Venice Homeless Committee Votes on School Bus and RV Removals Amid Community Concerns
By Nick Antonicello
The Homeless Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council met Thursday evening in a ZOOM format to discuss two resolutions that would have recommended removal of a gypsy school bus on Fourth Street that has lingered on the streets for the better part of five years, while also seeking the same for the population of RV’s on Washington Boulevard between Abbot Kinney and the beach.
The Homeless Committee is chaired by VNC board member Alley Bean, but tonight it was chaired by Dr. Naomi Nightingale, as Bean was out-of-town, but wound up participating anyway and Nightingale remained as chair.
The rest of the committee members are Lisa Redmond, Pat Raphael, John Reimers, and Judy Goldman. Sarah Mahir was also added to the committee’s membership, but she was not posted as a member in the committee’s advertised agenda. Bean said it was an oversight, and she was seated.
Two resolutions authored by Community Officer Clark Brown, long an advocate, for the removal of encampments and RVs from Venice asked the panel to support removing the parked school bus on Fourth as well as removing the large contingent of RVs on Washington Boulevard that had the strong support of area residents.
The first motion passed 4-3 with Goldman, Nightingale, Bean and Reimers voting yes, and Mahir, Redmond and Raphael voting against removing this illegally parked bus that has avoided being moved permanently for at least five years according to area residents. Sources say the bus has expired registration and has received dozens, if not hundreds of parking tickets over the same time period!
Some believe the bus is not occupied but rather is used for storage.
The second motion asked the panel to recommend removal of the dozens of RV’s illegally parked on Washington that have plagued the northside of the boulevard for at least two years.
While some were removed by the efforts of city officials, those who live closest to these campers have witnessed drug use, illegal dumping of human waste and a general sense that the large population of these oversized vehicles is a danger to neighbors and pedestrians alike along this very busy corridor and tourist gateway to the beach and pier, especially during the peak summer season.
Many of the vehicles are stationary, and the volume of RV campers is a result of the tent encampments that have been removed upon the arrival of Councilwoman Tracy Park (CD-11) as the new elected in 2022.
Her efforts have been widely praised by locals seeking relief from this scourge on the streets today.
On this vote, some committee members offered verbal empathy but believed that it was “legal” for these campers to continue to populate and permanently park.
The vote was 7-0 as Washington residents received no support from the assembled committee.
For how can an advisory panel not side with the very residents asked to live under these disgusting conditions?
In other committee action, Juan Fregoso, the district direct for Park’s office updated those on the call what was happening in Venice as well as the rest of the district when it came to the unhoused.
Fregoso reported that cleanups at the beach were consistent and that most were on Fridays and that six per month were being performed.
The typical cleanup is usually two weeks, but in sensitive areas under 41:18, the cleanups were two to three days in length.
Due to the limited bed space and closure of the bridge housing community, there is a sense that another spike of street tents could be forthcoming. Fregoso also announced that Park had secured some $900,000 in mental health funds even though that service is primarily administered by county officials.
Committee member John Reimers reminded those assembled that city officials expended $9,000,000 to purchase the now dormant and empty Ramada Inn on Washington, a space that could alleviate the current RV conditions on the same block.
Fregoso acknowledged that situation and expected the Ramada property to be operational sometime in 2026.
For the tremendous cost to combat homelessness was discussed when Fregoso forecasted that a million dollars could assist six to ten individuals, leaving one to ponder, is the current costs to combat homelessness financially feasible?
Or should a complete overhaul on how to decrease the costs be considered given the depth of dollars spent and the miserable results thus far here in Venice, one of the neighborhoods most impacted?
Bold steps like disbanding LAHSA or firing all current “service providers” who cannot get out of their own way?
Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of the neighborhood who exclusively covers the deliberations of the Venice Neighborhood Council as well as the issue of street encampments and RVs. Have a take or a tip regarding encampments and RVs? Contact him via email at nantoni@mindspring.com.
