VENICE, Calif., July 2 (Santa Monica Online) — More than 100 residents, business owners and community members pressed leaders of two supportive housing programs in nearby Venice this week over safety and cleanup concerns, while Santa Monica officials separately paused proposed Ocean Avenue housing projects after neighborhood backlash.
At a crowded meeting near Lincoln Boulevard, residents said they were dealing with drug activity, trespassing, illegal dumping and violence, and worried about children walking in the area. One attendee said neighbors were now “finding dead bodies” during routine cleanups.
The meeting centered on The Journey Program and Safe Place for Youth. Representatives for the programs told attendees they were listening to concerns and would keep talking with the community.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park said her office had heard complaints from neighbors for months and warned that future city funding could be at risk if conditions do not improve. She said officials would continue to “fix this and hold these people responsible for providing their own security, for ensuring that the neighborhood around these facilities remains safe.”
After the meeting, Park wrote on Facebook that communities are “right to expect accountability” when taxpayer dollars are invested in homeless housing solutions.
The Venice confrontation came as Santa Monica officials faced their own dispute over housing for people experiencing homelessness. ABC7 reported that two Ocean Avenue projects were paused after residents raised concerns about communication and planning.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said she was “completely disappointed by the lack of proper communication with Santa Monica residents” about the proposed interim housing projects. Santa Monica’s mayor said the issue was “about transparency, accountability, it’s about engaging with the community in advance.”
Yahoo News reported that Los Angeles County had notified Santa Monica that 49 people with behavioral health challenges were expected to move into the Ocean Avenue properties as part of the county’s transitional housing initiative, and that the plan was put on hold pending a town hall and public tours.
