist within the fall of 2024 shortly after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment?
“We fought exhausting for that to be mounted ASAP, and now there’s a bit of 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 much 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 live shows. A $2.3-million fence proposed by the Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners final fall that will 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 by MacArthur Park’s travails. Beneath us was the soccer discipline that the Border Patrol trampled over half a 12 months in the past.
“You see numerous youngsters these days,” stated 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,” stated the 42-year-old. “You didn’t see that earlier than.”
“It’s a lot cleaner,” Santana added. “There’s nonetheless points, however it’s getting higher.”
Peace ambassadors Diego Santana, left, and David Rodriguez clarify to Hernandez and Occasions columnist Gustavo Arellano, not pictured, how they consider the park has improved.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Occasions)
A person named David approached us.
“You reside round right here?” Hernandez stated.
“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 assets. Hernandez beamed.
“I believe folks and conservative media — and oftentimes even, you recognize, not conservative media — they paint MacArthur Park as if the sky is falling,” she stated. “I hope folks additionally see past the crises that it is a jewel. There’s a lot life. However folks shrink it all the way 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 stated, “I’ve needed to battle for each single penny and funding and assets 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 workforce was checking in for the day. I requested the council member whether or not she was keen to face by MacArthur Park below her watch as she campaigns for 4 extra years.
“Each day with my entire chest, 10 toes down,” Hernandez replied. “And that’s why I hold coming again. I don’t run away from issues. I might have simply forgotten about MacArthur Park as a result of, you recognize, that’s what historically has been executed. 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 attempting, 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 another message:
“You’ll be able to inform everybody that the sky isn’t falling right here and we’re simply getting began.”
