As a longtime lover and admirer of the fabled Musso & Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard, it’s nothing short of tragic that the 107-year-old establishment isn’t getting the business it needs and may even be in financial jeopardy. Why? Nearby homeless encampments — scurvy bums in tents — are scaring away regulars and tourists alike.
And the bad guy, it’s being alleged, is Los Angeles City Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez, who’s apparently adopted a kid gloves approach to the bum crisis. Hollywood Boulevard street vending is cool, of course, but not tents filled with the lowest of the low (filth, garbage and drug-dealing)…a pestilence that’s not only hurting poor Musso & Frank but also local mom and pop stores.
Karen Bass statement on Facebook: “I’m proud to have the support of Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez, a partner who shares a deep commitment to progressive, people-first policies” — i.e., allowing homeless encampments to create a urine-and-junk-food stench and scare away tourists. Bass: “Together, we’ve strengthened tenant protections, advanced housing stability, and worked to address homelessness.”
Cliff to Musso & Frank passerby: “Don’t cry in front of the bums”