Our smaller hotels, motels are again being populated with the socially incompetent and the criminally inclined.  The economy, a lessening of tourist presence, the broad availability of major hotels to accommodate  such, etc., are obviously factors. 

Too, incompetent management of some large apartment buildings, allows drug traffickers and the criminally inclined, a dangerous presence in our Old Hollywood.

Couple the above with a burgeoning nightclub industry and public safety and the reputation are burdened with the consequences. 

In this scene, unprecedented law enforcement attention is happily present...centered in the Yucca Corridor.  In the Corridor, we are most fortunate to have a unique resource in our LAPD/Community Service Center located @ 1718 North Cherokee Ave, Suite B, and under the leadership of a devoted volunteer, Robin Moreno.  A totally unsubsidized resource, since its opening in '95. 

Robin, has recently introduced a terrific program which really needs to be replicated thruout the city, "Have Coffee with a Cop" allows S.L.O.,  Maria Gholizadeh  and residents to interface Tuesdays & Thursdays, between 3 & 4 pm.  Together with the recent residents meeting @ the Center, blossoming problems have been pinpointed and diverse actions have helped, are helping, and, given the dismal trend, a general understanding of our 'plight' by all civically and commercially active will be needed, if our Old Hollywood, is not, once again, to fall into general disrepute. 

In the Corridor, comments heard were that the Halifax Apartments, (Yucca & Cahuenga) expensively rehabbed and housing subsidized residents, with lax management, now is host to drug dealings. 

Many complaints were voiced with respect to the Motel Six and the ReTan apartments on Whitley Ave., and the Commodore Apartments on Cherokee Avenue.  Rampant street drug dealings, violence in the vicinities.

The closure of one major attraction to the criminally disposed: the Studio Cafe, @ Cherokee & Hollywood Blvd. transformed the 1700 block of Cherokee Ave. to instant civility.  Prior to it's closing, aggressive prostitutes were...if you can believe it, demanding services of our Center.  Condoms, and the use of the bathroom!!  However, this respite is expected to end with its reopening, as we hear it, by kin to the previous complaisant host!! 

The niteclub @ 1710 N. Las Palmas Avenue is the subject of complaints by residents with respect to great late hour noise, massive drinking and 'disporting' of customers in the parking lots surrounding. They say that revelers buy cheaper beverages from a nearby off-sale site, discard cans, condoms, and a bullet, observed.  The Yucca park is to be closed earlier, but trespass over the fence, is a problem.  Civic minded, clean  the sand of offal for the 'safety' of toddlers. To see such at play is disconcerting, to say the least.

I viewed the 1710 N. Las Palmas Ave. site, and it seems to be an 'open aired' construct, as oblivious to noise concerns, as its appearance is to 'civilization' as I perceive it, anyway.   For the record, W.A.V.E. expressed concern to the Zoning Administrator with respect to the massive licensings ongoing then (as now).  How in the world, a nicer Hollywood could emerge with such, others will have to explain.

Highland Ave. & The Center have major LAPD attention due to drug traffic presence. 

The concept of attracting great crowds to drink and disport at late hours, as a principal business of the Hollywood Entertainment District has long eluded those of us long fatigued with the years of contending with the disarray and decline consequent to earlier forays by the liquor industry. To have newcomers and the local prominent witless endorse such, is demoralizing to say the least.

Hollywood Central Council & Virginia Charon are reviewing liquor and entertainment applications ongoing. Some are egregious in the extreme.  What in the world are the reasonable rationales for desiring to be open to 6 am!....and to sublet that space!!! 

A worthy application, that of the Catalina Bar & Grille to move from its long presence on Cahuenga Blvd., to a site with onsite-covered parking, bespeaks the problems of all businesses on Cahuenga Blvd. and nearby on Hollywood Blvd., i.e., the lack of parking for patrons. We urge that the only site available for such: the Galpin Truck rental property in the 1800 block be purchased by the CRA promptly. Failing such, this vicinity will remain unattractive to desirable commerce.

The Yucca Corridor residential remains problemed by lack of amenities. Only the great shortage of housing, and resurgence of youthful enjoyment of the Hollywood ethos, stays it from a decline to serving the least civil.  The weak management of larger properties owned by 'investors/speculators' rather than the sensible, remains the weak link.  Any major downturn as experienced in the early 90's will we see foreclosures and socially catastrophic consequences.

The recent murder on Cherokee, witnessed by locals, is believed by some to be drug trade related, no printable details.

The most pressing need and opportunity is that of the redevelopment of the entire block: bounded by Yucca St., on the South, Cahuenga Blvd., on the East, Wilcox Ave. on the West, and Franklin Ave. on the North. Residential owners are agreeable, commercial leases are short. An Albertson's market would cleanup the mess, just as a Safeway would have some 40 years ago but couldn't accumulate enough property.

A coherent vision for our old Hollywood needs to be advanced. We can't rely on the pro's, they have special agendas. 

Indeed Goldberg's romanticizings about a gritty Chandleresque charm are only comfortable to visit in print or on screen; or, safely on a tour bus as thru a savage savanna. In real life, to exalt the presence of the rootless, the lost, the violent and the criminal as a desirable public policy, explains all to much about the lamentable level of our civic governance. In truth, Old Hollywood, in the '30's and 40's was akin to the Larchmont Village of today. The catastrophic flight of the civil in the '60's coincided with the change in the nature of our State Legislature...the change to the full-time paid 'professional' legislator from the part-time citizen legislator. The deadly combination of special interest money and the unintended but deadly effects of naive interventions combined to make comfortable secure apartment life impossible. i.e., where previously, apartment managers lived on site but were comfortably available, as concierges, and lobbies had a 24-hour human presence generally with a resident manning a lobby phone system, within days of the legislation mandating hourly minimum wages, the presence ended, managers were affordable only 9 to 5 weekdays. The civil hosting and supervisings and counselings of diverse residents ended. Lobby furnishings disappeared, hallway safety eroded. The liquor lobby gained outrageous sway. It was decreed that the State was badly underserved, and South Central L.A. was quickly host to more licensees than 26 states. In the Yucca Corridor, 6 more licensees were approved despite massive local protests. Mid-America, already chafing with limited parking, fled the noisy scene and unsafe apartments. Owners, unable to control the behavior and condition sold, or abandoned their properties in fear of their very lives. Legislated disorder, crime, and decay.

Today, Old Hollywood's zip code 90028 shares a dire distinction along with that of Skid Row downtown, we both are at the economic bottom in L.A. County,  in terms of household income.

Failing local resolve, our bet is that by the next census, we alone will hold that role.  'Poverty' is rewarding to the local industry; and, politically, is highly esteemed. The term 'gentrify' is a pejorative hereabouts. Where subsidized housings, incomes, drug users tools, reign high, prosperity is not a goal, it means a displaced 'industry' a displaced constituency, & horrors, a displaced representation? 

Contrarily, downtown, the term 'gentrify' is catered to. Lucky them.

Do visit our Community Center @ 1718 Cherokee (the place with the American flag in front).  Open to the public generally noon to 5 pm weekdays.  Say hello to ROBIN. Share any concerns and news, check out the resources.

Your comments to www.USHOLLYWOOD.NET encouraged.

Passing note:   Longtime activist Joseph Shea is heading eastward to Florida. Family needs and opportunities there, lack of such here.