According to public records, the owner is John Powers Middleton, son of Philadelphia Phillies owner John S. Middleton. Los Angeles — What was once a magnificent property in California’s Hollywood Hills neighborhood has become an eyesore after being taken over by squatters and taggers.
Neighbors view the abandoned mansion as a nuisance and a safety risk. The house is now plastered in graffiti from taggers, and squatters have been coming and going for almost two years.
One neighbor reported that 911 had been called multiple times over the last week.
“Every time we call, the police will come and they’ll clear it out, and then within an hour or two, five more people are there and staying the night,” the neighbor, who was not identified, told me.
I want to be identified. According to the neighbor, things have gotten violent on the site before. “Apparently, some squatters came and actually attacked one of the neighbors with steel rebar and beer bottle,” stated the adjacent homeowner.
Our sister station KABC caught what seemed to be three taggers leaving the house Thursday evening, with private security intervening to get them out.
The Los Angeles Police Department reports that officers have been called to the home six times this month for trespassing and vandalism. On Wednesday, police removed ten persons and arrested one on a warrant.
“The police told us they are tied because it’s still owned by the homeowner, so it’s stuck in limbo land,” a neighbor told me.
According to public records, the owner is John Powers Middleton, son of Philadelphia Phillies owner John S. Middleton.
The Phillies verified that the property belongs to the team owner’s son and informed Action News that no other Middleton family members own or have any connection in these assets.
“The California properties are held by John Powers Middleton. The Phillies stated that no other family members own, invest in, control, or are involved in these assets.
Neighbors reportedly claim they have contacted the office of Los Angeles Councilwoman Nithya Raman but have had little success in resolving the issue.
KABC contacted Raman’s office but has yet to hear back. Calls and SMS messages were sent to the mansion’s owner’s phone numbers, but no one answered.
Neighbors said they will continue to battle for a solution, and some have even considered banding together to purchase the land.
Leave a Reply