Former Vice President Kamala Harris returned to her Los Angeles home on Monday, serving food to wildfire evacuees and thanking firefighters at a county fire station in Altadena.However, her homecoming was met with mixed reactions from her neighbors in the affluent Brentwood district, with some expressing annoyance at the increased traffic and road closures due to her presence, according to the New York Post reports.
Harris, who has not yet revealed her plans after leaving office, hinted at staying active in politics during her visit. She took the opportunity to connect with her hometown in the wake of the recent wildfire disaster. We wanted to come out … and just let people know that we see them and that they are cared for,” she told reporters at an LA County fire station on Monday, after serving meals at a World Central Kitchen facility.
The former vice president’s $4.8 million home is now guarded by Secret Service personnel and black SUVs, a sight that has elicited mixed feelings from neighbors. While some, like retired lawyer Peggy Garrity and interior designer Morlene Keller, are delighted to have her back, others see the security presence as a problem.
“I’m embarrassed that she lives here, and I’m embarrassed that she represented the United States,” said Lewis, a real estate investor who is disappointed with Democratic leaders’ handling of crime, immigration, and wildfire preparedness. He hopes Harris will stay away from California politics, stating, “Karen Bass, Gavin Newsom, they’ve destroyed my state. Kamala Harris will do exactly the same. I’d rather she find another state to destroy.”
“I don’t care that she’s back, except that they block off the road whenever she comes to town,” said one resident who lives around the corner from Harris’ home.
One unnamed resident, while not minding Harris living nearby, believes she has no business in California politics and would never vote for her in any election. “She’s a good neighbor, but maybe she should just go back to the private life,” she said.
Meanwhile, some residents welcomed the return of the former vice president. “It’s tragic that she’s not in the White House, but it’s a delight to have her as a neighbor,” said retired lawyer Peggy Garrity. Her neighbour, interior designer Morlene Keller, concurred: “I wish she were back in Washington, but I’m happy to have her back.”
Despite the mixed reactions, some residents acknowledge that the neighborhood is diverse, with a mix of progressives and conservatives among the wealthy. Garrity noted, “This neighborhood is a mixed bag. It’s not only super wealthy, and even among the wealthy, there is a mix of progressives and conservatives. Mostly, people find it annoying when they block off Sunset Boulevard.”
