BCC passes motion opposing Mike Bonin’s plan to bring more temporary shelters to Westside
By Sam Catanzaro
The Brentwood Community Council (BCC) unanimously voted to oppose Councilmember Mike Bonin’s plan to bring more temporary homeless shelters to public spaces and parks on the Westside.
On March 31, Bonin introduced a motion to Los Angeles City Council that would evaluate the feasibility of bringing a variety of projects to combat homelessness to locations across the Westside.
Among the locations is the Los Angeles County-owned parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach at 17000 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. According to Bonin, this location would serve as a temporary site for single-occupancy tiny-homes or safe camping.
The motion also calls for looking into the feasibility of bringing similar housing options to the following locations across the Westside: Mar Vista (Mar Vista Park), Marina Del Rey (Fisherman’s Village), Playa del Rey (Dockweiler Beach), Del Rey (private building at 5000 Beethoven Avenue), Westchester (Westchester Park) and West LA (West LA Municipal Building).
In addition, the motion proposes a single-occupancy tiny-homes or safe camping sites on a property owned by Culver City for a joint LA-Culver City program and at an undetermined location at LAX. The motion also would instruct the City Housing Authority to work with Council District 11 and willing property owners to enter into master lease agreements for hotel rooms or apartment units to be used for homeless housing.
The motion is currently pending in the City Council Homelessness and Poverty Committee.
At their meeting Wednesday, April 14, the BCC voted unanimously to oppose the motion as an official position.
“the use of shared, public recreational spaces are a benefit and resource for the entire community of Los Angeles, and, California beaches, in particular, hold a unique and valued place in the hearts and minds of residents and visitors from throughout the world, and the California Coastal Commission is clear the public should have unfettered access to utilize every portion of these recreational properties,” reads the BCC motion.
In their motion, the BCC states that they support using private property for shelters, though did not take a position on the Del Rey location in Bonin’s proposal, which is located on private land.
“The Motion proposes a homeless safe camping site located in Del Rey on private property which is supported by the Del Rey Neighborhood Council, thus the BCC defers to the local council on this issue,” reads the BCC motion.
The motion goes on to list amendments the BCC is requesting to Bonin’s proposal:
- Remove all public recreational space from the Motion, including deed-restricted City parks;
- Instruct the CAO to include a study of the City’s Industrial Element and industrially zoned areas for alternative locations and include the results of Councilmember Raman’s (Council File 21-0063) study of municipal property in the final recommendation report for this Motion;
- Request U.S. District Judge David O. Carter to direct that any homeless shelter opened in CD11 be restricted to homeless persons who were registered in the Coordinated Entry System as living within CD11 during the 2019 Annual Homeless Count or who can show a connection to CD11, such as birthplace, prior school, work, or home address, or receipt of any public benefits, or relatives currently living in CD11.
