By Alejandra MolinaThe LA Local\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Oct. 19, 2026 7:23 PM PT <\/p>\n
Boyle Heights and Arts District residents are joining forces to push for enforcement of an anti-camping zone at the park beneath the 6th Street Bridge, which is expected to open next year<\/a>.<\/p>\n Members of the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council recently voted 13 to 1 to sign on as supporters after Arts District residents spearheaded a petition calling<\/a> for the city to implement such a zone for the sidewalks and perimeter around the future park.<\/p>\n With this vote, the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council is joining the Arts District Little Tokyo Neighborhood Council and the downtown Los Angeles Residents Assn. in urging Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, Mayor Karen Bass and city staff to move forward with the designation and to coordinate a security plan for the park.<\/p>\n The move comes after residents on both sides of the Los Angeles River have raised concerns for months about the possibility of homeless encampments forming at the park. Anti-camping zones \u2014 established through Los Angeles Municipal Code 41.18 \u2014 bar people from sitting, lying or sleeping in certain public spaces.<\/p>\n Council members must get buy-in from their colleagues before enacting new 41.18 zones. Proponents, however, point out that the L.A. City Council in 2024 already endorsed<\/a> a zone<\/a> for the 6th Street Bridge, which they believe should extend to the park beneath it. Former Councilmember Kevin de Le\u00f3n initiated those efforts.<\/p>\n Jurado, in a statement, said her office is confirming the boundaries as they relate to the park.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in Los Angeles, efforts to establish or enforce anti-camping zones have received pushback.<\/p>\n In August, the City Council approved<\/a> Councilmember Hugo Soto-Mart\u00ednez\u2019s efforts to repeal 12 anti-camping zones that were established under the previous council member in District 13. Soto-Mart\u00ednez\u2019s office said<\/a> enforcement under the city ordinance interferes with efforts to move unhoused residents into housing.<\/p>\n Jurado said she is open to having \u201ca serious and transparent conversation about how 41.18 is being used and what results it is producing.\u201d She said anti-camping zones are \u201cjust one piece of a much larger conversation about keeping this park safe and responding to homelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis park represents a major public investment into equitable park space while bridging two historic neighborhoods. Ensuring its success from day one requires the honest dialogue and difficult decisions needed to address legitimate safety and access concerns while recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution,\u201d Jurado said.<\/p>\n Known formally as the Sixth Street PARC (Park, Arts, River & Connectivity), the park will feature an arts plaza, complete with a performance amphitheater, garden and terrace seating. Other amenities include a cafe, dog park, fitness equipment and sports courts.<\/p>\n Construction of the park began in 2023, a year after the grand opening celebration of the bridge, which connects historic Boyle Heights with the Arts District neighborhood and crosses the Los Angeles River.<\/p>\n Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council board member Shmuel Gonzales, a local historian and community organizer, voted in favor of an anti-camping zone designation because he wants the park \u201cto be something that ultimately benefits the community.\u201d He said residents fought hard to get the park built on the Boyle Heights side.<\/p>\n