Homeless encampment in Beverly Grove continues to raise concerns
BEVERLY GROVE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A homeless encampment in Beverly Grove continues to raise concern and frustration among business owners in the area.
Eyewitness News first reported on the situation earlier this month after one upset business owner complained about a woman who was seen lying naked on a couch in the homeless encampment.
Since then, other owners have voiced their frustration and have been asking local officials to find a solution. Many say the tents are deterring customers.
The tents sit along San Vicente Boulevard, just south of the Beverly Center and near the city of Beverly Hills, which remains free from tents on sidewalks.
"I was about to park in the alleyway but there were a bunch of homeless people," said Beverly Grove resident Navene Shata, who was out on Friday night. "You know, we're both single girls here in L.A. We just don't feel safe."
RELATED: 'Nude homeless encampment' reported in Beverly Grove area
One woman who talked about her frustrations with the encampment said someone smashed a window at her restaurant. It's unclear who smashed the window or how it happened, but the restaurant owner vowed to visit Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' office every day until something was done with the homeless encampment.
Although the city cleaned up trash and debris in the area, the city of L.A. has yet to find solutions for the people. The encampment grew throughout the month of April.
"I feel bad because, you know, everyone needs a home and after the pandemic, everything's kind of raised in prices," said Beverly Grove resident Louis Torre.
The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in L.A. costs roughly $2,200 a month, depending on who you ask. The road to get into that kind of housing is several steps removed for people starting in the streets.
The city is obligated to abide by lawsuit settlement agreements that make finding temporary housing a more thorough process, one that takes longer than smaller, more agile cities like Beverly Hills next door.
If there's one thing everyone agrees on? The unhoused individuals need help.
"I think we need to do something about this," said Shata. "L.A. is so beautiful, it's a gorgeous place."
However, the compassion is running thin for people like Michael James, who owns a business in the area.
"They attack cars, they tried breaking into my van several times so I can't keep any of my vehicles here," he told Eyewitness News. "I'm parked here because I'm in my office and my car's exposed in the back so I don't want to take any chances."
