In response to a long-standing issue with homeless encampments, business owners in Hollywood, California, have installed planters to keep tents away from their storefronts. This move comes after years of battling the encampments that have driven customers away. Despite their efforts, the city has ordered the removal of these planters, prompting defiance from the business community.
The business owners took action after a two-year fight to clear the homeless tents from their area. When city officials finally cleared the encampments at the beginning of June, the owners installed planters and garden beds to prevent the tents from returning. They had tried numerous times to get help from law enforcement and city officials but were ignored. However, the city has labeled these planters as obstructions and demanded their removal by Monday morning.
Andrew Monheim, owner of Monheim Microphones, expressed his dismay at the city’s stance. “We’ve literally watched all our neighbors leave,” Monheim told KTLA-TV. “I think one of the saddest things right now is small business retention. The mayor should be embarrassed because it’s disgusting how many small businesses have fled and left.”
Monheim and other business owners are outraged by the city’s response. “You should be proud to have tourists walking down the street instead of defecation and p*** on the ground,” Monheim said, addressing the officials. “You should be proud to have money coming in and flowing through your city.”
Paul Camarata, owner of Sunset Sound music studio, has criticized the city’s lack of action for years. “It’s been a frustration for me and all my employees,” he told KABC-TV. “They were blocking our entrance, blocking our trash can removal. Obviously, not conducive for the clients that come in here to see what’s going on and they’ve got to wade through it driving in.”
Camarata mentioned that he spoke to the mayor, who assured him that the homeless tents would not return. Nonetheless, business owners are standing firm in their decision to keep the planters. Monheim even suggested he might chain them down to prevent removal. “They will not move on Monday,” he asserted.
The conflict between Hollywood business owners and the city underscores the challenges in addressing the homeless crisis while supporting local commerce. The owners’ resistance reflects their determination to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for their customers.
