Residents decry growing encampment near Gridley and 183rd; sheriff outlines 14‑day notice enforcement

Dozens of Cerritos residents told the City Council on June 12 that a homeless encampment northwest of 183rd Street and Gridley Avenue has expanded and is creating safety and public‑health concerns.

"As of this week, I estimate 20 to 25 individuals living in the makeshift structures in the area," resident Jared Lujan told the council, describing fires, trash and what he said were recent property break‑ins. Several neighbors said people are entering residential streets and that fires have been lit near dry brush.

Captain Drew Strong of the Cerritos Sheriff's Station said deputies and code enforcement inspected the sites, posted notices and issued citations where appropriate. "They normally leave a posted sign for 14 days and then we offer them assistance and if they refuse the assistance 14 days later we come back and we'll cite them," Strong said, noting the city does not own the main properties and that cleanup is a responsibility of the rail or transit property owners.

Council members urged a multi‑faceted response. City staff said they would follow up with the residents after the meeting and that they had contacted county and Metro representatives to press for quicker action at the property near Gridley.

The council did not adopt any new ordinance at the meeting; instead, members directed staff and public‑safety partners to coordinate outreach to people in the encampment, to pursue citation and cleanup steps where permitted, and to report back to residents and the council on next steps.

The sheriff reiterated that citations alone are unlikely to be a long‑term solution and said the department prefers a combined approach of outreach, services and property cleanup to prevent reencampment.