Shocking photos blow apart the narrative being pushed by the councilwoman overseeing the drug-plagued, zombie-like chaos at MacArthur Park.
Lefty DSA Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, now running for re-election in the district that includes the park, took to social media this week for a victory lap, touting claims that drug overdoses are down in the area.
People huddle while smoking at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, March 18, 2026. Ringo Chiu
Open drug use continues in broad daylight at MacArthur Park despite millions spent on outreach and services. Ringo Chiu“The opioid epidemic didn’t happen overnight,” she said, blaming “failed policy, corporate greed, disinvestment and a system that treated problematic substance use as a crime instead of a health issue.”
She pointed to investments in street medicine, harm reduction, “Peace Ambassadors” and overdose response, adding: “When we invest, we start to see what’s possible.”
Hernandez called the progress “HUGE.”
But shocking photos taken Wednesday by The Post at MacArthur Park show dead rats and birds floating in the park’s pond, alongside open and ongoing drug use in broad daylight.
Dead rats and birds litter MacArthur Park just weeks after a high-profile city cleanup. Ringo ChiuThe images land just weeks after Hernandez and Mayor Karen Bass staged a high-profile cleanup at the park, complete with cameras, city officials and a social media rollout celebrating the effort.
Hernandez has poured more than $27 million into the park and surrounding area under, funding homelessness outreach, services and on-site programming.
Records show that includes cleanup operations, food distribution, showers and harm-reduction efforts such as needle and pipe distribution.
Needles, pipes and trash scattered across walkways in MacArthur Park, a stark contrast to City Hall’s claims of progress. Ringo Chiu
Residents say conditions remain unsafe as drug use and public health hazards persist in the park. Ringo Chiu
Taxpayer-funded efforts have poured more than $27 million into the area, but scenes like this remain common. Ringo ChiuHernandez has defended the spending. “We don’t ignore the real challenges here. We lean in,” she said. “That’s why our office has secured and invested over $27 million in the area to address public health and safety and bring the resources this community deserves.”
But critics say the results speak for themselves. “Sadly, for MacArthur Park, election season comes every four years, which is exactly when you will see Eunisses Hernandez attempt to do her job,” said Raul Claros, who is challenging Hernandez for the council seat.
The Post asked Hernandez’s office and the mayor’s office how much debris was removed during the cleanup, and how much it cost taxpayers. Neither responded.
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Los Angeles overall spent $417.8 million last year on homelessness programs, many focused on services rather than permanent housing solutions.
A review of city spending shows about $3 million went to hygiene stations, mobile showers and laundry services, part of a broader strategy critics say manages homelessness rather than reducing it.
Meanwhile, the city’s CARE+ sanitation program, which includes cleanups like those seen at MacArthur Park, carries an annual cost often estimated at more than $60 million, though roughly $36 million is tied directly to program operations.
The city budget allocated $56 million for CARE+ in 2024–25, dropping to about $35 million in the 2025–26 fiscal year.
