The homeless actually might be keeping Golds open. The reason the streets around Golds are so filled with homeless is because there is an enormous Public Storage that takes up most of the whole block on the street behind Golds and on the other side is the Rose Cafe parking lot, then the Golds parking lots. A few little yoga studios and hair salons are the only other neighbors. There are not many residences directly around Golds, so it is prime real estate for the homeless because there are no complaints. Same reason Gold's can blast it's music outside after 10pm without any neighbor complaints. Clanking weights all day and night as well are tolerated.
Google owns both Golds and those parking lots and is essentially allowing Golds Venice to remain open, probably less out of kindness but because that area is such a wasteland of homeless. If the homeless disappeared and they really cleaned up that area, developers and/or Google would probably get rid of the Mecca. Venice is the only beach town that allows tent cities because LA City Councilman Mike Bonin was once homeless and a major homeless advocate, and frankly most of the residents of Venice can't stand Bonin and how he has allowed the homeless and the tents. Nearby Santa Monica doesn't allow those tent cities. Nor does Marina Del Rey on the other side of Venice. There are homeless all over, but walking or in parks. A few tents here and there but NOTHING like Venice. Santa Monica cops even sometimes take homeless from SM and drop them off in Venice. Careful what you ask for when it comes to removing the homeless around Golds. It's blocks from the beach. Try parking at Golds if/when it becomes Gentrified. PRIME real estate.
