Hollywood-Gower Neighborhood Association

Meeting Report

March 31, 2004

Crime Report:

Maria, our senior lead officer, reported that crime is down in the area. See crime stats. Captain Downing has created a Hollywood Area newsletter. In it he announces the second gang injunction for the Mara Salvatrucha Gang (MS). They are a very violent, hard core gang that is trying to infiltrate Hollywood from the southern regions. Hollywood has 7 gangs but they are not hardcore. MS is hardcore.

Jordan commended Maria that the Academy awards when off without a hitch. (She was assigned to that detail) He is having a problem with homeless drug addicted kids hanging out on his property and camping out. The Hollywood Free Clinic is an encampment for many kids.

Maria says that she is getting lots of complaints from the area and will focus her attention on it.

Mike Geier says there has been a great increase in the transient population in his neighborhood (Harold Way). Some vagrants that have been gone for months are back now. One woman has returned with a friend who is very aggressive/hostile. Maria will check into this.

Shawna says she complained to the little market because an aggressive beggar that took her hand when she wouldn’t give money. Maria says that his actions turned it into a robbery. Robbery is when there is fear involved. Maria says never to give them money and to call 911 when they do things like this.

Dave Monks mentioned that there are dumpsters that the homeless get into – how can you get them gated off? Maria suggested that he contact Bill Kysella – he makes a call to the city attorney and action is taken. Dave asked about the grease that restaurants allow on the sidewalk – how can we get them to take care of that? Maria suggested he contact Susan Wagner from Nuisance Abatement. Fran will send Dave the contact information for Bill & Susan.

John Walsh says he won’t give to panhandlers unless they look worse than he does. If he sees someone eating out of the trashcan, he gives them money because he knows that they are truly hungry.

John also mentioned the article in the L.A. Times about Hollywood Beautification Team forcing mural artists to sign a non-disparage statement before they could receive their final paychecks. Those who signed are unable to share any information that describes complaints or outlines their treatment by HBT during their employment.

Missy mentioned Carlos by Vista Del Mar, there’s a truck piled with belongings and there is another truck now added to the scene. She has reported it more than once. Maria knows who owns it. She used to give him tickets and he pays them all. He then moved by Selma school. The senior lead officer sent him on his way and now he’s back in this neighborhood. She says that people in the hills store their cars there as well. She says that the Highway Patrol is going to have to give him a citation because of his stuff extending too high and wide.

Mike mentioned a couple of shootings around Roscoe’s Chicken. During the MBA Allstar Game, there was trash and junk around his place. He and his neighbors filled up all their trashcans with all the stuff left on the streets around Roscoe’s… Maria suggested that the city council step in. We should ask for more discretion in what events get permitted in our neighborhood. If ten of us did that, sent e-mails, the city council would probably not give them a permit. Even if it doesn’t work the first time, that’s no reason to give up.

Mike notices that there is a recurring tag going up around his place – he wants to know what would happen if he had a photo of the kid doing the tagging. Maria said it would help a great deal but to be cautious.

KC mentioned that there was a shooting at Franklin & Gramercy.

Surveillance Cameras:

Police Department resource: Allen Hamilton – Watch Commander, Day Watch 213-485-4328. He’s coordinating the placement of the camera’s that will be monitored from the Police Station and we will be able to log on from our homes and watch what is going on at least in the Business Improvement District area. Each camera costs $4,000. Hollywood BID is paying half of the cost.

Jordan – All the businesses in the BID pay lots of money to belong to it. We don’t have that kind of organization here – but we need cameras in our neighborhood. He will be placing them around his operation but feels that the neighborhood needs to raise money for more cameras for the neighborhood.

The right talent booked for an event at Q-Topia could bring in lots of money with the proceeds donated to this cause. The Henry Fonda would probably partner with us to get an event going. He needs a force of folks to go to the businesses and neighbors to get donations. We can create a banner with all the sponsors listed. We could raise at least 4 or 5 thousand dollars from the businesses alone.

The target area should be Franklin to Sunset – Gower to Western.

Mike says that he will help and approach businesses in the area. Missy says that Jordan can probably get a matching funds grant from the Bid for one of the two cameras that will be needed in the Gower/Hollywood intersection.

Eventually we will want cameras strategically placed throughout the community, not just on the main intersections.

Fran said that the group should start with one intersection and use that surveillance point as a sales tool for the other intersections and areas in the community. Helen suggested that we create a plan on paper that shows what specific areas would be visible with the cameras and what areas would not as well as where exactly the camera(s) would be placed. Jordan suggested that a steering committee be formed to address all that.

Steering Committee Formed:

Fran volunteered George Abrahams because he is very interested in this issue. George Abrahams, Officer Hamilton, Mike Geier, and (temporarily) Jordan Birmbaum will meet to formulate a plan. Jordan will call the meeting.

Jordan is willing to create the event and buy one camera if the neighborhood can raise funds for the other camera. He’s opening “HollyWeird Café” in June so is very busy.

Permit Parking:

Shawna has been working with the DOT regarding permit parking. She has questions about establishing the six block area.

Missy says for Shawna to speak to the city councilman so that they support and sponsor the request. Then a study is done. Missy suggested that Shawna introduce herself to managers and ask them to get tenants signatures. Shawna should be the signature coordinator.

Missy says that the process can take almost a year. She suggests that Shawna not turn in the petitions until she has at least 71% of the people on the streets in favor of permit parking because the city finds errors and duplications. She needs to have more than enough to save her from going out and petition gathering twice.

The group decided to support the study regarding permit parking. Fran will send Shawna the official organization letterhead so that she can begin the process.

Meeting adjourned at around 8:45pm.

Next meeting will take place on April 28^th at 7pm.

Report respectfully prepared by Fran Reichenbach FranklinHwdHills@aol.com