DTLA ranked one of the worst downtowns in the world

DTLA is DOA.

Downtown Los Angeles has been identified as one of the least vibrant downtowns among 75 cities globally, grappling with significant issues of homelessness and crime.

Gensler’s 2026 City Pulse report placed DTLA low on the vibrancy scale, and it received even poorer ratings for aesthetic appeal.

Cities with similar populations, such as Madrid, Chicago, and Toronto, surpassed Los Angeles in terms of vibrancy.

Approximately 65% of survey participants deemed DTLA vibrant, compared to 77% for Madrid, 84% for Chicago, and 71% for Toronto.

Downtown San Francisco also scored poorly with a 67% vibrancy rating, while San Jose did worse with 61%.

For beauty, downtown LA ranked seventh worst in the US, just above Denver and St. Louis.

The crime rate in downtown LA is 743% higher than the rest of the city, according to Spectrum News.

The notorious Skid Row in the area hosts one of the largest homeless populations in the US.

Businesses have left the area due to crime, homelessness, and a dwindling customer base.

“LA’s kind of central problem is that businesses have left LA. We need them to bring the offices back in,” Kelly Farrell, the managing director of Gensler’s LA office, told the Los Angeles Times. “Bring the people back in so they’re staying after work and interacting with those businesses that are in the area.”

The Gensler report highlighted that downtown areas should be walkable and serve as cultural and entertainment hubs, integrating shops, offices, and housing.

A report from the California Post in August 2025 indicated over 100 vacant storefronts in the Historic Core, the central shopping and entertainment district. Crime, high rents, and declining visitor numbers were cited by businesses as contributing factors.

“Many historical independent restaurants are struggling under the weight of these issues and have already closed, while those remaining are fighting to survive,” stated Cole’s French Dip, one of LA’s oldest restaurants, when announcing its closure last year.

Efforts to revitalize the area include converting abandoned office buildings into housing. City leaders approved a broad overhaul of reuse rules in February, significantly expanding possibilities for turning vacant commercial buildings into apartments.

Farrell believes attracting more residents to downtown LA is vital for its renewal.

“One of the best things we can do for safety is have an abundance of population,” Farrell said. “You will see right now that we have a lot of great ground-floor retail that’s empty. As that gets fuller, we typically see that crime starts to go down with it.”

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