Removing homeless encampments from our streets and public spaces is the #1 priority for the Newhouse campaign for LA Council!
By Nick Antonicello
In an election with really just one issue, homeowner, attorney, husband and father of two school-age sons Mike Newhouse believes the solution is ending the third-world conditions on the streets and public spaces of Venice as well as the rest of the CD-11 as it pertains to the rampant homelessness and the rising crime that comes with these terrible circumstances.
In a campaign that has barely begun, there has been a groundswell of candidates totaling fourteen, all declaring themselves as the right choice to succeed outgoing Councilman Mike Bonin, forced from the race due to the unpopularity of his policies and the 26,000 signatures gathered that came within a whisker of a special recall election that could have ended his current term that concludes December 31st of this year.
Everywhere Newhouse seems to travel in seeking signatures for ballot access, the issue remains how to get the homeless off the streets of Venice and Los Angeles.
In a recent three-hour policy debate and discussion with seven other council opponents, Newhouse time and time again stressed the need to get the homeless off the streets and he believed it can be done with dignity and efficiency.
Newhouse pointed to other communities (Houston, Texas) where the homeless were removed from the streets in as little as thirty days and the elimination of encampments at Venice Beach as proof the problem can be solved.
“It can be done and we can do it together.”
A longtime Venice community leader and advocate, few candidates have the resume and record of practical public service like Mike Newhouse.
Newhouse has resided on the Westside for 25 years with his wife Ruthie, who is also an attorney. They have two sons, Holden (14) and Dylan (11) and a family dog named Marley.
A passionate guitarist, outdoor enthusiast and traveler, Newhouse owns his own law practice with offices in Century City.
“The Westside is a beautiful place, that was generally peaceful, pleasant and safe, but that has changed over the last 5 years, and not for the better,” offered the first-time hopeful and former two-term President of the Venice Neighborhood Council (www.venicenc.org).
“We have a problem. We cannot continue to let our infrastructure decay, crime rise, services shrink, businesses close and our neighbors struggle to find work.”
“We can do better.”
Newhouse is offering a 7-Point Plan for Venice and the rest of CD-11:
- Implement existing resources and proven strategies that will get people off the street almost immediately. The foundation of his solution is the services the homeless need now and indoors.
- Community and public safety a hard priority. Keeping our streets safe is the priority along with a new partnership with our first responders. Newhouse will have the backs of LAPD, LAFD, as well as healthcare workers and community responders and provide them with the tools and funding to do their job.
- Rebuild our neighborhoods and communities. Newhouse wants to streamline the land use process while creating economic incentives that provide housing for teachers, law enforcement, local business owners as well as their employees.
- Infrastructure investment now. LA needs a facelift, especially with the Summer Olympics arriving in 2028. LA and Venice needs economic renewal and Newhouse would endorse municipal budgeting that addresses these concerns. A public/private partnership is essential to sustainable and enduring improvements so public spaces and parks are usable and our sidewalks are walkable. Our streets and roads must be repaved so they are accessible for both cars and bikes too.
- LA needs to be greener and environmentally secure. Newhouse was an Environmental Science major at USC as well as a Natural Resources Law major and has served in positions with The Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Wilderness Society, The Environmental Defense Fund and The Fund for Public Interest Research and wants to move away from reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Mike will be a tireless advocate for open space preservation and will support the planning and construction of an “urban canopy” for CD-11 and beyond.
- Keeping our coastline clean. Mike loves our ocean proximity and spends quality time with his sons at our beaches. Realizing the economic engine that is our coastal resources, protecting and preserving our beaches and ocean matters when tourism is at the foundation of our local economy to say nothing of the fact LAX is part of CD-11. Keeping our oceanfront and beachfront secure and safe is crucial to the district’s natural heritage.
- Promoting A Strong & Vibrant LA Economy that benefits both business and their employees. Because Newhouse is a small business owner, he will seek a renaissance in business and job creation in a post pandemic economy. Newhouse believes a better and improving economy rises all boats and will work to bring small businesses and jobs back to CD-11. Newhouse plans to partner with tech and aerospace to grow the local economy and will seek international support to have our businesses thrive and prosper. Creating good paying jobs and economic development zones around LAX that will expand the sports and entertainment corridor from downtown to the airport.
At the end of the day, “common sense” will drive the Newhouse planning and implementation process.
“The problems are difficult, but the solutions are not. Through my decades of experience in the community; bold, energetic and enthusiastic leadership that listens will make our communities and our neighborhoods the best they can be.”
Visit the campaign online at www.newhouseforla.com
The author is a longtime Venetian and member of the Oceanfront Walk and Outreach Committees of the Venice Neighborhood Council who is covering the 2022 race for council in LA’s CD-11. He can be reached at (310) 621-3775 or via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com
