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How A Venice Neighborhood Group Convinced LA To Clear A Homeless Encampment
Unhoused folks make their homes in makeshift structures along Penmar golf course in Venice. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)
When the pandemic hit, the dirt jogging path along Penmar Golf Course in Venice turned into a bustling community of 100 people living in tents and makeshift shelters, working together to survive.
But to their neighbors living in homes across the street, the encampment looked like a "war zone.”
For months, they complained about filth, noise and crime. They tried everything to get the encampment cleared away and the people living there into shelter.
Nothing worked, until a fire broke out and spurred action by local officials.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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