In a bold move to address what many locals deem Los Angeles’ most glaring issue, City Council candidate Raul Claros is taking his campaign directly to the heart of MacArthur Park.
Challenging District 1 incumbent Eunisses Hernandez, Claros parked a 30-foot RV right in the park on Friday, announcing his intention to spend the weekend there.
“I’m here to show my dedication,” Claros declared to The California Post. “I’ll stay in MacArthur Park as long as it takes for this issue to gain the attention it deserves.”
This initiative coincided with another wave of arrests by federal authorities, part of their persistent crackdown in the area.
For months, the FBI, DEA, and LAPD have been targeting what they’ve identified as an open-air drug market in and around the park.
Yet, Claros contends that these operations have done little to alter the daily reality for those living nearby.
“The very next day after these kinds of operations, things still feel and look the same,” Claros said. “The issues don’t just disappear.”
For years, frustrated residents and business owners have sounded the alarm over drug use, violent crime, gang activity, illegal vending, homelessness and deteriorating conditions surrounding the once-iconic park.
MacArthur Park has become a central issue in the District 1 race, where incumbent Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez is facing growing scrutiny over conditions that critics say have spiraled under her watch.
Claros insists the RV isn’t a campaign stunt.
“When the community is hurting, leadership should show up,” he said.
The candidate said he selected MacArthur Park because it has become the clearest symbol of what many residents believe is broken inside City Hall.
“I’ve talked to residents and business owners who feel completely forgotten,” Claros said. “A lot of people have lost hope that anything is going to change.”
If elected, Claros says restoring MacArthur Park would be one of his first priorities.
He says his plan calls for establishing a command center inside the park and coordinating city departments, law enforcement, outreach workers and recreation staff in an aggressive effort to reclaim both the park and surrounding streets.
“We have to start with MacArthur Park,” Claros said. “Then we move into the surrounding neighborhoods. It has to be a full reset.”
The RV stop marks the launch of a five-day campaign tour through Council District 1.
“They people here are frustrated. They’re tired. They’re fed up,” Claros said. “I want them to know somebody is willing to fight for this community.”
