Since 2016, Boyle Heights has almost always ranked as the top Los Angeles neighborhood with the most 311 requests, the city’s non-emergency service. Last year was no different.
In 2024, the neighborhood saw 50,935 requests, about a 6% increase from the 47,897 the year prior, according to publicly available MyLA311 service data.
Overall, the city saw a similar increase, with requests climbing about 5% from 1,345,291 to 1,415,228 during the same time period.
If you’re not familiar with the resource, MyLA311 connects residents with over 1,500 city services in the quickest and most accessible way.
It can be used to report issues including illegal dumping, graffiti and streetlight outages or find out general information on the city. The full range of services MyLA311 provides is available online, and you can even just call 311 to learn more.
Here’s how to access the service:
- Dial 311 any weekday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
- Visit the city services directory to file a request or report 24/7.
- Download the MyLA311 app on the Google Play or Apple App stores.
After a request is submitted, it is assigned to the corresponding city department.
The time to fulfill a request varies depending on the request type, priority and volume of requests being handled by the assigned department, according to the MyLA311 website.
For example, it currently takes an average of more than 180 days for the Bureau of Street Lighting to address streetlight outages due to an increase in copper wire theft and vandalism in recent years, according to the Department.
Boyle Heights by the numbers
In 2016, Boyle Heights ranked first in the city with the most requests at a total of 34,104. That means the neighborhood has seen a nearly 50% increase in calls to 311 from 2016 to 2024.
Top reports in Boyle Heights
Top issues facing Boyle Heights have always included streetlight outages, illegal dumping and homeless encampments. The biggest offender in 2016 is still the biggest offender now: graffiti.
In 2016 Boyle Heights saw 20,353 311 calls related to graffiti removal. That number rose to 29,423 last year, an increase of about 45%.
Noting how big of an issue it has been, CD 14 Councilmember Ysabel Jurado is looking at the possibility of alternative solutions in the future.
“Recognizing that graffiti abatement makes up a large portion of calls, our office is looking into what supplemental services we can bring on, especially in light of a difficult budget year ahead,” Jurado said.
While some have attributed the high number of 311 requests in Boyle Heights to the neighborhood’s proximity to freeways, where people often dump items illegally, or to its high density compared to others in the city, others say it’s an indicator that residents are informed and care about their community.
“While I’m glad that Boyle Heights residents use 311 as a resource, I think it’s important to make sure the community experiences reasonable response times,” Jurado said.
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