The Broadway star sang her favorite Broadway songs Thursday to a hill filled with people. Pacific Mambo Orchestra will be on Saturday, 30 August and that will conclude the Department of Beaches and Harbors concerts.
Picture taken last day of July at 6 am and has not been repeated to this extent since. This is at the southwest corner of Lincoln and Washington on Lincoln bordering area highlighted in this Update. Behind the wall is an area frequently populated with homeless.
Solicitor walks in traffic on Washington Blvd at Lincoln waving hello with a smile and sporting her solicitation sign. Solicitation on highways in California is illegal. Lincoln is highway 1. Never are they to mingle in traffic as this solicitor is doing but perhaps she is the City’s official “good-bye face” for exiting Venice. Update did a story on solicitation some time back. The essence of the story was that solicitors can solicit but cannot solicit on highways and they definitely cannot mingle in the traffic.
Homeless
This story highlights one area in Venice that has been home to transient homeless. The subject area is the Oxford Triangle, which is west of Lincoln and South of Washington. Specifically it is that area called the Walgreens shopping area that has miscellaneous shops and Walgreens. (Triangle also has homeless problems at the Thatcher Maintenance Yard and the area behind Oxford at the bike path. But these are not part of this.)
The homeless that have alighted in this corner, in general, are people who drink and are on drugs. They are not, or so far have not been, the homeless in search of assistance. The question is not so much as to what “type of homeless” one is discussing, but what is the reaction of the neighborhood? Where are we going as a society?
First of all, the Los Angeles Municipal Code that prohibits sitting, lying or sleeping in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public way is not enforced in the City of Los Angeles from 9 pm to 6 am.
City has agreed not to enforce section LAMC 41.18 (d) between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am. It is called the Jones v. City of LA settlement agreement and is applicable throughout the city of Los Angeles. The 9 pm to 6 am will be unenforceable until the City constructs 1250 units of permanent, supportive housing for the chronically homeless, and at least, 50 percent of which has to be located within Skid Row or greater downtown Los Angeles.
41.18 (d) (Amended by Ord. No. 137,269, Eff. 10/21/68.) No person shall sit, lie or sleep in or upon any street, sidewalk or other public way.
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to persons sitting on the curb portion of any sidewalk or street while attending or viewing any parade permitted under the provisions of Section 103.111 of Article 2, Chapter X of this Code; nor shall the provisions of this subsection apply to persons sitting upon benches or other seating facilities provided for such purpose by municipal authority or permitted by this Code.
So aside from the law, what kind of neighborhood is the City allowing to be created. One doesn’t want to erroneously put the burden on the City but where else would it lie?
Homeless congregate in the Walgreens shopping area during the day but mostly, and not consistently, during the evening hours. They drink and party in broad daylight and with people watching. Shooting up is more discrete. One just finds the needles.
Many families are not allowing their children–even high school age to walk to Walgreens unattended. Many adults feel intimidated by such. On the other hand, many do not. Some who live on Carter, which is the street that hosts most of the homeless, claim that homeless are just nuisances–they poop, they urinate, they leave stuff around but other than that, they are not a problem.
It is unlikely that these homeless are the ones doing the crime in the area.
But questions arise. Are homeowners now accepting this as a way of life for their neighborhoods? Are the homeless creating a scenario that homeowners do not care about the area, making it ripe for crime? Is this establishing a new way of life, an acceptable alternative–that it is okay to be homeless, drunk, and shooting up?
The facts that are true are: Home prices in area continue to go up. Triangle is experiencing more crime than ever before. Triangle has had three knock-knock burglaries, car thefts, and other items stolen from car break-ins to theft from garages this year. One of the knock-knock burglaries may have been late last year. Residents are witnessing more visible drug transfers-sales in neighborhood. The homeless come before 9 pm usually and leave after 6 am.
The question is for you, the reader. If you don’t live here and have seen the homeless at Walgreens, would you want to buy or rent a home in Triangle? Would you want to shop at Walgreens? Is this happening in your area? (We know it is happening at the beach and on 3rd.) Do you consider this a citywide problem? A problem for Venice specifically? A problem for the Triangle and a few other selective areas? Or perhaps, you do not consider this a problem in Triangle, in Venice, or anywhere else. Perhaps, you don’t really care; it isn’t important. Perhaps, you feel this is the new Venice. Or are these the questions?
Would like to hear how you, the reader, feels about this. All comments will be anonymous. (See comments after photos from residents of Carter and one from a resident who lives further from Carter.)
2 August
16 August
A couch and chair were dumped in area. They have since been removed.
One chap moved chair to shady area for use.
19 August
Roberta Flack had them from the moment she opened with her “Killing” song and it didn’t stop. They swayed, they hummed, and they rocked with the music by the lady notable for jazz, blues, pop, R&B, and folk.
She is best known for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” “Where is the Love,” “Feel Like Makin Love,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” and the “Closer I get to You.” She won Grammys for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” in 1973 and 1974. This two-year feat was unsurpassed until 2001.
Flack graduated from Howard University at the age of 19 after entering at 15 on a full scholarship for piano but changed her major to voice. She was one of the youngest to ever enter Howard.
The crowd was about three times the largest draw that Department of Beaches and Harbors has ever had with its annual free summer concerts by the sea. When Flack started, cars were still stuck on Mindanao. She filled all the parking lots on Mindanao and the library parking lot. Police finally had to barricade Mindanao at Admiralty. There just was no place to park.
The hill overflowed with people sitting and standing past the picnic tables to the snack shop.
Two ladies found an area in the hedges off the sidewalk where two and only two could sit and listen to the music but not see the singer. There was only wiggle room in the crowd.
Only two concerts left. Bernadette Peters and her own orchestra will be next Thursday, 21 August, and the Pacific Mambo Orchestra on Saturday, 30 August.
Ocean Front Walk got a surprise cleanup this Friday morning starting at 1 am. Sanitation crew went from Navy to Windward Circle and then from Windward Circle to 18th.
Los Angeles Environmental Officer Howard Wong said they removed 2.5 tons of garbage from Ocean Front Walk. They bagged and tagged 15 bags and 8 bikes. They removed 15 feces, 15 syringes, and an undisclosed amount of paint, insecticide and urine.
Wong and his crew got to Third at 7:45. This time they barricaded the street, which allowed the sanitation trucks and the garbage truck and crew to move freely. Wong said his crew expected to have about 2 tons removed from Third.
Homeless had pushed items they didn’t want over the curb into the street. Wong did say he still had to go thru it but it was much easier this way. Wong explained that a discarded, over-the-curb, suitcase had to be opened to see what was inside.
9 am after the cleanup on Third
West and east sides of street, respectively.
10:30 am after cleanup on Ocean Front Walk near Rose Avenue
Was Third dirty?
This time they pressure washed the sidewalks.
Neighbors lined up to speak Thursday at the AT&T hearing for 737 Washington Blvd. This project had gone through and was denied on appeal two years ago. This redesigned project has gone before the Land Use and Planning Committee twice but AT&T has been a no-show.
Sue Chang, hearing officer, gave AT&T until 16 September to go through the neighborhood council process. AT&T will be heard by the Land Use and Planning Committee 26 August and then the Venice Neighborhood Council 16 September.
Council office representative, Chris Robertson, said the council office recommends denial of the project because the neighbors have such strong opposition. Neighbors, organized by Agnes Huff and Mark Shockley, have been at every meeting.
LUPC chair Robin Rudisill has tried to get three AT&T projects to the meets to no avail; now this AT&T says they will be there.
Mark Shockey talks about the AT&T tower proposed again for 737 Washington. AT&T once again did not appear at the LUPC.
The Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) land use and planning committee (LUPC) once again filled the room to capacity at the Oakwood Recreation Center Tuesday night mainly to hear 320 Sunset and Kim’s Market. The crowd was adamant about both projects.
LUPC recommendation to VNC for 320 Sunset is to be a bakery with baked goods, sandwiches, and accessories with 25 indoor seats under certain conditions. LUPC recommendation to VNC for Kim’s Market at 600 Mildred is denial of proposed project. LUPC met Tuesday at the Oakwood Recreation Center. Next meet will be 26 August.
Another project before the board was 2404 Boone which got caught in the de minimis problem with the California Coastal Commission. It was approved. The two single-lot subdivisions at 665 Vernon and 672 Brooks that were awaiting separate motions were not heard because of time. They will be heard at the next LUPC. Robin Rudisill, chair of LUPC, gave a strong rebut to AT&T tower proposal at 737 Washington Blvd because of applicants lack of cooperation and participation in process. Their hearing is Thursday on Corinth in West Los Angeles at 10 am.
320 Sunset
The 320 Sunset project, handled by Mark Kleiman, was denied as proposed but would be approved under certain conditions as a bakery with sale of baked goods, sandwiches, and accessories only. Seating would have to be for no more than 25 indoor seats, without table service, and service would have to be totally enclosed. It was specified there would be no outdoor seating. No sale of alcohol on or offsite.
Free parking would have to be provided for all employees onsite or within 750 feet of site. The application would have to include a covenant for the lot immediately west of property for bakery parking for as long as bakery would operate a retail establishment. Parking would also include area behind building on south side. Curb in front of premises would be used as a loading zone or as parking for the exclusive use of the restaurant or as a valet stop. All deliveries would be completed by 9 am. All trash collection would be Monday thru Saturday via Sunset.
Originally this was proposed as a bakery but it grew to include a sit down restaurant with takeout, full alcohol for on and offsite sales with 90 patrons, 25 indoor and 65 in patio on south side of building next to alley across from residential. Parking was to be in abutting lot west of building.
Kim’s Market
Kim’s Market at 600 Mildred, handled by Kathleen Rawson, was recommended for denial based on the parking and traffic, noise, and incompatibility with the neighboring use, which is all residential of one density or another.
The owner wanted a change of use from a 1613 sq ft market/deli with takeout to a restaurant with 600 sq ft of service floor area with 24 indoor and 36 outdoor seats and a full line of alcohol for the restaurant. Latest proposed hours of operation were to be 7 am to 11 pm Friday and Saturday and 7 am to 10 pm Sunday thru Thursday.
Parking was proposed to be in parking lot in the median on Venice Blvd or in the parking lot at the Library, which are both several blocks from the establishment.
Roadwork was completed Sunday. Trucks were parked east of Oxford ready for transport. Street will be cleaned of loose pebbles and stripping will commence. Exact time for the latter two tasks is not known.