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

Bonin Staffer Calls Homeless Person Living at Entrance to Field Office ‘Disruptive’ in Leaked Email

Leaked email shows member of Councilmember’s staff complaining about person living outside Westchester Field offices 

By Sam Catanzaro

A leaked email shows a member of Councilmember Mike Bonin’s staff calling about a homeless person living in front of the Westchester field office “disruptive”.

The email, sent Monday morning to the City Attorney’s office and other recipients, was from Hannah Levien, Bonin’s Acting District Director. 

“Our staff is coming back to the office and we need to have full access to the entrance. Additionally, my office looks directly at the entrance and can hear everything through the wall. We have a person permanently staying in front of our office who is both disruptive to our ability to work and blocks the entrance,” reads the email obtained by Yo! Venice. “Would this be considered an interference with business trespass?”

“Please let me know as soon as possible,” the email continues. 

The Westchester field office is located at 7166 Manchester Avenue right next to Westchester Park. The park has seen an increase in homelessness the past year, and was the subject of an online petition set up this spring requesting Bonin and City leaders clean up conditions by June 1. 

“We demand increased security and enforcement of laws to help us return to safe and sanitary conditions across every inch of Westchester Park,” reads the petition, which currently has over 2,300 signatures. “City leaders, we urge you to treat this like the emergency it is.” 

A nearby resident, following the email leak, accused Bonin’s office of hypocrisy in an interview with Fox 11

“I think they are hypocrites,” Westchester resident Lucy Han told Fox. “What bothers me the most is that they can try and get homeless that are disturbing them from their front doorstep and yet when it’s our safety, our kids’ safety, our homes, they don’t care and they call us NIMBYs.” 

Julie Zaller, another nearby resident, shared this view.

“They’re always saying we can’t do anything, we can’t do anything, we can’t do anything. But now that they’re trying to come back to the offices, they’re trying to do something,” Zaller told Fox 11

Bonin could not immediately be reached for comment regarding whether or not the individual is still living outside the field office. His Chief of Staff Chad Molnar, however, released a statement to the media addressing the incident. 

“Councilmember Bonin didn’t know about this and it isn’t how he personally would have handled it. He believes our response to homelessness and encampments on public property needs to lead with housing and services, not enforcement. That’s what he was fighting for today at City Hall, and that’s the approach we are taking as we are housing dozens of unhoused residents of Venice Beach this week with our Encampments to Homes program,” reads the statement. 

Related Posts

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...

VNC to Unveil Proposal for Board Composition and Stakeholder Voting

March 11, 2024

March 11, 2024

The new board composition will focus on geographic area representation The Venice Neighborhood Council is set to conduct a special...

96th Academy Awards: Surprises, Triumphs, and Memorable Moments, Full List of Winners

March 11, 2024

March 11, 2024

Unexpected Losses to Unforgettable Performances at the 96th Academy Awards Ceremony By Dolores Quintana Hollywood’s biggest night is over, and...