First The Sheriff's Department, Then Suburban Police Departments - And Now Hollywood Is 'Dumping' The Homeless In Downtown LA!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-camp25sep25,1,1489999.story?coll=la-headlines-california

When I walked onto Hill Street on my way to back-to-back LADWP MOU Oversight Committee and LANC Congress Organizational Meetings one very early morning (obviously, having a life is not one of this cowboy's priorities at this moment), I was stunned to see homeless encampments as far as the eye could see. Oddly, though, no one was in sight. I then spotted a rent-a-cop and realized this was all a very well dressed set for a movie.

Long time LAT staff writer Bob Pool picks up from here:

Those glancing from their office windows may have figured that Los Angeles' homelessness problem was growing faster than anyone thought. Overnight, a vast homeless encampment popped up at one of downtown's busiest intersections.

There were tents, plastic tarps and old shopping carts stuffed with clothing, bottles and cans. They lined all four sides of the intersection of Hill and 4th streets, next to the city's high-rise district.

But this was one encampment where no homeless people were allowed.The street scene was fake. A film crew built it as a backdrop for "Southland Tales," an independent feature-length thriller that depicts Los Angeles on the brink of social, environmental and economic disaster in 2008.

When I then got up to Grand Avenue, possibly another film was shooting, and when I arrived at the DWP Building, there was Jim Carey shooting yet another film.