Photo courtesy of Venice Neighborhood Council. Map shows Venice in blue and bounded by red lines. Zip codes are shown with yellow dotted lines. Extent of unincorporated county land is not shown

Where do I live? Where am I?

Amazing that the zip and town still evade many. It makes them ask “Where do I live?”
“Where am I right now?” “Why this zip code?”

It was planned to have article finished before the Venice Neighborhood Council election. Since it was not ready, it was going to be scrapped until next election. But two recent inquiries have reinvigorated the necessity for the article.

The photo shows Venice in blue, bounded in red. Dotted yellow lines show zip code placement.

If you live on the Peninsula, if you live in the Silver Strand, if you live in the Oxford Triangle, if you live in Regatta, if you live in Cove, if you live in Waterside, if you live in Mirabella, or if you live in Jefferson-Marina, you live in Venice? But your post office zip code is 90292, which is also the zip code for Marina del Rey. But, once again, you live in Venice. All your services are with the City of Los Angeles—LAPD, Fire Department.

If you live in the unincorporated county area, you live in Marina del Rey and you have the zip code of 90292. Your services are the Sheriff’s Department and the County Fire Department. Note the extent of the unincorporated county land is not shown in map.

Venice was Venice until it was incorporated into the City of Los Angeles back in 1920’s. At that time, it became Los Angeles. But Venice kept its name.

Back in the late 1970’s the Marina post office, according to long-time resident Denise Fast, was just getting started and needed more members. At that time, the Marina was just beginning to have buildings completed and have occupants.

The United States Post Office said those residents south of the middle of Washington Blvd will have the zip code 90292, which was Marina del Rey. Those north of the middle of Washington Blvd will remain 90291.