Los Feliz Ledger Read by 100,000+ Residents and Business Owners in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Vol 11. No. 12 June 2016 Atwater Village, Echo Park & Hollywood Hills Some Hiccups Homeless Count in First City-Run is More than Greek Season Just Numbers By Erin Hickey By Erin Hickey, Ledger Ledger Contributing Writer Contributing Writer GRIFFITH PARK—After a Homelessness is holding rocky start to the season, steady in Los Angeles City relations have smoothed be- Council District 4, while it tween the newly city-run has increased dramatically in Greek Theater and its resi- Council District 13, according dential neighbors. to results released in May from This is the Greek’s first a citywide homeless count season under city manage- conducted in January by Los ment in four decades, follow- Angeles Homeless Services ing a controversial decision Authority (LAHSA). Addi- by the Los Angeles Dept. of tionally, the number of home- Recreation and Parks Board of less American Indians or Alas- Commissioners not to renew kan Natives in both districts long-time booking and man- spiked alarmingly in 2016: a agement company Nederland- six fold increase in CD4 and er’s contract when it expired in two-fold in CD13. October 2015. Here’s how the numbers According to Recreation played out in the two districts. and Parks Chief of Staff An- thony-Paul Diaz, SMG, the SPLASH OF COLOR—A runner at the recent Color Run 5K crosses a checkpoint and is rewarded Council District 4 company hired to manage, with blasts of tropical-colored dust. The run/walk returned to Dodgers Stadium May 21st in its There are 628 homeless but not book, the city-run the- latest stop on the Tropicolor World Tour 2016. Marking its 5th anniversary, this year’s Color Run individuals, less than a 1% ater has “an open door policy included the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Back on My Feet—a charity that combats home- increase from a year ago, in- and direct line of communi- lessness by raising funds with running events. Photo: Milke Pallotta/Los Feliz Ledger. dicating that while the city’s see GREEK page 9 overall homeless population is growing, it is not within the district, which runs from Beachwood Crime & Fire Stats Sign Revenue Blocked River Hancock Park to Silver Lake Show It’s Safe Despite Tourist Crush Can’t Help Pathways to and to Sherman Oaks. According to the survey By Allison B. Cohen Tourism Woes Reopen results, three quarters of the By Kurt Rademaekers BEACHWOOD CANYON— By Andrew Murphy Davis, district’s homeless population The most recent unwanted Ledger Contributing Writer Ledger Contributing Writer is male between the ages of 25 and 54. Additionally, the sur- visitor to the tiny neighbor- Now that the El Niño BEACHWOOD CANYON— vey indicated growing numbers hood poised directly below the threat has passed, to the relief Whether it is Oscar winners of white, African American or Hollywood Sign and known of many community mem- like Argo, action flicks like black and American Indian or as Hollywoodland, was a man bers, the U.S. Army Corps of San Andreas, or late-night Alaskan Native homeless indi- arrested May 25th after climb- Engineers has begun remov- talk shows like Jimmy Kim- viduals. Of the last ethnicity, ing the letter “D” of the city’s ing some flood control barriers mel Live!, the Hollywood Sign the survey indicated a six-fold most infamous landmark. along the Los Angeles River appears frequently on the sil- increase from 2015. The 24-year-old’s prank A local cinematographer takes a self- and restoring the popular path ie in front of the Hollywood Sign. ver screen, and such films and While the numbers of and the ensuing swirl of po- ways that run beside it. Photo credit: Dylan Chapgier. television shows pay for the homeless individuals in the lice and news media helicop- The federal agency, in right to use the image. district remained relatively ters televising the gag live on to the area’s approximate 540 January, installed three miles However, it is not the city stagnant compared to 2015, the local evening news shows homes, which dead-ends at of barriers along the river, in- of Los Angeles who makes according to the survey, there his just another example of a trailhead of Griffith Park creasing its capacity to prevent money off the sign’s lucrative are, today, fewer chronically the chaos the sign brings area within close proximity to the flooding in Atwater Village, licensing fees. In fact, the city homeless in the district, which homeowners. sign—the small community Elysian Valley and along the 5 does not even fully own the could mean there are more Since GPS on smart living in the sign’s shadow Freeway. Hollywood Sign. people homeless for the first phones started directing have complained the crush of But by doing so, they also Instead, its ownership is time, but could also indicate hoards of tourists to cars and tourists have caused blocked public access to sec- governed by a complicated successful LAHSA housing North Beachwood Can- much more than quality of tions of bike paths and the yon Drive—the only access see BEACHWOOD page 12 see TOURISM page 23 see RIVER page 10 see HOMELESS page 8 Out and About: Community News: Community News: Community News: Atwater Editorial: High school junior Your guide to local outdoor What’s up with that bright Impact of city-mandated residents say ‘no thanks’ to Belen Cahill on her life as a film screenings, page 4 yellow billboard? page 5 earthquake retrofits, page 17 proposed cell tower, page 20 statistic, page 32 Los Feliz Ledger [LETTER FROM THE [STREET LEVEL] PUBLISHER] What’s Influencing You The city has a knack for ini- This June 7th? FOUNDED 2005 Available at these locations: tiating ideas or projects without By Michael Darling, Ledger Contributing Writer Delivered the last Thursday of Atwater Library each month to 34,500 homes and having the foresight of how to 3379 Glendale Blvd. businesses in the Los Feliz, pay for them. One case in point, With the June 7th California primary in just a few days, what Bruce Q’s Barbershop & Salon Silver Lake, Atwater Village, is when Mayor Eric Garcetti issues are the most important to you in this presidential election 3013 W. Los Feliz Blvd. Echo Park and Hollywood Hills Casita del Campo declared last year a state of and do you know whom you’re voting for? communities. 1920 Hyperion Ave emergency regarding the city’s Citibank increasing homeless population, “I don’t know the Peace and Freedom Party, 1933 Hillhurst Ave. 1965 Hillhurst Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027 Courtney + Kurt Real Estate which was then followed up a who I’m voting but I like Bernie. The econo- (323) 741-0019 3167 Glendale Blvd. few months later with, oh, by for, but I like my is the most important issue Dresden Restaurant the way, we don’t have enough the issue of free to me.” PUBLISHER/EDITOR 1760 N. Vermont Avenue money to pay for it. college.” – Natalie Y., outside Sacred Allison B. Cohen House of Pies 1869 N. Vermont ASSISTANT EDITOR Regarding a much less – Carolyn J., Light Los Feliz Public Library Sheila Lane critical issue, imagine my sur- outside the Skylight Theater 1874 Hillhurst Avenue prise when I discovered this “The most im- EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Los Feliz 3 Theaters 1822 N. Vermont month the city now says it “I don’t know portant issues Erin Hickey ADVERTISING SALES Muddy Paws Coffee does not have enough money yet. My most to me are social 3320 Sunset Blvd. Libby Butler-Gluck Newsstand to fund the construction of a important issue equality, cli- 323-644-5536 youth baseball field in Griffith is student loan mate change Vermont and Melbourne [email protected] Palermo Park, even though it has been debt.” and reversing GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT 1858 N. Vermont in protracted legal proceedings – Max A., Citizens United, that awful Tiffany Sims Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce since 2014. The reason the city outside Skylight Books decision.” 1724 W. Silver Lake Drive For more stories Skylight Books has no money for the project? – Richard W., outside Sky- 1818 N. Vermont and updates: A city employee underestimat- “I’m not sure light Books The Village Bakery and Café ed its costs by 500%. because I need LosFelizLedger.com 3119 Los Feliz Blvd. Former Los Angeles City to do more re- “I already voted Councilmember Tom La- search first. I by mail. I Bonge once indicated he ex- will say I lean opened up a pected a shortfall of funds for Democrat be- beer, filled in the project—perhaps he was cause social justice and social my ballot and it aware its estimated price tag equality are the most impor- was easy. I’m OD • ART • MUSIC was so grossly misstated—and tant issues to me.” voting for Bernie because FO he would use Quimby Funds, – Marco M., outside Trump is crazy and I’m wor- money developers pay the city Skylight Books ried about what Bill will do in exchange for approval of with all his free time in the some projects—to make up “I haven’t really White House while Hillary’s the shortfall. given much out of town. But seriously, Current councilmember thought be- LGBT equality is the most im- Daily David Ryu, through a spokes- cause Califor- portant issue to me.” Happy Hour person, says that is still a pos- nia’s a blue state – Tom W., outside Skylight 3pm-7pm sibility, but the city is hoping and I’m part of Books voters approve an expected county ballot measure this November for funding green space and parks.