The famed Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica has been a hotspot for homelessness since the pandemic, and some business owners say it continues to be an issue impacting sales.
Fehimeh Betts, owner of Hair Designer's Studio, says she has been serving her clients for four decades at the promenade, making it through hardships like the pandemic.
"People complain more about the homeless than traffic or parking," said Betts. "I do not know what to do. I cannot move after 40 years, and I lost about 60% of my clients."
In May there were two attacks in Santa Monica involving the unhoused, one of them a stabbing of two German tourists.
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Betts added that she had also been subject to an attack from a homeless person.
Other shop owners say the homeless population only gotten worse after the pandemic.
"After COVID, it just went down our sales because there is a lot of homelessness," said Ana Menard, who works at Tazga, a clothing store on the promenade.
The owner of the family-owned clothing store, which has been at the Third Street Promenade since 2019, added that it has also been battling with shoplifters.
"There has been a few instances where they come and steal our clothes," said Menard. "Sometimes we would check our fitting rooms and see pee in it."
Menard says there have been some improvements beginning in 2024 but would like to continue to see the trend to bring back the clientele.
Betts, on the other hand, is thankful for her loyal customers.
"Thank God I have some clients they really support me," said Betts. "City of Santa Monica has to do something to do something for the city, for the people, and for us."
The city of Santa Monica responded to the concerns, saying they are working with local businesses and looking to increase security in the area.
"Efforts to bring new businesses and activity to Downtown and the Third Street Promenade could not be done without the great partnership established with our local business and continued conversation with our partners. The city is also very active in addressing clean and safe initiatives holistically, from increasing the public safety presence and outreach efforts in the downtown area with hiring new officers, expanding the city’s homeless multi-disciplinary teams, and expanding public space maintenance investments," the city said in a statement.
