Venice Update has carried many a story about cleaning up Ocean Front Walk and 3rd and the problems with the homeless. That is all talk or the written word. Video shows man doing something about it.
It is the Christmas season, yet Venice is in the turmoil of the homeless in one situation or another and to one degree or another.
- Nikoletta Skarlatos and a close group have reported that the alley parallel to Rose between 4th and 5th has been used as a toilet, that the Public Storage facility on Rose between 3rd and 4th has a gate open for homeless to enter after hours on 4th, that homeless are not abiding by the Lavan Injunction in which belongings clutter the sidewalks or the Jones Settlement where homeless (9 pm to 6 am) clutter the sidewalks beyond the 6 am and before the 9 pm.
- Kip Pardue had a homeless invasion of a female entering his home in the morning on Venice Blvd near the beach. Second homeless invasion in Venice.
- The 3rd Avenue encampment has expanded to Sunset, Rose, 2nd and 4th. It is apparently not because they have been moved off the beach but because the homeless number in area has increased in the Venice area. The weather is better than New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and you name-it this part of the year. The belongings the homeless are carrying with them have increased.
- The storage facility at the paddle courts has been open.
- The Winter Shelter program opened 1 December and busses shuttle homeless back and forth daily from Market Street in Venice to the Winter Shelter.
- City Attorney Mike Feuer made the statement at his town hall meet Thursday that the 1250 required units to satisfy the Jones settlement might be met in 2015, which would mean that homeless would not be allowed to sleep on the sidewalks at any time.
- Councilman Mike Bonin announced last week that Winter shelter was open and funds had been authorized for PATH (people assisting the homeless) to do outreach for the homeless.
- Venice Update posed a question to an attorney after the Mike Feuer Town Hall meet. Question was regarding the transients who are here and continuously refreshing the scene. On 3rd there are about 8 to 2 for being from out of state and one of the 2 is not from LA County. So considering all of this, does this mean, after LA gets the 1250 housing units, Venice can ask/tell the transients to go back to where they came from and not have to put up with their drugs, alcohol, and childish pranks? Can this be enforced? Otherwise, what has been gained? There was no answer.
- Captain Brian Johnson has made a public statement.
- Laws, municipal codes, and comments are given here. Dialogues are presented here to spark the Venice community into thinking about this ongoing situation with the thought for solutions. The City and police are certainly open to help with improvements. Kip Pardue said that Venice has the best group of creative minds anywhere.
Two former residents of 3rd Avenue, who used to try to keep it clean, said “You would think people would be grateful for having a safe place to stay and leave it clean.” These two large piles were left on 3rd Monday morning, one on each side of the street. There were other piles but these were the largest. Fortunately, Councilman Mike Bonin is cleaning up the beach area and 3rd.
By Reta Moser
Met Laura Sunday morning before 6 am on Third Ave. She was sitting on the curb with suitcases packed reading a book by the light of the street light. Everyone else on 3rd was still asleep but not Laura.
The avenue is between Sunset and Rose and is mainly commercial. It is an area that has unofficially been designated as a safe sleeping area for the homeless.
I stopped my car and made a comment that she was up early. She said with a broad smile that she was waiting to go to church. She mentioned that a van had come by earlier and kids jumped out and cut bicycles loose from posts and then put them in the van. Told her to tell the police. She acted reluctant. I said better yet, get the license plate number, and I will make sure a policeman gets it. I gave her my phone number.
We talked for a while. She was very, very proud that she was sober now for 14 months or years. Can’t remember. She just got back in town from Texas but had grown up in Westchester.
She was thrilled to tell me that she was on the list for housing.
Let’s all clean up Venice, one block at a time. Most residential areas are clean of litter but those areas near commercial or near homeless encampments suffer so much debris and litter.
Members of Harrison, one block north of Washington, recently decided to clamp down on two commercial ventures backing up to their street. A group headed by Mike Newhouse and with the help of Len Nguyen of the council office, let the commercial establishments know they wanted some action. They wanted the establishments to clean up their Harrison side. Mike Newhouse, Ruth Seroussi, and CC Carter worked this out.
This is similar to what a group of residents on Carter, headed by Denise Fast, started in the Triangle and will continue starting next year. Carter parallels Lincoln Blvd. Right now one anonymous resident of Carter walks the street once a week picking up litter. And it shows.
The Environmental Group, headed by Erin Sullivan-Ward, of the Venice Neighborhood Council has a cleanup program going in Venice. One day a week, or every other week, they choose an area to clean up. First they did Windward Circle and last Update showed their bags of debris from 3rd. Those two would have been Update’s picks too and next pick would be Windward between Pacific and Speedway.
Someone should talk to these business owners. They profit from the litterers. This is a daily task. Get these commercial owners organized to clean the area before tourist season so they’ll be in practice.
John is shown in red jacket. He had a broken broom cleaning up 3rd. Another person was down the street sweeping. They are both residents of 3rd. John said that both this street and 2nd were bad. It has been less than two weeks since the Environmental Group cleaned it up. Photo was taken Thursday morning and Street cleaning was Monday. At least some of those who live there are taking an interest.
We need more action like this. How about the Venice Chamber of Commerce asking all their members to clean litter in front of their business. We need people to stop this and neighborhoods to stop allowing this littering that is consistent throughout Venice. Neighborhoods should use the Venice ingenuity. How many clubs are there looking for a project.
The “to do” list for Councilman Mike Bonin mentioned perhaps there should be signs showing people how to put litter into the round hole. Sounds silly, but people are obviously having trouble with the task. And yes, Venice does have tourists and does have homeless.
The Venice environmental group, headed by Erin Sullivan-Ward of the Venice Neighborhood Council, has been out cleaning up Venice. One week it was Windward circle. Last week it was 3rd Street. They left one pile which was there before they got there and was still mostly there Sunday night this week.
So what is happening on 3rd Avenue again? This is the street that has been the subject of many Updates in the last few years. It is a short street between Rose and Sunset, a few blocks east of Main. It’s lined on both sides of the street with commercial. Homeless call it home. All photos were taken at 8 am Friday, 11 Oct and Monday, 14 October at 8 am.
Two years ago it was rampant with drugs and was in general filthy and unsanitary. Finally, after a few instances, Councilman Bill Rosendahl said “No.” He had spent much money and time establishing services for the homeless to utilize yet these wanted no part of it. He sent in the cleaning crew.
Cleaning the street resulted in Carol Sobol, attorney for the homeless, getting involved regarding possessions. Lavan injunction/decision regarding storing, not destroying property was designated for Skid Row only then. David Busch, a homeless person, sued the city regarding a toilet he had made for the homeless on the street. As of now there are no David Busch toilets and the Lavan decision is citywide.
Until the last few months, the place has been kept clean by a volunteer group associated with the commercial establishments. Mark Ryavec of Venice Stakeholders Association got involved at one point contributing money. Leon, the homeless man, touched many when he would clean the streets in the morning and then go looking for a job. He would set debris in a pile for the cleaning group/person. He disappeared from 3rd soon after getting a cooking job on Windward. It was during this era that 3rd looked its best and yet still catered to the homeless. It was truly a model for all to witness.
It is to this day a haven for the homeless. It is a place where homeless can sleep unharrassed by residents, by police. One would think they would appreciate such and keep it clean and presentable. Leon appreciated it and couldn’t understand why others couldn’t appreciate it and take care of it too.
Now it is on its way to being an example of why people don’t want the homeless around.
One Monday morning street residents were asked why there were piles of debris in the street. Residents said it was for street cleaning. It was doubtful a sweeper could dispose of the piles. The street remained a mess for several weeks.
Wednesday evening Kristan Delatori, senior lead officer for area, mentioned that she noticed area had deteriorated also and said she was going to call Bureau of Street Services. Someone did call or ignite someone because Thursday morning by 8 am, the east side was cleaner than it had been in months. West side was unchanged.
John says he is guarding possessions that belong to others but says he also collects and sells at a garage sale at his house near down town. This photo was taken Thursday. (Next day it was all almost gone.)
Two Photos Were Taken Saturday, 10 August
Three Photos were Taken Tuesday, 20 August
Mark Ryavec, president of Venice Stakeholders Association (VSA) , said that VSA would stop paying for cleanup on 3rd Ave. as of end of May. Photos above show how clean the sidewalks are.
The sum of $500 per month was paid to James Marshall of General Cleaning Services. Marshall cleans two parking lots on 3rd . VSA contracted with Marshall to clean the sidewalks and the street on 3rd Ave between Rose and Sunset. Leon Wilson, who worked for Marshall, was the young man who cleaned the street and sidewalks and put debris in piles for Marshall.
Ryavec said he contacted surrounding residents and no one seemed to want to pay for cleaning the street and sidewalks.
He is the only homeless man known in Venice to have a resume in one hand and a broom in the other.
He has put both to work.
Leon Wilson, the “Mr. Clean” of 3rd Ave, has moved on but his presence will continue.
Early Sunday morning, Update took a look at 3rd Ave. It was a disaster. After its previous “clean review” (10April 2013), it was heartbreaking to see 3rd revert to the filthy condition it had been before Leon and the pickup crew cleaned it up. It was so bad Update did not take pictures. Leon was not there. There was debris all over both sides of the street. No one on the street knew where Leon was.
Monday morning before 9 am, Leon was there as shown in picture. All the debris from Saturday and Sunday was stacked neatly. The scoop is that Leon has a cooking job at Cairo Cowboy on Windward Avenue, first block of the beach. He works from 4 pm to 4 am. Remember he said he had two years of culinary school and was looking. He says he will continue to keep 3rd Avenue clean so that James Madison, who is in charge, can haul the debris away. New agreement is to do it seven days a week, not five. So now the debris will be cleaned seven days a week.
Many readers were concerned about Leon getting paid for cleaning the streets. He said he gets paid each day. Now the service or at least Leon’s work will continue thru the weekends—seven days a week.
Also Leon rented a two-bedroom apartment in Inglewood which he will be moving into 2 May. He said it was not low-income housing. He did this on his own. He wants a two bedroom so that when his family comes, they will have a place. He has a son at Florida State University and a daughter at another university in Florida.