Homeless Evicted From Tunnel Shelter

More than 100 homeless people retreated to a First Street sidewalk early today after Los Angeles County security officers evicted them from a pedestrian tunnel near the Music Center where they had sought shelter when their temporary tent camp was shut down last weekend for lack of insurance.

Los Angeles Police Sgt. Charles Mealey said police stood by as security officers cleared the sleeping homeless from the downtown tunnel shortly before midnight.

Transient Arrests Denied

Kathy Stevens, spokeswoman for the transients, said several had been arrested, but a security officer at the scene denied there had been any arrests.

Since Christmas, the homeless had been camping on land across from City Hall, but the Tent City camp was closed Saturday when the group’s liability insurance ran out. They moved to nearby sidewalks, but when it began raining Sunday, they took refuge in the Music Center tunnel, sleeping under blankets along the walls of the tile-lined pedestrian tunnel.

Stevens said homeless organizer Ted Hayes has arranged for insurance and hopes to renew the state permit and reopen the temporary Tent City camp later today.