Hollywood recording studio installs cactus planters to break up homeless encampment
The owner of a storied recording studio in Hollywood installed planters to break up and limit an encampment encroaching on his business.
"This is one of the worst environmental challenges that we've been through here," Sunset Sound owner Paul Camarata said.
Camarata's father opened the studio at Sunset Boulevard and North Cherokee Avenue in 1960. Now, with Sunset Sound in his hands, Camarata is worried about the future of the family business.
"This is a third-world country around the corner here," he said. "It's terrible."
The encampment started growing around the time of the pandemic. Camarata said he was fed up with the lack of action from the city, so after the last street cleaning, he had planter boxes installed to block the homeless encampment from growing.
"As soon as they cleaned up, we brought in like 12 of them," Camarata said. "That wasn't enough. It remained clean for a few more days. Luckily, we got another 12 or whatever it was, but the proliferation around the corner had already occurred, so we couldn't put any further planter boxes there."
Camarata said he wants the homeless to get help and housing, but he said rampant drug use, crime, and even a fire that recently burned the front of the studio make him, his clients, and staff feel unsafe.
"They've stolen speakers, blank checks, the front of the building has caught fire twice." staff member Drew Dempsey said.
Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez represents the area. His office said he was unavailable for an interview, but a spokesperson said the encampment was on the councilman's radar. Soto-Martinez's office acknowledged Camarata's frustration but said little can be done until sustainable housing comes online.
The spokesman also said Camarata does not have permits for the planters and they will likely be removed.
"I mean nobody else is doing anything," Camarata said. "What am I supposed to do?"
