Squatter takes over abandoned home in Arleta, raising frustration of neighbors

Some residents in an Arleta neighborhood have raised concerns after a vacant home was taken over by a squatter. But KCAL News' Joy Benedict was invited into the home, where she got heard his side of it all.

The man, who wished not to be named, moved into the home recently after spending years on the street.

"I used to stay around in the park, but I came into the abandoned house to start repairing it," he told Benedict.

Despite a series of holes in the ceiling and the floor, he says that he was really trying to spruce the place up. When asked what he's done to renovate in the last few months, he said that he's restored some doors, window and flooring.

Even though he doesn't have running water or electricity, he's says that he's able to get by.

"Everything I get is from recycling," he said.

Despite his claims, neighbors say the truth is quite the contrary and that he's actually tearing the house down and sending it further into disrepair.

"Our neighborhood needs help," said Terri Cortez, who lives next door. "It's horrible. The individual on drugs is up all night making noise, constantly making loud noise all night. We can't sleep, we can't even walk safely in front of that house."

The man admits that he struggles with a substance abuse problem, but working on the home has given him something to do, which he believes is keeping him busy and helping him stay sober.

He says his end game is to use the home for his family one day.

Los Angeles County records show that the home still belongs to a man named Craig Lalton, but he died in 2020. Since then, neighbors say that there are been a slew of squatters temporarily occupying the home at one time or another.

One of its temporary tenants even set fire to the property in 2022.

The records show that the home was listed in default on its loan with Bank of America in 2023, and thus put up for auction. City officials still stop by the put up signs warning people not to enter, but that hasn't really stopped anyone neighbors say.

"The current individual there now has been removing windows. The house has been boarded up twice and the city inspectors have been out here many times, posting signs about vacant abate order not to occupy," Cortez said.

She says that the man inside just takes the signs down when they're put up again.

Benedict asked the man what he would do if the city came and told him that he wasn't able to live there, to which he had a simple answer.

"I'll leave," he said.

Neighbors say that the opposite is true, leaving them with fear and frustration for the places where they should feel safest.

The Los Angeles County Department of Building and Safety, along with Los Angeles Police Department and the local Los Angeles City Council member's office have been contacted over the ordeal. But, with the owner dead and no family members claiming the property, the process becomes more complicated.