LAPD Warns Homeless To Leave Street For Downtown New Year's Eve Celebrations

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Police on Sunday notified homeless people living on one of downtown's busiest streets that they will have to leave Monday morning to make way for partygoers attending New Year's Eve festivities.

"They can be anyplace but there," Sgt. A. Aguirre of the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Station said Sunday evening.

Patrol officers have told homeless people living on First St. between Spring St. and Broadway that they must pack up their tents and other belongings and leave the area by about 6 a.m. Monday. They won't be allowed to return until after 2 a.m. Tuesday, when the street is reopened after New Year's celebrations end at Grand Park and The Music Center.

There were 10 tents pitched on the street when she checked Sunday evening, Aguirre said.

Officers allow the homeless to pitch tents on downtown streets at night as long as they do not block entrances to businesses and pack up early in the morning because they don't have other places to go, she said. Many people do not use the winter shelter program because they don't want to leave possessions behind.

Tonight's event at Grand Park is being billed as "LA DREAMS", which organizers bill as the West Coast's flagship New Year's Eve event. The sixth annual N.Y.E.L.A. will feature musical performances by artists including rapper/singer Aloe Blacc, along with a 3D digital countdown to the new year with artwork inspired by local fifth-graders. As many as 50,000 people are expected at the event, which runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Eventgoers are encouraged to take the Metro Red or Purple lines to Civic Center/Grand Park station or the Gold Line to Little Tokyo/Arts District Station.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)