(Venice, CA/10/21/15) This morning Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon denied motions by the City and County of Los Angeles to dismiss the Venice Stakeholders Association lawsuit which alleges that the City and County have maintained a public nuisance on their park land, parking lots and the Boardwalk at Venice Beach.

In the decision the Court cited legal authority which included:

“Government liability under Government Code section 815 et seq. may be nuisances per se,… Such an action would not force the City to prosecute others for nuisance on private property, but rather require the City to take action as is necessary so that it no longer suffers a nuisance on its own property.”

Today’s Court decision was applauded by the Venice Stakeholders group:

“We are heartened by the Court’s support of our position that the City and County have a legal responsibility to abate the nuisance which they are allowing to exist in the Venice Beach Recreation Area (VBRA),” said Mark Ryavec, president of the Stakeholders. “Just like all other owners who are responsible for their property, the City and County need to be held responsible to residents for the harm we experience.”

Ryavec noted that an award of monetary damages could even be used to allow residents to hire private security to protect themselves and their families from assaults, break-ins, trespass and defecation and urination on their private property which result from people illegally living in or storing their possessions on public land.