Someone Dumped Junk on My Property or Street — What Now?

You walk out to your car and there it is: a stained mattress against your fence, a pile of drywall in the alley, or a broken sectional in front of your rental property that nobody on the block will admit to. Illegal dumping is one of the most common complaints in Los Angeles, and when it lands on your property or street, it becomes your problem fast. Here is how to handle it.

Step 1: Figure out where it is

What you do next depends on whose land the junk is on:

• Public right-of-way(the street, sidewalk, parkway, or a public alley): the city is generally responsible for cleanup once it's reported.
• Your private property(your yard, driveway, private alley, or a vacant lot you own): cleanup generally falls to you as the owner, even though you didn't put it there.

Step 2: Report it

In the City of Los Angeles, report illegal dumping through MyLA311 (online or in the app) or by calling 311. Give the exact address or cross streets, describe what was dumped, and attach a photo. Public-right-of-way reports go to LA Sanitation for pickup.

Outside city limits the process varies. Unincorporated areas are handled by LA County (see LA County's illegal dumping page), and cities like Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood run their own services. Search your city's name plus “report illegal dumping.”

Even when the junk is on your private property, a report is worth filing. It creates a record, helps the city spot dumping hot spots, and supports any enforcement if the dumper is identified.

Step 3: If you saw it happen, document it safely

Don't confront anyone. If you can do it safely, note the time, a description of the vehicle, and the license plate, and keep any doorbell or security camera footage. That's the evidence that makes enforcement possible. Illegal dumping is prosecuted under California Penal Code 374.3, and dumping large amounts is a misdemeanor.

Step 4: Get it cleaned up

If it's on public property and you've reported it, the city will schedule a pickup. If it's on your property, don't let it sit. Dumped piles attract more dumping, rodents, and code enforcement complaints, and the longer it stays, the more it signals that the spot is fair game.

One caution: don't just drag it to the curb. Moving someone else's junk from your yard to the parkway without a scheduled pickup puts you in the position of the person dumping it. Either schedule a bulky item pickup (if your home is serviced by LA Sanitation) or have it hauled. Our junk removal crewcan clear dumped items the same way we clear anything else, including construction debris, which bulky item programs often won't take. See construction debris removal.

Watch out for hazardous materials

Paint cans, chemicals, car batteries, and anything leaking or unidentified shouldn't be handled like regular junk. Leave them alone and mention them in your report. Our post on what junk haulers can and can't take explains where household hazardous waste goes.

Step 5: Make your property a harder target

Dumpers look for spots that are dark, hidden, and already messy. A few things help:

• Clear dumped items quickly; piles attract more piles.
• Add lighting and a visible camera to alleys, side yards, and vacant lots.
• Fence or gate open areas where a truck can pull in unseen.
• If you manage rentals, give tenants an easy legal option at move-out, so the leftover couch doesn't end up out back.

Landlords dealing with a tenant's leftover belongings, rather than a stranger's junk, have a specific legal process to follow first. See California's abandoned property rules for landlords. If you just need a pile gone, get a quoteand we'll take care of it.