In a proactive move against the burgeoning homelessness issue in Hollywood, local businesses are placing garden beds and planters along the sidewalks, particularly near the iconic Sunset Sound Recording Studio. These installations are designed to prevent homeless encampments from obstructing access to shops and studios. Sunset Sound, a studio steeped in music history, found its entrance previously blocked with tents, impeding clients and employees alike, as reported by KTLA.
Business owners, notably from Sunset Sound, assert that the lack of responsive measures to the homelessness crisis by officials has compelled them to take matters into their own hands. While recognizing the plights of the homeless, the studio and other businesses stress they can't permit these encampments to compromise their operations. "We're not trying to displace anybody, we just need to get into our facility," Sunset Sound's producer Drew Dempsey told ABC7. This sentiment comes on the heels of several crimes, including burglary and arson attempts on the studio's property over the past year.
Matters reached a climax when a burglary in February resulted in thieves making off with blank checks, causing the studio to cancel the affected accounts. Moreover, the nearby sidewalks have been stages for unsavory activities that hamper the area's safety and creative environment. "When Miley Cyrus or Taylor Swift come in or Elton John... that means the world to us, but to be attacked or see nudity or crime, that's not conducive to being creative or feeling safe," said Dempsey, as stated by ABC7. The recurrent security issues recently led one employee to resign, citing safety concerns after dark.
The strategic, though costly, deployment of planters along Sunset Boulevard has drawn attention from the local community. Some residents, like Nicholas Almanza, appreciate the clearer paths, as he had to previously walk on the street to avoid the tents, and, empathizes with the businesses trying to maintain a clean and inviting front. However, the dramatic increase in homelessness in Los Angeles County, with numbers climbing to an estimated 75, 518 in 2023 per KTLA, leaves no doubt that the problem extends beyond the borders of Sunset Boulevard.
