I spoke with The Argonaut recently about the unacceptable state of Venice Beach and our ongoing work to give the people who live, work and enjoy the area the clean, safe and characteristically funky neighborhood they expect and deserve. Venice Beach and the surrounding neighborhood is a tourist attraction, but it also a residential neighborhood and a business district — and it too often is held hostage by rowdy punks and criminals who manipulate vending rules and laws meant to protect the homeless to create their own sketchy environment and campground. It is not acceptable. We must and will be expanding programs and coordinating services to help the needy and those who are left with no choice but to sleep on our streets. But those are not the people causing problems in the neighborhood. To combat that problem, we are installing brighter lights at Venice Beach, and we will be installing 24-hour security cameras. We are increasing neighborhood clean-ups, and the LAPD is instituting new patrols and policies. We are also going to tighten up vending regulations that create a scofflaw underground economy that is forcing out the entertainers and performers. There are no simple answers to the complex intersection of social justice and public safety issues at play here. Government and the community need to work hard to respond with dignity, compassion, and assistance for those who want and need help -- and to provide hard and strong law enforcement for those who violate the law and think our neighborhoods are a cool place to party, cause trouble and live off the grid.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 21:38:29 +0000
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