L.A. Could Consider Parks for Sanctioned Camping Locations for People Experiencing Homelessness

L.A. residents are demanding solutions for the city's growing number of people experiencing homelessness, but they don't tend to like those solutions when they include allowing people experiencing homelessness to stay in the neighborhood.

2 minute read

May 18, 2021, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Homeless Support Services

Mobile support services served food to people experiencing homelessness on Venice Beach in 2018. | Ingus Kruklitis / Shutterstock

"L.A.'s struggle to get a handle on its growing homelessness crisis is running up against Angelenos’ love of their outdoor recreation spaces, which served as a lifeline for many during the stay-at-home orders of the COVID-19 pandemic," reports David Zahniser.

Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin has proposed a plan to evaluate parks and park-adjacent spaces in his district on the Westside of the city of Los Angeles for the addition of sanctioned overnight camping, tiny homes or overnight parking for people living in their vehicles, depending on the location.

"The proposal calls for an evaluation of possible homeless services at Westchester Park and Mar Vista Park; beach parking lots at Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey and at Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades; a waterfront parking lot in Marina del Rey and property at LAX," according to Zahniser.

The Los Angeles City Council will vote on the proposed program later this month. As noted by Zahniser, the proposal goes a different direction from the tactics deployed farther east in the city recently, when City Councilmember Mitch O-Farrell pushed forward with the forced removal of a large encampment of people experiencing homelessness at Echo Park, sparking protests and clashes with the police as many residents rallied in support of the encampment.

Bonin's approach to issue of homelessness in his district has sparked a different kind of controversy, facing stiff opposition from neighborhood councils representing areas where the new facilities would be located, explains Zahniser. The proposal has sparked a recall campaign against Councilmember Bonin—who faced a recall effort earlier in his tenure for implementing bike lanes on streets in his district.

Friday, May 14, 2021 in Los Angeles Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”

Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

4 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden

Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

5 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence

Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.

6 hours ago - Bloomberg