Cartoon man expresses the thoughts of many residents in the Venice community who have been hit with large “affordable” housing projects that also have been imposed with the Permanent Supporting Housing (PSH) requirement as per a new ordinance yet to be passed.
The new ordinance would require projects to have at least 50 percent PSH inhabitants. PSH people are homeless with a disability which could be alcohol, drugs, HIV, AIDS, etc.
The new ordinance gives no reason for a community to object. Councilman Mike Bonin has declared that properties zoned public facility (Thatcher Yard) and an open-space property (Venice Median) will be rezoned at his or City’s discretion and used to house affordable/PSH residents. Both properties are prime pieces of land, each less than 1000 feet from the ocean. That is prime-prime. Studies show that projects this size do not work for what is intended. They do not rehabilitate, they incubate. (It is noted that such a statement should be backed up with studies. Sorry … time)
Residents question the economics and motives of officials who do such actions. They say “one doesn’t help one group at the expense of another. Residents say sell prime properties, get many dollars, and house more in a less costly locations … get more homeless housed if that is the purpose … they don’t have to live at the ocean. Venetians do not want Venice to be the Westside Capital for Homeless. It is not equitable for the residents.
Think about the Venice residents what they have put up with. Uncontrolled youth shooting up in front of their kids, smoking marijuana, defecating. A couple of violent house break-ins, at least one murder. People sleeping on sidewalks in front of residences, in their alleys. This is out of control. There is no discipline nor enforcement. What kind of world is this? Other cities do not have this happening.
What do Venetians do about it? They donate monies to clean up Venice. Rick Swinger has been a formidable force in cleaning the 3rd Ave area. Regina and Steve Weller have the best record in town for finding permanent housing for homeless on a budget of pennies compared with the millions that go to the institutions.
Yet Venice is to be punished!
