Residents of Boyle Heights and the Arts District are advocating for the establishment and enforcement of an anti-camping zone at the park beneath the soon-to-open 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles. The park, known as the Sixth Street PARC (Park, Arts, River & Connectivity), is scheduled to open next year and will include amenities such as an arts plaza with a performance amphitheater, garden terraces, a cafe, dog park, fitness equipment, and sports courts.
The Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council recently voted 13 to 1 in favor of supporting the measure after Arts District residents initiated a petition calling for a no-camping designation on sidewalks and perimeters surrounding the new park. This move aligns Boyle Heights with the Arts District Little Tokyo Neighborhood Council and the downtown Los Angeles Residents Association in urging city officials to proceed with implementing the zone and coordinating related security measures.
The effort targets concerns about homeless encampments forming in and around the park, reflecting broader citywide debates over managing homelessness in public spaces. Anti-camping zones, established under Los Angeles Municipal Code 41.18, prohibit sitting, lying, or sleeping in designated areas. Such zones require approval from city councilmembers and are intended to address safety and accessibility issues, although their enforcement has sparked controversy.
Supporters highlight that the Los Angeles City Council endorsed an anti-camping zone covering the 6th Street Bridge in 2024, with former Councilmember Kevin de León initiating the effort, and argue the designation should extend to the adjacent park. Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, whose district includes the park, stated that her office is currently verifying the zone’s boundaries relative to the park and is open to discussions about the application and impact of enforcement under code 41.18. Jurado emphasized that anti-camping zones represent only one part of a broader conversation about safety and homelessness in public spaces.
“The park represents a major public investment into equitable park space while bridging two historic neighborhoods," Jurado said, stressing the need for “honest dialogue and difficult decisions” to address both safety and access concerns.
Residents voiced support for a coordinated approach that balances community benefits with fair treatment of unhoused individuals. Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council board member Shmuel Gonzales described enforcement of an anti-camping zone as a call for city responsibility and expressed concern about private security measures potentially introducing “negative capitalist forces” into the area. He advocated for clear signage to ensure transparency and to facilitate efforts to transition homeless residents into housing.
Margarita Amador, secretary of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council, called for the park to remain “protected, safe and usable” for the community. Highlighting that Boyle Heights contains the largest recreational section of the park, she referenced MacArthur Park—a local site previously known for encampment-related issues—as a cautionary example prompting preventive action.
Tom Trafelet, who organized the petition, urged collaboration between Boyle Heights and the Arts District to ensure equitable access and safety for families using the park. Trafelet, a long-time Arts District resident, emphasized the importance of a shared effort to maintain the park as “an absolutely beautiful” and welcoming space.
Meanwhile, the broader policy environment remains divided. In August, the Los Angeles City Council approved a repeal of 12 anti-camping zones in District 13, championed by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, who argued that enforcement under Municipal Code 41.18 can obstruct efforts to house unhoused individuals.
Construction of Sixth Street PARC began in 2023, following the 2022 opening of the 6th Street Bridge itself, which connects Boyle Heights and the Arts District across the Los Angeles River. Local leaders and residents continue to seek solutions that balance public safety, community access, and homelessness responses as the park nears completion.