With the homeless population rising in Los Angeles County, a West Hollywood business owner decided to open his store to people seeking shelter, putting the city in a unique situation.

Nir Zilberman laughs Monday night with a Love No Hate visitor. (photo by Gregory Cornfield)

In 2014, Nir Zilberman closed one his profitable clothing stores and opened the Love No Hate house on Santa Monica Boulevard where he served homeless people dinner. But it evolved into a quasi-shelter with couches, televisions, showers, free haircuts, encouragement and an effort to change the stigma associated with homeless people.

“I don’t see anything bad in these people,” Zilberman said Monday night before serving dinner. “The only difference is that they don’t have a place to go.”

Zilberman was hosting dozens of homeless people each night until neighbors and nearby businesses complained to law enforcement. Now, Zilberman’s guests have to leave by 2 a.m., and they cannot reenter until 8 a.m., a rule enforced by the city.

Lt. David Smith, with the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station, said Love No Hate puts the city is in a sticky situation. As of now, Zilberman is not breaking any penal codes and is allowed to continue the services he provides. The sheriff’s station will wait for direction from the city as to how they should proceed with Love No Hate.

“His intentions are good, but he just has to do it the right way,” Smith said.

Since Zilberman is not a medical expert and does not have permits or certification to help each homeless person, some fear he could be further risking health or wellbeing.

If it were not for the homeless men and women periodically walking in the front, passersby would not be able to tell what is housed at the location. The store front displays an illuminated LOVE NO HATE sign. A shopping cart filled with recyclables and other items that homeless people travel with are all spray-painted gold.

Further inside Love No Hate are no clues that would identify the space as a homeless shelter. There are colorful and animated works of art including displays, murals and paintings on the walls. Some are abstract, some are political, but all of them offer a message of peace, love or hope.

Finally in the back, visitors find an open room that looks like a living room with couches, tables, blankets and televisions. Continuing farther, visitors can enjoy an outdoor porch area that features paintings and works of art done by some of the homeless visitors.

Zilberman’s parents are holocaust survivors, and some of the art in Love No Hate focuses on concentration camps. Zilberman believes that if one man of hate, Adolf Hitler, can produce so much pain, then one man of peace can produce the same amount of love.

There are some rules to live by at the Love No Hate house. Everyone must be clean and everyone must help keep the place clean. On Monday, Zilberman was also enforcing the rule that no one can stand or loiter around the front. Visitors are either in or out. There are no drugs allowed and any belongings must be stored away from the living areas.

Zilberman also offers words of encouragement throughout the night and helps connect visitors with the services they might need.

Michael Blegen, 24, is from South Dakota and he started staying at Love No Hate last week. With Zilberman’s help, Blegen has an appointment to begin rehab treatment this week.

“If it were not for Nir [Zilberman], I would not be going,” Blegen said.

Zilberman does not accept monetary donations, but he is always accepting food or blankets or anything that can directly help.

“We only accept love,” he said.

Zilberman believes the current systems in place enable further homelessness. For example, he said it does not help to give a homeless person a ticket when they cannot afford to pay it. It might only make someone feel unwelcome so they’ll move to a different neighborhood.

At Tuesday night’s West Hollywood City Council meeting, Zilberman brought some of the homeless people he has been helping to Tuesday’s meeting to advocate for better services and a winter shelter in West Hollywood. Some of the homeless people spoke to the council members.

(photo by Gregory Cornfield)

“It is time that we as human beings wake up, and we realize that no matter the color of our skin, the religion of our choice or the designer labels on our backs, or lack there of, it doesn’t make anyone more or less worthy of any help,” Blegen said. “Until a week ago, I thought I should just give up. Love No Hate West Hollywood has shown me that there is hope and I can make a difference.”

Mayor Pro Tem Lauren Meister said the good intentions that Zilberman has could have bad results, but she recognized the gap in services.

“He’s very frustrated, and I understand it,” she said. “He is feeling there is a gap in services and he is filling that need and we have to figure out how we can fill that need in an official way. Nir shouldn’t have to be doing this.”

The council members recognized that West Hollywood could do more to provide services in the city instead of sending people to shelters or hotels in Los Angeles.

“After about 10 p.m. there are virtually no services for homeless people, right about the time when they realize they should have done something six hours earlier,” Councilman John D’Amico said.

Mayor Lindsey Horvath said she heard the cry from the community that the city needs to work on long-term plans.

“It’s something that needs to happen now,” she said. “We need to build a shelter within our borders that embraces our values and reflect that kind of city we are.”