Who We Are

A lot of positions have been mistakenly attributed to Venice Action. This is who we are and we invite all to join us in working for a better Venice. 

1. We are not opposed to restrictions on camper/RV parking in Venice.
    
   
2. We think that Overnight Parking Districts are a stupid way to deal with the camper problem. They inconvenience all vehicle owners instead of targeting campers.
   
   
3. Like Mark Ryavec and other members of the Venice Stakeholders Association, we support the creation of a Safe Parking Program modeled on those in Eugene OR and Santa Barbara.  Like those VSA members, we do not believe Venice should bear the entire brunt of this problem. We believe it is a citywide problem that requires citywide leadership. Unlike VSA, we believe that since the problem is concentrated here, we should take leadership instead of waiting for the City Council to wake up and smell the coffee.
   
   
4. We think it is irresponsible to institute parking restrictions without addressing the problems of those in campers who need and would accept help. We invite those who want restrictions to join us in doing both at the same time.
   
   
5. We believe less draconian approaches, such as those employed in Santa Barbara and particularly in Eugene in tandem with safe parking programs, can be very effective in resolving the problems the community is now experiencing with campers.
   
   
6. We know there has been a lot of talk about those who would reject help, but let’s not engage in collective punishment of all for the behavior of some. It is simply bad government to push a problem from one neighborhood to another without doing anything to address it. According to Shelter Partnership, as quoted in the AARP Bulletin, “In Los Angeles, hundreds of people are living in their cars because shelters can accommodate only about a third of the city’s estimated 73,000 homeless population.” So let’s not pretend that all homeless are criminals any more than we should pretend that no criminals are homeless. Painting all vehicle dwellers with that brush makes it easier to justify harsh treatment, but it’s dishonest. Let's face our problems and tackle them in ways that are both humane and effective. That is not an oxymoron. Other cities do it.  We can, too.