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

"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.