The Hollywood Walk of Fame has become overrun with homelessness and violent crime, leaving tourists and locals feeling unsafe.
The iconic LA landmark, once the epitome of glitz and glamour, is disappointing visitors with its dirty sidewalks and repulsing locals who have experienced violent attacks.
It comes as the 1.3-mile stretch along Hollywood Boulevard, often closed off for movie premieres and other A-list events, is currently undergoing a much-needed renovation.
The makeover plans are being led by the city government and will include wider sidewalks, additional shade trees, a protected mobility lane, and pedestrian safety enhancements.
Hollywood Boulevard’s ‘sidewalks are often congested, certain pieces of infrastructure are outdated, and the area lacks a cohesive, unifying design aesthetic’ the Heart of Hollywood plans read.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has become overrun with homelessness and rising violent crime
The iconic LA landmark is disappointing visitors with its dirty sidewalks
Assaults with a deadly weapon, sexual assaults and incidents involving the homeless have all increased on the boulevard
‘The goal of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan is to move this iconic corridor forward into the 21st century, respecting its rich history, while establishing a holistic and long-lasting vision.’
However, the plans to do not address the rise in homelessness and violent crime, which is up significantly in recent years.
Assaults with a deadly weapon, sexual assaults and incidents involving the homeless have all increased according to data analyzed by KTLA.
One local, Amy Michele, said she was punched in the face when running errands on the boulevard.
‘I’ve seen people with machetes and knives just slicing the air in front of them hoping to get someone who passes by,’ she said in a TikTok video warning others.
‘I’ve seen people sell drugs out of the back of a truck.
‘I’ve witnessed a hostage situation at one of the apartment complexes on Hollywood Boulevard.
‘I’ve been punched in the back of the head by a homeless person’ she added.
The number of homeless people in LA has more than doubled in the past decade
There are now more than 46,000 people living on the streets of Los Angeles
The 1.3-mile stretch along Hollywood Boulevard, often closed off for movie premieres and other A-list events, is currently undergoing a much-needed renovation
Mayor Karen Bass committed herself to tackling the homeless crisis as soon as she took office last year
‘It’s definitely not what we expected it to be,’ tourist Sarah Saryan said.
‘It’s not clean and everything like it appears in movies,’ she explained.
Footage from social media reveals rows of tents, people sleeping rough by the famous stars and trash strewn across the sidewalks.
The situation has not be helped by a significant reduction of police patrols on the boulevard.
Pre-pandemic, 60 officers were assigned to just the Hollywood Entertainment District, now that number has been halved, according to Steve Nissen, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
‘If you sense something that makes you uncomfortable, you’re not going to come back,’ Nissen told KTLA.
‘Part of feeling safe is not just that the crime statistics are going down, but also that you’re walking streets that look clean and these streets are not often clean,’ Nissen said.
He added: ‘When you walk down the street; you don’t want to be manhandled, accosted.
‘The idea of modernizing and making Hollywood Boulevard one of the most beautiful streets in the world is still there.’
Nissen said he hopes the rejuvenation program will be complete in time for the 2028 Olympics.
‘We want the rest of the world to see Hollywood Boulevard and go back and talk about it with friends and neighbors all around the globe rather than leave like they do today, a bit disappointed.’
The homeless crisis in Los Angeles has rocketed in the last few years – an issue Mayor Karen Bass committed herself to tackling as soon as she took office last year.
The number of homeless people in LA has more than doubled in the past decade.
There was a 9 percent rise in homelessness in Los Angeles County between 2022 and 2023, with the unhoused population now totaling 75,518 people, according to the latest data from the LAHSA.
The city of Los Angeles saw an estimated 10 percent rise to a total of 46,260 people.