LOS ANGELES (AP) - A federal judge has rejected a petition by downtown Los Angeles property owners and residents to block a settlement that restricts the city from clearing Skid Row homeless encampments, but he says they have another course to seek relief.
The Los Angeles Times reports U.S. District Judge S. James Otero ruled Tuesday that the April settlement between the city, homeless individuals and advocates closed a case that began with a 2016 lawsuit.
A property owner arguing to block the settlement said risk of fire and vandalism had increased exponentially and his security and pest-control costs were being driven up.
The judge ruled that if such allegations are true and traceable to the settlement, the petitioners could bring separate litigation against the city or the homeless people and their advocates.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/
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