STOP COUNCILMAN BONIN'S PLAN TO SATURATE WESTCHESTER AND PLAYA DEL REY WITH HOMELESS

Bonin has been working behind our backs to increase the number of homeless shelters/beds in Westchester, significantly more than that in other Council District 11 (CD-11) communities, while some communities not having any homeless shelters at all. Without any public or neighborhood council communication, Bonin worked sneakily to get approval to build a homeless shelter in Westchester Park, to establish many homeless shelters in Westchester, to expand the Safe Parking program (allowing/permitting the homeless to sleep in the parking lots) at Westchester Park rendering the park unsafe for children and seniors.  However, most alarming is his plan to use the 340 acre parcel of land on the Northern side of LAX, which borders Westchester Parkway, from Sepulveda to Pershing, i.e., the Northside Development, into a homeless village.

Bonin failed one clandestine attempt to get homeless housing on land owned by LAX across the street from Visitation School because concerned Westchester/Playa neighbors learned about it just in time to push back.  Bonin and some of the CD-11 council member candidates have specifically supported the use of the LAX Northside Development land to solve the entire Westside's homeless problem (see "Cabin Communities, Safe Camping and Safe Parking". 

This land used to be residential neighborhoods of Westchester and Playa Del Rey and was taken from homeowners by eminent domain because it was deemed unsafe for residential living due to the proximity to the runways. After dozens of meetings with the community, the city and the federal government approved plans to use the Northside Development to enhance the community through a variety of uses, including parks and soccer fields. Residential uses of any kind, including homeless shelters, are not an approved land use, and current deed restrictions on the land prevent the use of the land for residence. However, the city has published their desire to use this land (see LA Controller list pages 13-15 https://lacontroller.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/City-Properties-Available-for-Homeless-Housing-and-Services_1.12.22.pdf). We must join together to oppose politicians' efforts to find loopholes to break the law.

Homeless housing on the Northside Development puts our greater community at risk, just as the homeless encampments at Westchester Park did. There were fires, open drug use, drug deals, shootings, robberies, sexual assaults, and attacks on children. Violent crime increased and fanned out into the surrounding residential and commercial areas from less than 100 homeless people lived there - a drop in the bucket compared to thousands of homeless to be moved into this proposed area.  

The reason why the crime is so bad surrounding homeless developments (80+% violent crime increase within 1 mile of homeless shelters in Venice within first 3 months of opening, per LAPD) is that the city does not require nor provide sobriety and/or mental health care.  The lifestyle the homeless had on the street continues. In fact, it draws more RVs, vans and tents surrounding the development where they continue their drug use, drug manufacturing, chop shops, illegal activities, etc. 

It endangers our community to have homeless shelters near residential neighborhoods, schools and other sensitive areas. There are 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, a childcare center for LAX employees and community members, and many senior assisted living centers that flank this area, not to mention the thousands of residents who will also be negatively affected. 

As a result of the very recent settlement of the LA Alliance lawsuit, there will be many more homeless shelters, housing thousands in CD-11 alone. We already have multiple shelters in Westchester. Within the last 18 months, Bonin has put in two shelters in Westchester and has plans to take over two more hotels, paying twice the appraised price, one on Sepulveda and one on Airport, that we are aware of.  What other surprises does Bonin have up his sleeve for us? He won't respond to email requests, he won't reply to phone call requests and refuses to plan an in person meeting to discuss any of this.

We are not opposed to doing our part in sheltering homeless; however, we refuse to be the dumping ground for the entire Westside of Los Angeles.  Sadly, surrounding communities want this homeless city dumped in our community and have said so publicly.  "NIMBY":  Not In My Back Yard, or "Not in our community but Westchester is just fine with us."  We need to organize and stand together to stop this madness. 

Please join the Westchester Playa Community Coalition to be a part of the solution. By signing this petition, you will be kept informed of the incandescent discussions about housing thousands of homeless in Westchester and Playa del Rey and you will be counted as a resident who opposes the plan to saturate our community with the CD11 homeless.  We collectively want to:

1.  Hold the CD-11 council candidates accountable to respect the efforts of our community by upholding the existing LAX Northside Development Plan and deed restrictions that prohibit housing of any kind.  

2.   Stop the secret planning for homeless shelters that does not involve the community.  We want our voice in any homeless planning for our community.

3.   Stop the placement of homeless shelters near residential neighborhoods, all schools and other sensitive areas like Senior Centers.

4.  Stop the efforts to build homeless shelters on LAX land on which homes were torn down because it was not safe for human living.

5.  Stop the unfair saturation of our community with homeless shelters.

6.  Stop Bonin and our future council member from implementing untenable homeless housing, endangering and unfairly burdening our community.

Please email us today at westchesterplayacc@gmail.com to get more information and to stay updated on this time-sensitive homeless issue in Westchester.  Also, please update us with any information you may find, as well.

Thank you for your time and consideration.  We need to work together to preserve our wonderful community.

RESOURCE ARTICLES:

Bonin's Cabin Communities, Safe Parking and Safe Camping Plans at LAX

LA City Sued For Homeless Solutions

List of LA City Properties For Homeless Villages p.13-15

HUD Definitions of Homeless, Page 2

Affordable Housing Shortfall

Vehicle Homeless Dwelling Problems

Dual Homeless Housing Problems

Problems With Homeless Counts

Overpaying for Extended Stay Hotel: Appraised Price is Half of the Purchase Price

Mental Health Is Higher Than Expected In Homeless

An Amazing Homeless Solution

SF Has Had Enough With Homeless Mental Illness And What They Are Now Doing

Homeless Plans Not Successful

Please Don't Be Like Culver City

How Progressives Are Ruining Our Cities

Venice Bridge Home Realities:  Broken Promises

CD 11 List Of Homeless Initiatives Without Community Input

LA Controller Finds HHH Funds For Homeless Helping Small Number of Homeless Compared to Goals

Problems Plague Overpriced Homeless Shelter Making Community Unsafe

Police Budget is Significantly Increased for Venice Police (Not Other Communities With Homeless Problems like Westchester)