City crews on Monday removed planters placed on some Hollywood sidewalks by business owners to prevent encroaching homeless encampments, leaving some residents and businesses frustrated and dismayed.
The planters and garden beds were placed along the sidewalk on Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue in May after shop owners said homeless encampments had completely blocked sidewalks and access paths for almost two years.
For its part, city officials said the businesses need permits and called the planters an obstruction, leaving notices on them late last week that warned of their removal on June 24.
Businesses in the area, including Andrew Monheim who owns Monheim Microphones, say the planters are no more of an obstruction on the sidewalks than the crush of tents that used to line Sunset Boulevard for years.
“This is like bare minimum of where we should be right now,” he said. “We should never have a thoroughfare blocked with bodies and waste because the city neglects the area. This is not a war on homelessness.”
Frustrated with the entire situation, Monheim said the removal of the planters is unbelievable.
“It’s totally disrespectful to the small businesses and the people that have been the lifeblood around here,” he added. “I’m not just talking about myself, but businesses that thrive around here and keep the pulse. There is no reason that they should have to stand around watch this go to the worst possible scenario.”
Businesses owners are not the only ones upset to see the planters go. Hollywood resident Jacqui Antebi said having the encampment-preventing planters on the sidewalk was the first time she felt safe in her neighborhood in years.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to walk down the street in years because this is filled with drug dealers, homeless people. It’s been unsafe,” she explained. “I almost got ambushed once just trying to walk home. I live right around the corner.”
In April, some 35 people were living in front of the legendary Sunset Sound, which nearly had to shut its doors because of the encampment. The owner of the recording studio also believes it was homeless residents who burglarized his business in February, a crime in which someone defecated on a drum set.
In that case, the city said it worked to get housing for those living outside Sunset Sound and called the initiative a success, though many in the area fear the block will again be overrun by the same shady issues without the planters in place.
“What do you do? You can’t walk through here at night with people and not be concerned about the people you’re with, your own safety,” Monheim said. “Not to mention how disgusting it is.”
While the battle for the sidewalks is over for now, businesses in the area told KTLA that they’ll be filing for permits, that is, if they can survive in Hollywood long enough to do so.
“This is just wave one, we have plenty of fight,” Monheim added.
L.A. City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, who represents the area, said he sympathizes with the business owners, but said they have to follow the legal process.