Solar Drive, deep in the Hollywood Hills, is a ritzy block of expensive homes. But over the past year, an empty mansion was overrun by squatters and partiers. Permission for the gate is temporary, but hikers are upset by blocked routes.
While there are other entrances to the park, many hikers used to park on Solar Drive because parking was easy and convenient. One regular user complained that the road was public, and should be available for use by all. The gate is approved for 18 months only, with the hope that the situation with the mansion will be resolved by then.
Reporter Kate Linthicum explains how the house ended up vacant and overrun:
"Built in the 1990s for a couple who split up during its construction, the nearly 10,000-square-foot house was abandoned for years, according to real estate agent Richard Klug.
It was used at various times as a drug den, a gang clubhouse and a place to hold raves. The evidence is in the broken windows and graffiti."
FULL STORY: L.A. council agrees to gate Hollywood Hills community
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