Los Angeles Crews Raid Storm Drain Homeless Encampment [WATCH]

City crews in Los Angeles cleared another homeless encampment Thursday, this time inside a storm drain tunnel in Canoga Park, as officials continue efforts to address encampments across the region, as reported by The New York Post.

Video from the scene showed crews entering the underground storm system, where individuals had created makeshift living areas beneath the streets.

Authorities said the site was accessed through a manhole on a sidewalk near the Los Angeles River and Bassett Street.

NEW: We witnessed a homeless woman using a storm drain as shelter in South Los Angeles today. She removed the cover and placed a dog house over the opening.

Inside: piles of trash and human waste.@CleanLAwithMe says he saw 2 people climb out today while he was there picking… pic.twitter.com/YulBPqrfUv

— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) March 24, 2026

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Rangers with the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority led the operation, removing occupants from the drain and placing them into temporary housing.

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Officials also sealed the entrance to prevent further access to the underground system.

Local news KTLA in Los Angeles, California says the homeless problem is so out of control the homeless are now even living in the city’s sewers and storm drains

“Residents here telling us this area has gotten worse when it comes to the homelessness, living in RVs or tents, and… pic.twitter.com/cx8c6lO5AZ

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 27, 2026

Inside the tunnel, crews encountered extensive debris, trash, and human waste. KTLA reported that the conditions had turned the storm drain into an unsafe environment for habitation.

Officials said encounters with unhoused individuals in similar locations often follow a pattern, with some declining city services and later returning to storm drains or other concealed areas, sometimes digging deeper into underground systems instead of accepting assistance.

The Canoga Park cleanup follows another recent operation in South Los Angeles.

That site, located near West 88th Street and South Grand Avenue, had been used intermittently as an overnight shelter by individuals seeking protection from exposure on the streets.

Residents living near these underground encampments have raised ongoing concerns about activity in and around the sites.

Neighbors have reported issues, including crime, vandalism, and drug activity linked to both tunnel encampments and surrounding tent communities.

One nearby resident described the situation as a “terrible” problem and said officials could be doing more to address conditions in the neighborhood, according to KTLA.

WATCH: People are now living inside storm drains in South LA.

We witnessed someone climbing out of the sewer system where conditions include human waste, trash and an overwhelming stench.

Neighbors say they’ve complained to the city for months but feel ignored. pic.twitter.com/P25DwsBt0q

— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) March 24, 2026

The cleanup operations are part of a broader effort by city authorities to manage the ongoing homeless crisis in Los Angeles. The city and county have allocated significant funding toward housing initiatives in recent years.

Since 2020, at least $2.6 billion in taxpayer funds has been spent on purchasing and renovating properties, including hotels, motels, and dormitories, to provide housing for the unhoused population.

According to officials, $1.3 billion of that funding came from California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Homekey initiative, which supports the acquisition of properties for housing purposes.

An additional $1.3 billion has been used by the city and county of Los Angeles to renovate those properties for occupancy.

Despite these investments, city crews continue to conduct cleanup operations at encampments across Los Angeles, including locations in storm drains and other areas not intended for habitation.

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