Notorious Venice homeless encampment returns 3 years after being cleared by Inside Safe program
By Josh Haskell
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VENICE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Venice residents are voicing their frustration after a homeless encampment cleared by Mayor Karen Bass’ Inside Safe Program returned.
The encampment, which is one of the most notorious in the area, is located at Rose Avenue and Hampton Drive.
Over three years ago, Eyewitness News was there when the encampment was cleared by Bass and Councilwoman Traci Park as the city’s second Inside Safe operation. At the time, the encampment was on Hampton Drive and stretched from Sunset Avenue to Rose Avenue.
Residents and businesses applauded the action and continued outreach that housed over 100 people, but now, the encampment is back.
“We need to not have to keep having a land war like every few months in the same place. Once we win it, we should win it. So I don’t understand why there isn’t any uniformness about the enforcement, even though, you know what? A lot of good work has been done, and a lot of people have been housed,” said Mark Ryavec, the President of the Venice Stakeholders Association.
“The law is not enforced. It goes and it comes. I wish it would just stick. It would make it easier for the PD, fire department, everybody involved,” said Craig Ribeiro, a Venice resident of 35 years.
ABC7 visited the encampment and witnessed it being cleaned and outreach taking place. But, instead of those living at the encampment accepting shelter, we saw the opposite.
While the encampment was cleaned and cleared, those living there tell ABC7 that they just moved around the corner, and once the crews leave, they plan to return.
Eyewitness News reporter Josh Haskell asked an unhoused woman named Kat whether she wants to get off the street.
“Yeah, we’re trying,” she said, adding that on Monday night, she planned to sleep, “Right back where I was until I get housing, because I’m not running away. There’s nothing to hide.”
Haskell asked Kat what the city was doing regarding outreach.
“Making our lives a lot harder, because the reason my bag gets stolen is because of a cleanup crew. My backpack, everything in it — my IDs, my birth certificate — everything was stolen, so I can’t make it anywhere because everyone wants an ID for a job, you need an ID to apply for anything,” Kat said.
According to Councilwoman Park’s office, those who live at the encampment have picked an area that’s in between two 41.18 zones — areas where encampments are prohibited.
“Two 41.18 enforcement zones we established in this area following the 2023 Inside Safe operation have largely prevented encampments of the scale we saw before from repopulating. However, the gap between those zones has allowed a small number of persistent and mostly service-resistant individuals to return. We’re working now to close that gap,” a statement from Park’s office said in part.
In a statement, Mayor Bass’ office said in part, “We have known this is an extremely attractive area for encampments, but we will not be deterred.”
The encampment surrounds a currently vacant building — The Rose Venice, a historic restaurant that has been in Venice for over 40 years.
In a statement, the company that operates The Rose Venice, Sprout L.A., said in part, “We have been repeatedly vandalized, burglarized and harassed. Despite all this, we believe in the strength of this community and are committed to an eventual reopening.”
“I’ve seen them yell at people, go after people, crystal meth use, all kinds of drugs, shouting, urinating, defecating, all of it,” said Ribeiro.
Both Bass and Park are currently campaigning for re-election.
“It’s really bizarre, and I don’t know why they’re not enforcing the law the way they have been for three years,” Ryavec said.
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