LOS ANGELES - Rinconia Drive is one of those narrow, tree-shaded roads that snakes up the Hollywood Hills, lined with a mix of older bungalows and towering modern mansions.
But when you get to Chris Brown's concrete-and-steel-and-glass Jay Vanos-designed home, the mood changes dramatically. A creature in a silver spacesuit is perched on a ledge. On the walls are paintings of monsters, standing 8 feet tall in bright neon colors.
To the pop star, this is art. But to his neighbors, it's the latest insult in what has been an increasingly testy relationship. "Chris himself did not warm himself to the neighborhood when he first got here, so this is kind of the straw that broke the camel's back," said Patti Negri, president of the Hollywood Dell Civic Association, adding that the community is fed up with his noisy parties and fast cars.
L.A. city code officials have cited Brown for unpermitted and excessive signage and ordered him to remove the art within 30 days. He also faces fines that start at $376. Brown's attorney, Mark Geragos, said the musician is not backing down. But Negri remains hopeful that Brown and his neighbors can mend fences.
"I know a $300 fine is probably pocket change. But hopefully and maybe, he'll just see the light and decide to be a good neighbor," she said. "We're happy to have him — if he just tones it down."
Los Angeles times
