News of Venice, CA and Marina del Rey CA
Lava Mae comes to Rose Ave parking lot on Thursdays and stays until about 1 pm. One lady had just had a shower and said “I feel great.” She said she comes each week. Operator said they do approximately 35 to a one-time 46.
Lava Mae no longer goes to 3rd Ave where they first started.
(Photo by Peter Ruiz.)
The Lava Mae showers made famous at 3rd Avenue for the past year is now also at Rose Avenue. They are scheduled to come once a week to the Rose Ave parking lot as they do to 3rd Ave.
Pitstop is suppose to bring in portable toilets with wash stations each evening to the parking lot at Rose soon and they are suppose to be removed each morning for cleaning. These too, as are the restrooms at Horizon, staffed by attendants to make sure the facilities are safe and clean.
Lava Mae is now doing about 30 showers a day each Thursday on 3rd. They had been doing 20 – 25. Jerry, a Lava Mae worker, said it was just that we got more efficient. People are coming from all over Venice to take a shower. A team from St. Joseph and LAHSA was there to provide services for those needing services.
A man at the other end of the block told Update he had been in prison for 26 years and could not get a job because of that. He was told when he was in Skid Row, Los Angeles that he could collect social security but he did not “stick around” as he said. He said he was from Toledo and indicated he was not going to be around too long on 3rd.
His predicament was mentioned to the C-3 team at Lava Mae and they said they would talk to him. He apparently has to sign into the services before someone can help him. I asked him what his name was and he said “I’m the second book.” I told him it was nice to meet a Mark out here. Gave him my name and told him I had a nephew who was number one book. He proceeded to give me all the abbreviations for Matthew and we laughed. I told him it was hard to do that to a Mark.
Lava Mae the mobile showering system for the homeless that stops once a week on 3rd Avenue uses the City water system at the fire hydrant and a City sewer system dump.
The City provided Lava Mae a special dump hookup. The system ties into the main sewer line and allows Lava Mae to dump all sewage into the dump without using the holding tanks. Lava Mae has a special rig to hook up to the fire hydrants wherever they go for fresh water. The generator supplies all electrical for the system.
Normally, they can shower about 25 during their morning stop on Fridays at 3rd.
City provided a connection to the main sewer system for Lava Mae.
Lava Mae just drops their combination grey and brown water hose into the main City sewer system.
Lava Mae has its own rig for hooking to the City fire hydrant for water.
And they have their own generator to supply electricity as needed.
Lava Mae, managed by Jasmin Kozowy, comes each Friday close to 8:30 am and leaves close to noon to provide clean showers for those living on 3rd Avenue. Bureau of Sanitation comes, after they finish on Ocean Front Walk, to clean and sanitize the street and the sidewalks.
Maria expresses her gratitude for the shower.