A longtime resident of Venice, California, went on a viral tirade Thursday blasting the homeless crisis in the city, according to ABC7.
The woman told Venice Intel she has lived in the city for over 45 years, but that “it’s not safe anymore.” “My grandkids, who I adore, are afraid to come and visit me. Do you understand that? That is hell for me,” she said.
Please take a minute to listen to this 50 year resident of Ozone / Venice @CurrentVenice @JamiePaige2012 @JoelNBCLA @LaurenLyster @LauriePerez @LaurieBossi @KateCagle @LACoSheriff #venicebeach #sos #help pic.twitter.com/18mI46PJ8Z
— V E N I C E ???? Intel (@VeniceIntel) May 27, 2021
“Living on the boardwalk is not ok. Get the darn tents away from here because you know what? It’s not safe. Nobody feels safe. It isn’t fun anymore,” she added.
The woman added that it is “scary” for her to walk to the waterfront amid all of the homeless tents. “I go walk down to that water every day, and I have for over 40 years, and you know what — it’s scary to me now. I don’t think it’s fair. Please, please, please. We do not want tent people living here. It’s gotta stop!”
A large number of homeless encampments have appeared in Venice in recent months. The city has seen many violent incidents, including fights, fires, and a shooting on the Venice Boardwalk in early May, according to ABC7.
Venice Beach Boardwalk 2021 pic.twitter.com/Uz8y7wh6v5
— Venice Beach Boardwalk (@BoardwalkVenice) April 14, 2021
There is only one homeless facility, Pacific Sunset, in the entire city of Venice, but it has reached maximum capacity due to the pandemic. (RELATED: City In California Pays Homeless People Gift Cards To Clean Their Tents)
L.A. City Councilman Mike Bonin recently released a statement announcing more housing plans. “Earlier this month, we converted a motel near LAX into homeless housing, and we are opening another converted motel in Venice in a few weeks. New funds proposed last month by Governor Newsom and Mayor Garcetti in their draft budgets offer new hope for delivering solutions at scale, and I want to put those dollars to work in Venice,” the statement read.