Mayor Karen Bass is to blame for turning MacArthur Park into a “drug haven” through a city-funded program handing out needles and pipes, according to a prominent local who praised the FBI for finally raiding the park.
“I want to see the needle program giveaway disbanded in the park,” Norm Langer, the owner of Langer’s Delicatessen, told reporters at his deli Thursday. “Last night, Mayor Bass was on our news and she committed, and I will say it again, she committed to stop the needle giveaway program in the park.”
When asked during Wednesday night’s mayoral debate whether Los Angeles should end the needle exchange program, Bass responded “yes.”
Advocates and community nonprofits like the Homeless Healthcare LA argue the program is about “harm reduction,” and handing out the pipes and needles helps stop the spread of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C that are transmitted with contaminated syringes.
Langer believes all the program is doing is “prolonging these people getting help” and “attracting other people from other areas in Southern California” to do drugs.
“They’re coming here to get drugs in the park or get needles in the park,” Langer said, who demanded Bass provide a timeline for when she will end the needle exchange.
“What I want to know from the mayor, is that going to happen this week or next week,” he said.
John Alle, who is the landlord for Langer’s Deli, said the needle exchange program coupled with the excessive gang violence in the area has made the situation the “worst it’s ever been,” and is forcing businesses to close.
“My business next door is closed. I’ve had two prospective tenants that don’t want to come,” Alle said, adding that the 18th Street Gang has also threatened him.
“Absolutely, they extort and they’ve come up to me and demand I rent them sidewalk space for their vendors,” Alle told reporters. “It’s happening. We’d like to have the legal vendors, of which only 10% in LA are legal, we’d like to have them over close to the metro to open this area.”
Langer’s, however, said his business is “fine” and he has no intention of going anywhere.
“I’m not going to sit here here and lie to you and say we’re flourishing, but you come in here on a Friday and Saturday and find 30, 40, 50 people lined up on the street to get in, I think that answers your question,” he said.
Alle painted a more bleak view, arguing Langer’s has to close early and employees are scared to walk to their cars.
“I would like him to stay open and not have to close at four o’clock and not have to have his employees run to their cars,” Alle said. “That’s not good. That’s not a safe deli.”
In addition to ending the program, both Alle and Langer’s want to see an increase in police presence and a sustained effort to clean up the area.
“The Los Angeles community, the LAPD, the DEA, and all the involved agencies yesterday have to continue in the park and around the area,” Langers said. “We need a sustained effort.”
