VNC Community Officer Clark Brown and Venice Stakeholders Association President Mark Ryavec Conversed With Residents
By Nick Antonicello
VENICE – On Monday afternoon two staffers from the office of LA City Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) came to Venice to discuss the impending encampment issues surrounding Alberta, Canal and Mildred, just two blocks from the beach.
Area residents were concerned about a blooming new encampment on these streets in wake of the clean-up on North Venice Boulevard that saw some of those who refused housing to move just a couple blocks north where several vehicles including an RV and out-of-state vehicles from Arizona and Pennsylvania at the mouth of where Canal meets Mildred.
Gabriela Medina, the District Director representing Councilwoman Park and Ashley Lozada, the Field Deputy for Venice met with the group of a half-dozen or so Venetians that included VNC Community Officer Clark Brown and Venice Stakeholders Association President Mark Ryavec.
Both Medina and Lozada were patient, accommodating and concerned with the list of issues discussed and the Councilwoman’s goals and objectives to eventually remove all the encampments in a prioritized and disciplined fashion was embraced by all in attendance.
Medina told residents she believed the issues on the these connecting streets could be addressed by July.
Medina said Councilwoman Park is sticking to a plan that has been working as it was announced that 193 homeless individuals in Venice have been housed since Park assumed office some 7 months ago.
Medina also confirmed that the annual homeless count numbers will be released shortly by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), and the hope is the ongoing efforts by Park will reflect in a decrease in the overall number of unhoused in Venice as well as the rest of CD-11.
It is believed that roughly 50% of all homeless individuals in the district reside here in Dogtown.
Park’s office is working around the clock to step up the enforcement & will be working with LADOT (Los Angeles Department of Transportation) to increase the compliance of all vehicles on Alberta, Canal & Mildred that have been parked for over a year and clean-ups scheduled to finish the current sanitation efforts.
Two additional Park staffers had come out on their own time to clean-up a portion of the mess on Friday to the satisfaction of those in attendance.
The fact that two important members of Park’s legislative team made the effort to outreach with this neighborhood was refreshing and we will continue to monitor the progress moving forward.
The issue of homelessness is complicated with opposing political views at the district and city levels, but Park’s commitment to keeping area residents informed and updated is admirable and a great step forward in wake of the lack of dialogue and discussion under the tutelage of former two-term incumbent Mike Bonin who simply stopped speaking to residents and created a toxic relationship between him and Venice locals.
Yo! Venice will continue to monitor and report back to Venice as to the progress under Park regarding the issue of homelessness and that’s a positive step in the right direction for all concerned.
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-year resident of Venice and a member of the Outreach & Oceanfront Park Committees of the Venice Neighborhood Council. Have an encampment issue on your block or neighborhood? Contact Antonicello via e-mail at nantoni@mindspring.com
