Los Angeles business owners and residents criticized the city’s decision to remove the planters, which locals said had significantly reduced crime in the area.
“I think what they did was really terrible because the planters were there to keep the encampment away,” said Hollywood resident Jackie Antebi. NBC4 Los Angeles.
Crews removed the planters along Highland Boulevard in Hollywood on Monday after a city investigation found they had been installed without proper government permits. Local business owners and residents reportedly installed the planters in May to prevent a homeless encampment from taking over the area.
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Los Angeles business owners and residents criticized the city’s decision to remove the planters, which locals said had significantly reduced crime in the area. (Getty Images)
“We understand the frustration felt by local businesses about this issue and encourage residents to follow legal procedures and work with the city to obtain the proper permits to install community beautification projects on public roads,” a spokesperson for City Councilman Hugo Soto Martinez told NBC4.
“It’s been years since I’ve been able to walk down this street because it’s full of drug dealers and homeless people. It’s not safe. I’ve been ambushed just trying to walk home,” Antebi said, describing life since the planters were installed on the street.
Some business owners noted they have seen a significant drop in crime since the planters were installed in May.
“Crime has gone down by at least 90 percent in this area,” business owner Andrew Monheim said. “We’re just trying to run our business and keep people safe.”
“This has been left unattended, so we’re just trying to find a better solution,” Monheim said. “If they’re going to remove the flowerpots, they should do something about it or have a beautification strategy instead of just putting a body on the ground.”
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A massive housing tower in California will give homeless people sleek new living spaces and luxury amenities like a cafe, gym, and TV lounge. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images/Weingart)
Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis continues to divide residents, with money from state housing funds and tax credits being used to pay for homeless housing in Skid Row housing towers.
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“We’re trying to make our little corner of the world look and feel a little better,” Kevin Murray, CEO and president of the Weingart Center Association, told the outlet.
Soto-Martinez’s office and Mayor Karen Bass did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ Nicholas Lanham contributed to this report.
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