By Angela McGregor

Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) approved two high-profile motions Tuesday proposed by the VNC Homeless Committee. The most controversial of these was the Jones Settlement Agreement, which was approved in two parts, and the Mobile Storage Plan.

Jones Settlement
Part One of the Jones Settlement Agreement called for the City to update the fact sheet to show an accurate count of how many net new permanent supportive housing units have been built in the greater Los Angeles area since October 2007. The goal would be to determine whether the terms of the settlement have been met.

The Settlement required 1250 net, new units of permanent, supportive housing for the homeless be built (half in Skid Row) after October 2007 in the Greater Los Angeles Area before LAMC 41.18 (no sitting, lying or sleeping on public sidewalks) can be enforced between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am.

The latest fact sheet is dated November 2015, and according to the VNC Homeless Committee, is unclear as to how many units have actually been built in Venice since that time (with figures ranging from a low of 19 units to as many as 42 units).

The action also asks that the City “begin the process” of declaring the terms of the Settlement reached if the numbers support that.

The second part of the action, which also passed, calls for the City to instruct the LAPD to begin enforcing LAMC 41.18 between the hours of 6 am and 9 pm when it is still illegal to sleep on sidewalks but not currently being enforced.

Taylor Bazley, field deputy for CD11, spoke and expressed reservations on behalf of City Hall of increasing any enforcement. Due to the increase in the homeless population since 2007, as well as recent court cases in other cities, he stated, “As soon as the sun will rise in the East, we will get sued again”. He also contended that any enforcement might lead to a loss of HUD funding, whether the Settlement number had been reached or not, but that he understood that enforcement would alleviate the problems with encampments expressed by residents. There was public comment on both sides of the issue, as well as comments pro and con from Board members before this action passed.

Mobile Storage Plan
The VNC recommendation to Mike Bonin and the City to create a Mobile Storage Program for Venice was presented by VNC Homeless Committee member Matt Shaw, and met with universal approval by both public and Board comment.

It would call for two customized school buses (more if necessary) equipped with fifty 60-gallon containers, caseworkers, storage attendants and drivers to make daily stops at three predetermined spots in Venice to serve the homeless community with storage and register them with the Coordinated Entry System.

A non-profit organization would be contracted to execute the program (several have already been contacted), and the program would have a trial period of one year, and could be up and running within 60 days. Shaw also pointed out that, to their knowledge it was innovative, no other community had adopted such a program. He said that LAHSA’s handbook also recommended a mobile storage program in the event that no suitable, residential-friendly location for a traditional, stationary program could be found.

This brought up the sole point of contention on this issue — whether or not it was meant to serve as a substitute for the City’s proposed storage facility at the Westminster Senior Center, since several commenters expressed a desire for both programs to be implemented.

VNC President Ira Koslow pointed out that there was nothing in the language of the proposal to suggest that mobile storage would preclude senior center storage, and also reminded the Board that they had already recommended against homeless storage at the Senior Center.

Other Items of Note
Two new residential developments were approved with conditions — 110 Paloma and 111 Sunset (as one project on two lots consisting of two residences), and 520 Venice Way (a two-unit condo).

Senior Lead Officer Kristan Delatori made safety-related announcements: 10/22 is “Clean out your Medicine Cabinet Day”, where people disposing of old medications can bring them to any of 5 different Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers in and around Los Angeles. People wishing to deter bike theft and/or facilitate a reunion with their stolen bike can do so by registering their bicycles at www.bikeindex.org.
Jay Handel, the NC’s Budget Advocate, announced that the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates website is back up and running at NBCLA.com. Anyone interested or concerned with where the City’s money is going is invited to visit and get involved.

Jed Pauker announced that Propostion 59 — the anti-Citizens United initiative — will be on the ballot in November due to the efforts of several Venice Residents. He urged its passage.

An Ad Hoc Cell Tower Committee will be created to review the placement of existing and proposed cell tower equipment. Jim Murez will be in charge.
The next VNC Board meeting with be Tuesday, October 18th at 7 pm.