The RVs are parked in a no camping/no parking area, but the City has not enforced the signs. Now the City is voting to transfer more than $2 million to help them move.
The Los Angeles City Council is set to vote on a motion to provide a little more than $2 million dollars for an encampment to home program for the Ballona Wetlands encampment.
The motion, set to be voted on Tuesday morning, will authorize the transfer of $2,283,313 from the Additional Homeless Services General City Purposes Fund to the Los Angeles Housing Department Fund in a new account entitled “Westchester/Playa Vehicular Homelessness Intervention Program” for the “homelessness interventions” at the Wetlands.
Councilmember Mike Bonin, who will leave office in early December, authored the motion and stated that the money would be used for housing and services targeted for vehicular homelessness in the Ballona Wetlands area, including interim motel stays, long-term housing options, and vehicular interventions such as safe parking, vehicle repair, storage, and program incentives.
The interventions would be coordinated through St. Joseph’s Center.
Numerous community members submitted public comments on the agenda item. Some asked the council to pause the project until Councilwoman-elect Traci Park takes office. “Please let Traci Park spend these valuable funds responsibly as our newly elected Council member,” one public comment stated.
Other Westchester residents weighed in, saying they were left in the dark and have concerns that vehicles will be moved to the Westchester Park area. We reached out to Bonin’s office to learn more about the motion, but have yet to hear back in time for this report.
Bonin also submitted a motion prohibiting nighttime entrance onto City public rights of way abutting the Ballona Wetlands.
Both motions will be voted on at the Tuesday, November 22 City Council meeting: click here for an agenda.
(Editor’s note: This story is in conjunction with the Westside Current, which published the story on November 21.)
Looks like a great time to buy an RV, so that Mike Bonin can store it and repair it for me at no cost!
Hopefully Traci Park will be attending the meeting so at least her comments will go on the record.