March 19, 2024 #1 Local News, Forum, Information and Event Source for Venice Beach, California.

Bonin Proposal to Make More Westside Homeless Shelters Passes Committee

LA City Council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee advances controversial proposal

By Sam Catanzaro

A plan to bring more homeless shelters to an array of public spaces, parks and government buildings on the Westside passed its first legislative hurdle this week. 

On Monday, Los Angeles City Council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee voted 4-1 to advance Councilmember Mike Bonin’s proposal to look into bringing more housing for homeless individuals to the Westside.

On March 31, Bonin introduced a motion to Council that would evaluate the feasibility of bringing a variety of projects to combat homelessness to locations across the Westside.

“Addressing our homelessness crisis requires a wide range of solutions, applied urgently and simultaneously, targeting different populations and focusing a variety of resources, across the City of Los Angeles,” reads the motion. “Homelessness across Southern California, Los Angeles, and the 11th District continues to increase, and much more must be done. Different interventions must be tried, and more locations must be identified.”

Among the locations is the Los Angeles County-owned parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach at 17000 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. According to Bonin, this location would serve as a temporary site for single-occupancy tiny-homes or safe camping.

The motion also calls for looking into the feasibility of bringing similar housing options to the following locations across the Westside: Mar Vista (Mar Vista Park), Marina Del Rey (Fisherman’s Village), Playa del Rey (Dockweiler Beach), Del Rey (private building at 5000 Beethoven Avenue), Westchester (Westchester Park) and West LA (West LA Municipal Building).

In addition, the motion proposes a single-occupancy tiny-homes or safe camping sites on a property owned by Culver City for a joint LA-Culver City program and at an undetermined location at LAX. The motion also would instruct the City Housing Authority to work with Council District 11 and willing property owners to enter into master lease agreements for hotel rooms or apartment units to be used for homeless housing.

The motion has been met with opposition from residents and various stakeholders throughout Council District 11, including the Pacific Palisades Community Council, Brentwood Community Council and Supervisor Janice Hahn. 

“The beach is to Los Angeles what Central Park is to New York. It would be unthinkable to place homeless housing in Central Park; it should be unthinkable to do so at the beach in Los Angeles,” the PPCC wrote in a letter opposing the proposal. 

The BCC echoed this viewpoint in a similar motion expressing its opposition. 

“The use of shared, public recreational spaces are a benefit and resource for the entire community of Los Angeles, and, California beaches, in particular, hold a unique and valued place in the hearts and minds of residents and visitors from throughout the world, and the California Coastal Commission is clear the public should have unfettered access to utilize every portion of these recreational properties,” reads the BCC motion. 

The Venice Chamber of Commerce, in a letter to Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles City Council, noted that it supports the use of the vacant West LA Civic Center and the expansion of Project Roomkey–a program using hotels and motels for housing–but echoed the BCC and PPCC in their opposition to use public recreational spaces for shelters. 

“The use of shared, public recreational spaces are a benefit and resource for the entire community of Los Angeles. California beaches are a unique and valued place for residents and visitors from throughout the world,” wrote Chamber President George Francisco. “The Chamber strongly supports use of the vacant West LA Civic Center for homeless shelters given its proximity to transportation and services in a safe environment.”

“The City and County need to do more to identify government owned land that is suitable for temporary housing and longer-term construction of low-income housing. We believe there may be opportunities for buying or leasing commercial properties as more employees work from home as well as strip malls where businesses have permanently closed. Another opportunity for land purchase is along the Metro right-of-way and parking lots, some which are now being leased to car dealers for vehicle storage,” Francisco added. 

In addition, over 19,000 opponents of the proposal have signed a petition against motion. Bonin, however, in a message to constituents, defended the plan.

“Some are claiming I have proposed that the city allow homeless encampments at our parks and beaches. That rumor is not true. On the contrary, what I have proposed is designed to reduce encampments, so that our public spaces can return to full public use,” Bonin wrote. “The proposed solutions would provide security, sanitation and services, and focus on getting people into housing.”

in News
Related Posts

Tonight at Pali Village: Elevated Cocktail Hour at A.L.C.

March 19, 2024

March 19, 2024

During the event, 15% of all proceeds earned will benefit I Stand With My Pack  Tonight, March 19, from 5:30...

Venice Shorts: Staples Surrounded by RVs & Tents at Lincoln Blvd

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Several campers clog pedestrian walkway as occupation worsens By Nick Antonicello  The Staples Chain retailer offering brand-name electronics & print...

Woman Drives Car In Ocean After High Speed Police Chase

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Law enforcement officers pursued her along the I-110 and I-405 until she reached the vicinity of Venice Beach A woman...

Case Study House Hits Market at $8.9M

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

Originally listed in 2018 for $10 million, the property showcases iconic mid-century architecture A Los Angeles residence, known as Case...

Santa Monica Authorities Seek Public’s Help After Sexual Assault Incident

March 18, 2024

March 18, 2024

SMPD Urges Anyone With Information to Come Forward Authorities in Santa Monica are seeking information from the public after a...

Woman Returns $1K Worth of Stolen Items After Store Finds Her Social Media Account

March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

For the Owner, the Incident Is Perhaps Indicative of an Environment at the Palisades Village Where Smaller Businesses Are More...

Venice Family Clinic Announces Inaugural HEART Gala to Celebrate Health and Art

March 15, 2024

March 15, 2024

Event Honors Creative Community and Supporters of Vital Health Care Services Venice Family Clinic, a non-profit community health center dedicated...

Upcoming Mar Vista Book Sale Includes $1 Book Deals

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

One Free Book Will Be Given per Child By Zach Armstrong Friends of the Mar Vista Library will hold its...

Marina del Rey Tourism Board to Host Career Day

March 14, 2024

March 14, 2024

The itinerary includes visits to the Marina del Rey Sheriff’s Station, Tony P’s Dockside Grill and The Ritz-Carlton The Marina...

Venice Shorts: VNC Considered Sweeping By-Law Revisions via Special Zoom Meeting

March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024

A major shift in board composition from at-large membership to ten individual and localized units fails to receive the required...

Suspect Strikes 6-Year-Old Girl in Santa Monica, Investigation Underway

March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024

Detectives Are Actively Locating/Obtaining Surveillance Footage By Zach Armstrong An assault investigation is underway after a man reportedly struck a...

Man Possibly Linked to Child Abduction Fears in Mar Vista Last Month Arrested on Unrelated Charge

March 13, 2024

March 13, 2024

Numerous Comments Showed That Neighbors Were Familiar With the Van and Concerned With the Driver’s Actions By Zach Armstrong A...

California Chicken Franchise to Open Third L.A. Spot in Marina del Rey

March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

The Location Will Serve a Limited-Time Menu, Boasting Its Bahn MI Sandwich, Loaded Bahn MI Tender Box and Vietnamese Sticky...

Rain-Induced Mudslides Shut Down Key Routes in Malibu and Topanga, Causing Delays

March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

Caltrans Warns of Traffic Woes and Full Closures as Rock and Mudslides Hit  By Dolores Quintana Caltrans District 7 announced...

(Video) Dredging Effort Underway at Marina del Rey Harbor

March 12, 2024

March 12, 2024

Set to be complete by May, the project is set to remove up to 500,000 cubic yards of sediment @yovenicenews...