Nick Antonicello Writes That The “Monster on the Median” Project Lacks Practicality and Grass Roots Support
By Nick Antonicello
For nearly a decade the residents of Venice have opposed this foolish notion of constructing low income housing just steps from the beach on a piece of prime real estate some value as high as $120 million.
The driving force behind the madness is the cottage industry of homelessness, led by not-for-profit zealots hell bent on making Venice “ground zero” for this crisis, as transients and out-of-state individuals seek new refuge just steps from the Pacific.
For there is no squatter’s rights here in Venice.
There is no divine right that mandates a homeless individual chooses where they want to live for practically nothing!
For local control and home rule have been tossed in the trash by government officials and not-for-profit bureaucrats who believe they have the moral high ground to determine how they will solve the problem and let the public be damned!
And what has been lost in this discussion is the hard reality that Venice is a popular tourist destination that is a driving factor in our local economy.
They come to visit the boardwalk, fishing pier, skate park and Muscle Beach, not to score drugs or subsidize the current conditions on the streets of Venice thanks to the failed policies of LAHSA, as well as city and county government investing hundreds of millions in failed contract providers who have made the situation even worse!
For the hard reality is that the homeless have no right to take Venice Beach hostage and government should be protecting the homeowners, property owners and tenants who actually live here, play by the rules and have endured these conditions for decades while locales like Pacific Palisades and alike are immune from any social responsibilities as Venice is the dumping ground for all that is homelessness outside of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
To seriously propose that low income units in a tourist destination or landmark neighborhood like the historic Venice Canals is palatable or even reasonable defies logic as wrong has become right and right has become wrong in this disturbing example of misguided social engineering.
For Venice Beach is legally a park, just like Central Park in Manhattan and a very popular tourist destination like the French Quarter in New Orleans. A venue that is eclectic, like the iconic Muscle Beach, skate park and street art that draws some 10 million people from literally all over the world.
Do you see those cities mortgaging away their local economies to construct housing that will do little, if nothing at all to reduce the number of individuals on the streets?
For Venice Beach is in dire need of major reconstruction and investment, as the boardwalk has not been paved since 2000 when LA hosted the Democratic National Convention. And with the FIFA World Cup coming in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027, and the Summer Olympic games in 2028, why are tax dollars and prime real estate being squandered by the homeless industrial complex?
There is a reason the Summer Olympics has chosen to ignore Venice as a venue for any event.
It is because Venice and specifically Venice Beach is filthy, crime-ridden and dangerous.
Venice in its current condition does not brand enhance the Olympics, it denigrates it!
For the people of Venice, the residents who actually live here have been ignored over and over again by the affordable housing lobby that has characterized those who oppose this misguided project as “segregationists” and NIMBY’s and have ignored the amount of housing both temporary and permanent here in this neighborhood to say nothing of the hundreds of RV’s and multitude of encampments that still thrive here in this exhausted community tired of being pushed around politically by those who do not live here, but seem to have more to say then the very residents themselves!
So despite the overwhelming opposition to this proposal, super bureaucracies like the California Coastal Commission are poised to give this mess the green light no matter how loud locals roar in opposition.
The location is ludicrous, the cost outrageous and the end result a permanent disaster in terms of access and parking, as well as the environmental sensitivities of constructing something this costly that will do little to change the conditions of most homeless individuals.
Consider the following:
The rejection of the Venice Median housing proposal should be obvious, with several concerns that typically accompany such misguided projects.
Here are some general factors that should justify its rejection:
1. Community Impact.
- Loss of Cultural Character: Venice is known for its unique cultural and architectural heritage. A housing development will disrupt the neighborhood’s distinctive charm, as well as its mass, scale and character.
2. Environmental Concerns.
- Sustainability Issues: Lack of energy-efficient designs or non-compliance with green building standards could make the project even less appealing.
3. Economic Viability.
- Cost vs. Benefit: High costs that do not align with the expected benefits or affordability levels make the proposal less practical.
- Taxpayer Burden: Public funds are required for this project, and opposition has arisen regarding its cost-effectiveness and necessity.
4. Infrastructure and Traffic.
- Overburdening Infrastructure: Housing development will strain existing infrastructure, such as roads, water, and sewage systems.
- Traffic Congestion: Increased housing density will lead to more vehicles, exacerbating traffic issues in Venice.
5. Continued and Sustaining Public Opposition.
- Lack of Community Support: Strong opposition from residents and stakeholders will lead to political and administrative challenges moving forward.
6. Legal and Regulatory Hurdles.
- Zoning Issues: The proposal conflicts with existing zoning standards and regulations such as the required lot consolidation.
- Non-Compliance with Building Codes: Failure to meet safety, environmental, and urban planning standards have resulted in embedded opposition that will not go away.
The time is now to reject this folly once and for all!
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-one year resident of the neighborhood who has covered the median project since its inception. Have a take or a tip all things Venice? E-mail him at nantoni@mindspring.com
