April 3, 2025 #1 Local News, Forum, Information and Event Source for Venice Beach, California.

Venice Shorts: Ryavec Refutes Rand Narrative That Homeless Encampment Cleanups Are Ineffective

VSA President in a Detailed Letter to Rand Makes the Case for Ending Street Encampments Here in Venice

By Nick Antonicello

In an exhaustive and detailed letter refuting claims by the RAND Corporation that encampment cleanups are “ineffective,” Venice Stakeholder’s President Mark Ryavec cited numerous cleanups that have been maintained and sustained throughout the neighborhood, and have strong backing of most Venetians as well as the office of LA City Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11), a Venice resident who was elected some two years ago on a platform to cleanup the neighborhood from the scourge of encampments and permanent RV’s that are direct sources of crime and drug use and distribution.

Here is the Ryavec correspondence:

Dear Dr. Matheny:

I am writing to refute the conclusions of RAND’s recent study of homeless cleanups in Los Angeles, as they pertain to Venice, CA.

Your study found: “continuing evidence that local encampment cleanup activities don’t appear to lead to a persistent reduction in the number of unsheltered residents in the area,” said Jason Ward, co-author of the study by Rand’s Center on Housing and Homelessness. “They just tend to move them around and the numbers tend to return in our relatively small area to previous trends pretty quickly.”

Our organization has been monitoring the phenomenon of homeless campers in Venice for over 15 years. I would invite you to tour with me the following former homeless encampment sites in Venice, which are currently devoid of any homeless campers today:

1. Windward, Riviera and Grand, around the Venice Post Office. About six years ago there was an encampment on the 200-300 block of Grand of roughly 25 campers. At that time the LAPD Patrol Captain and the Senior Lead Officer recommended to residents that we, at our cost, install 4’x 8’ planter boxes to displace the campers and restore ADA passage on sidewalks. The campers were advised that a landscaping project would be installed the following day, they left, a cleanup was performed, and then 50 residents worked over two weekends to install 57 planter boxes at a cost of $35,000. There are no campers there today.

2. Venice Beach and Boardwalk. In an effort led by residents Cari Bjelajac and Connie Brooks, the City of Los Angeles conducted an extensive clean-up and removal of 205 homeless campers and all their structures/tents/and personal possessions from Venice Beach and Boardwalk over the summer of 2021.

While about 50 campers remain scattered along the beach, some from before the 2021 removal and some new, no new encampments or tents have been allowed by the LAPD.

3. Third, Rose, Hampton and Sunset. In one of the first operations of Mayor Bass’ Inside Safe program, over 125 campers on Third St., Rose Avenue, Hampton Avenue and Sunset Avenue (AKA “Skid Rose”) were removed during the torrential rains in January 2023. The large and problematic encampment on Third Street had existed since 2009. Since these locations are within the 1,000-foot exclusion zone centered on the Bridge Housing facility at Main and Sunset, which bars any lying, sitting or sleeping 24/7 under LAMC 41.18, there are no sidewalk campers on these streets today. The removal of the campers was preceded by several cleanups. (See attached photos sans any campers on July 25, 2024.)

The Venice Stakeholders Association is dedicated to civic improvement. The VSA supports slow growth, protection of the limits of the Venice Specific Plan, neighborhood safety, better traffic circulation, increased parking for residents, neighborhood beautification projects, historic preservation, habitat restoration and protection of coastal waters. www.venicestakeholdersassociation.org/310-392-4843

4. Centennial Park, next to the Venice Library, was cleared of 60 campers a couple years ago during Councilman Bonin’s tenure. The park was fenced, then new landscaping was installed. The park remains free of campers.

5. Dell/Pacific Avenue parking lot. 40 or so of the campers in Centennial Park moved west to occupy the dirt planting areas and sidewalks around this large city parking lot at this location (bounded by North Venice Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, South Venice Boulevard and Dell Avenue). Following offers of housing by social service organizations, an extensive cleanup was performed and then the entire area was landscaped, fenced, irrigation systems added, and planter boxes were installed where there were wide sidewalks to bar a return of encampments. There are no campers in this location now.

6. Flower and Lincoln. For many years a problematic homeless encampment existed on Flower Street just west of Lincoln. The property owner eventually landscaped the parkway and installed planter boxes to narrow the sidewalk footprint available for camping. There are no sidewalk campers in this location now.

7. Palms at Lincoln. A disturbing encampment existed for several years on Palms at Lincoln Boulevard, with sidewalk campers and the selling of drugs from vans parked next to Staples and Lincoln Hardware. Following a city cleanup, residents installed planter boxes and displaced the campers and the drug sales vans. There are no campers on the sidewalk at this site today.

8. At the request of Councilwoman Traci Park, last year the city designated three locations along the Venice Boardwalk as LAMC 41.18 500-foot exclusion zones; i.e., no lying, sleeping or sitting 24/7, at Ozone Avenue (next to a large residential senior facility), Windward Avenue (the main gateway to Venice Beach) and Washington Boulevard (the entrance to the Venice Pier). There are no homeless campers in these locations. Removal of the campers was preceded by offers of housing and cleanups.

There are several more examples where homeless campers were removed or displaced and have not returned, including Harding at Lincoln, along the north side of Rose Avenue next to Penmar Park, and on the west and south sides of Whole Foods at Rose and Lincoln.

Recently I was asked by a television reporter to respond to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision reversing the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision in the Grants Pass case. Initially, the reporter wanted to have one of Venice’s encampments in the background. I could not find one. Venice’s remaining homeless problem is the last 50 mentally ill and drug addicted homeless in the Venice Beach Recreation Area and the over 100 vans, SUVs, trucks, RVs and campers with live-aboard campers, who disturb us with late night noise, take our parking in an already parking-starved tourist destination, and use our alleys and gutters as latrines.

I ask that you ask Mr. Ward to identify one significant homeless encampment that has re-established itself after a city cleanup in Venice. Or ask his co-author, Rick Garvey, who has publicly announced himself on social media over many years as a homeless advocate. His presence on the research team raises serious questions about the objectivity of the study.

If, as I suspect, Mr. Ward and Mr. Garvey cannot show where any large encampments in Venice have returned after city cleanups, that RAND will publicly announce that its original study results were incorrect, and that in Venice, cleanups, along with LAPD enforcement, landscaping, and offers of shelter have indeed removed many large encampments that have in every instance have not returned.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Ryavec

in Hard, News
Related Posts

Mikomi Sushi Opens New Santa Monica Location

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

The new location continues Mikomi Sushi’s commitment to serving sushi, sashimi, and specialty rolls Mikomi Sushi, a well-regarded sushi restaurant...

(Video) Palisades Art Gallery Owner on Relocating to Santa Monica

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Bruce Lurie Owned What Was The Only Fine Arts Space in Palisades. The Gallery Has Found a New Life in...

Venice Shorts: Local Resident Joins Trump Administration at HUD

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Conservative Community Activist Soledad Ursua Lands Senior Advisory Role at the Department of Housing & Urban Development By Nick Antonicello ...

Levain Bakery to Open Venice Location with Special Guests and Charitable Twist

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Bigger Than a Cookie: Levain’s Venice Opening Is a Flavorful Fundraiser Levain Bakery, the cult-favorite cookie destination founded in New...

Historic Beethoven Market Reopens as Community-Centric Restaurant

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Originally established in 1949, Beethoven Market was a grocery store serving the community for 75 years Beethoven Market, a longtime...

Venice Shorts: VNC Seeks Community Input in Wake of Disastrous Election Turnout

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Survey Seeks Insight on Why So Few Participated in the Recent Election By Nick Antonicello  In wake of the historically...

Nonprofit Warns of Heavy Metal Contamination in Santa Monica Bay

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

The contamination is linked to storm runoff carrying toxic debris from burned structures and scorched land in the Palisades, Topanga,...

Mar Vista Council to Address Bike Parking Improvements, Oil Well Maintenance at Wednesday Meeting

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

The agenda also includes discussions on wildfire recovery and ocean water quality The Mar Vista Community Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, and...

Venice Shorts: New Structure on Washington Has Residents Perplexed

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

The New Encampment Is Just Another Example of Homeless Conditions on the Streets Gone Astray By Nick Antonicello  Washington Boulevard,...

(Video) Spending an Afternoon at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Go To Pacpark.com For Tickets and More Information. Go To https://t.co/PUWlOc89JQ For Tickets and More Information.#amusementpark #rides #rollercoaster #summer #spring...

Venice Shorts: Twenty-Five RVs & Campers Now Populate Washington Blvd

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Many Permanently Parked, Propped Upped By Nick Antonicello  As of Saturday afternoon (3.29.25), at least twenty-five RV’s, campers and other...

City Councilmembers Move to Update Wildfire Hazard Zones in Response to New State Maps

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

The motion calls to strengthen brush clearance laws, pointing to disparities between private property owners and state agencies In response...

Santa Monica Launches Public Search for New City Manager

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Nationwide Job Posting Seeks Leader to Guide City’s Future The City of Santa Monica has officially launched a nationwide search...

“NYPD Blue” Actress Arrested on Assault Charges in Marina del Rey: Report

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Emmy Award Winner Faces Court Appearance Following Domestic Dispute Kim Delaney, best known for her role on “NYPD Blue,” was...

Debris Removal Deadline Extended, Eligibility Expanded for Condos and Multi-Family Homes

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Officials continue to push for eligibility expansion to include nonprofit organizations, houses of worship, mobile home parks, and additional multi-family...