I moved to San Diego for school in the 1980s. The Venice Beach boardwalk was one of the must-see sites on my introduction to California.
The iconic site has tourist shops, street entertainment, weight-lifters, and surfers. Residents enjoy the sun, waves, and atmosphere. But, unfortunately, the area has devolved into what locals call a ‘dangerous’ homeless encampment.
The LA neighborhood — site of the free-spirited boardwalk frequented by colorful street performers entertaining visitors strolling by funky stores — has been hit with a spate of violent incidents, Fox News reported.On April 28, a man survived a shooting at the coastal hotspot known for its bohemian spirit, the LAPD told the network. A recent explosion caused a fire inside one of the encampments dotting the walkway known as Ocean Front Walk.Residents and merchants are dismayed over the recent incidents, which occurred amid the expansion of local unsightly encampments, as well as a citywide homeless crisis that has grown worse in recent years, according to the news outlet.Over five years, the homeless population has increased by 50 percent, Fox News reported, citing a January report from the Luskin Center for History and Policy at UCLA.
Now, thousands of Los Angeles residents are revolting over plans to house the homeless in tents and temporary cabins near other popular beaches and parks throughout the city.
Councilmember Mike Bonin summitted a motion to add more shelters in areas such as the Los Angeles International Airport, Marina del Rey and Pacific Palisades.Bonin, who represents affluent communities including Venice, Westchester and Brentwood, argues that the ‘temporary solutions’ will ‘get people off the streets and into homes’.But more than 19,000 people have signed a petition to stop the plans.The petition asserts that the proposed camps are not a solution to homelessness and would bring the problems of drugs, mental illness, crime and danger into the communities where the tent cities would rise.
A local known as German in Venice documents the spread of tents, filth, and mayhem. He has gained quite a following, with over 1.7 million views of the deterioration.
Another Venice resident, Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, is also fed up with the homeless crisis. As a result, his native Australia is beginning to look very appealing.
The reclusive Australian actor, 81, lives in the once-desirable beachside suburb of Venice, where crime and homelessness have spiked in recent months during the Covid-19 pandemic.A masked Hogan sent a stern warning to the less fortunate on Sunday as he was pictured pinning a note to his front door that said: ‘THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS.’Hogan, who said earlier this month he was ‘desperately homesick’ and wanted to return to Australia, attached the note to his door before making his way back inside.
There are consequences to this crisis. The price of housing in the area is beginning to take a hit.
A Venice sanctuary near the beach has privacy, tons of space, natural light and a recent $250K price drop.It features three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and a half bathroom. It also has a detached garage or studio with a bathroom. It even has a balcony perfect for watching sunsets.It was built in 1905 and it’s listed at $3.25M.
Thanks to a continuous infusion of liberal policies, Venice has gone from being quirky to a catastrophe. Hopefully, the petition to stop the spread of these encampments will be successful.
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