West Hollywood shopping center installs chirping device to discourage homeless from camping out. Will it work?

[Zorro]

- A West Hollywood shopping center has installed a device known as the BlueChirper to deter homeless people from hanging out in a stairwell.
- The device emits a loud chirping sound and flashing blue lights when anyone walks past.

Some customers walking out of the West Hollywood Trader Joe’s wear an annoyed look on their face, and it has nothing to do with rising grocery prices.

The source of the irritation is a small blue box installed in a stairwell leading to the market, the latest tactic used by property owners to deter unhoused people from camping out in the area.

The motion-activated device chatters like a loud, anxious cricket as people pass by the shopping center.

“It’s so annoying,” Jeffrey Howard said as he left the market with his groceries. “It’s like an alarm from a smoke detector that you’re just waiting for somebody to turn off.”

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-29/west-hollywood-shopping-center-unveils-new-device-to-discourage-homeless-from-camping-out-will-it-work

[Blues Heron]

1. as if earplugs dont exist. I would definitely boycott that market until they regain their humanity.

[marble falls]

2. It's cool to be cruel. It's the national pastime.

[Marcuse]

3. Reminds me of when store owners would blast European classical music to discourage gangbangers.

[Auggie]

5. One store played Sinatra

[Marcuse]

9. Beethoven/Blue Eyes. Both classics.

[Jerry2144]

4. All these actions and money spent to discourage the dehomed from sleeping in places

but no money and effort to help solve the lack of housing for the dehomed or prevent kicking people out of homes

[beaglelover]

7. But there lies the rub. The taxpayers of L.A. pay a shit ton of money in taxes to assist the homeless. Some do

take advantage of the help while many others do not, because they don't want to live under the rules of the shelter, etc. As a former Los Angeleno, I completely support what this TJ's doing. If you don't want the help the city is offering get off my property and go somewhere else.

[Jerry2144]

8. There are localities that are trying to help.

But far too many that are criminalizing the dehomed. And then don't provide any public assistance to help people from becoming dehomed (food, medical, shelter, etc)

[kimbutgar]

6. In the city where I live in they are playing the baby shark song!

To make the homeless leave the area.

That song is such an ear worm one!

[Auggie]

10. Baby Shark was used as action music in Netflix's fourth season of The Umbrella Academy

First time I had heard it. Yeah, that's some ear worm.