A community outcry to expel the nearly 250 RV dwellers who call Venice’s streets their homes has finally spurred action in Los Angeles City Hall, as lawmakers work to expedite a relocation and housing plan by the end of October. 

Helmed by 11th District Councilman Bill Rosendahl, the “Vehicles to Homes” program (formerly "Streets to Homes”) will target Venice’s car and camper homeless and facilitate their transition into assisted living situations.

“There are a lot of people on the beach, in those cars and campers, that don’t want help… who use their RVs as a base for their criminality,” Rosendahl said. “But those who want help, we want to be able to help them.”

Participants in the program must be deemed "economically deficient," have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and registration for their vehicle. As part of the transitional facets of the program, Rosendahl said his team is currently examining lots in and around the Venice area to house RV dwellers until the program is fully operational.

The program itself, however, is not enough to curb the problem some residents have with RV dwellers parking near homes and businesses.

These residents point to an August 24 dumping incident in which gallons of human waste were illegally discharged onto a public street, prompting action by lawmakers.

In conjunction with Rosendahl’s proposed “Vehicles to Homes” program, the councilman is pushing for an oversized vehicle ordinance to prohibit vehicles over 7 feet tall or 22 feet wide from parking overnight on public streets. 

The oversized vehicle ban will allow residents, property owners, and business owners within this zone the capability to restrict oversized vehicles from parking between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Mike Bonin, chief of staff to Councilman Rosendahl, said that his office is enacting an “implementive ordinance” that will expedite the process.

“The ordinance would allow all of the coastal zone of Venice to be eligible to apply for the oversized parking ordinance,” Bonin said. “I expect the ordinance to be in effect by the end of the October.”

The ordinance is intended to stop vehicle dwellers from effectively manipulating LA Municipals Code 85.02, which states that it is illegal to sleep in a vehicle overnight. Law enforcement has run into problems enforcing this law, as many car and camper dwellers cover their car windows to elude police of their presence.

The City Attorney is currently drafting the oversized vehicle ordinance and the City Council is expected to approve it within 2-3 weeks.

The ordinance would create a restricted parking zone in Venice, defined on the east by Lincoln Blvd., on the south by the L.A. County line, on the west by Ocean Front Walk, and on the north by the border with the City of Santa Monica.

Affixed to the ordinance is an urgency clause, which means that it would go into effect right after being published in the paper of record. Only a veto by L.A .Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would delay the process.

Although the two plans are intended to work together, the “Vehicles to Homes” program will take longer to pass through the bureaucracy of City Hall, Bonin said.

“There’s going to be an unfortunate limbo period after the [oversized vehicle ordinance] is implemented.” Bonin said. “There will be street segments in Venice where they will have the oversized vehicle ordinance before Vehicles to Homes is operational… it's one of the challenges we’re facing.”

When asked about the apparent disconnect between the parking ordinance and “Vehicles to Homes”, Rosendahl replied that “its too early for me to answer that.”

As part of the push to clean up Venice’s streets, Rosendahl indicated that a task force, which includes outfits of the LAPD Pacific Division, is in the process of cataloging each individual living permanently in an RVs in Venice.

According to Bonin, the allocation of $750,000 in seed money for the “Vehicles to Homes” program was approved nearly six months ago and is expected to support the program for a couple of years. The second facet of the program, a request for proposal, is being helmed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and therefore does not require council approval. 

The final stage in the ordinance's approval is the upcoming enabling ordinance that would allow those enrolled in the “Vehicles to Homes” program temporary parking privileges while making the transition to permanent housing. 

The Venice Stakeholders association has tried to obtain parking restrictions in the past, but the effort was stalled by a California Coastal Commission ruling that denied the city's request because of its proximity to the coastal zone.

Coastal Commission District Manager Gary Timm reaffirmed the commission's position on overnight parking in Venice at a meeting last week. He added, however, that the commission has no problems with oversized parking restrictions.

Darlene Knoll, a lifetime resident of Venice, has lived in her RV for 8-years. Knoll, who is vehemently against the oversized vehicle ordinance, said that the passage of such a law would threaten the lives of many of Venice’s RV dwellers.
 
“Build us a park we can afford to park in, and we’ll go there,” Knoll said. “They’re trying to get us off the streets, but what they don’t realize is its really going to put more people on the street.”

Knoll said that because the proposed ordinance would force many RV dwellers to leave Venice’s streets, they would be unable to park in surrounding neighborhoods without being harassed by law enforcement.

The closest RV-park to the Venice area, Dockweiler Beach RV Park, charges $65 a day, a figure few true car-dwelling homeless can afford.

A number of lots in Venice, including Lot 70 at the Venice Public Library, could house more than 50 mobile homes, Knoll said.

To reach reporter Benjamin Gottlieb click here, or follow him on Twitter.

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