PPCC Letter to City Councilmembers
A version of this letter was sent to all members of the Los Angeles City Council, on Sunday, May 16, and has been reprinted here with permission. The full text is available at pacpalicc.org.
Pacific Palisades Community Council has been the most broad-based community organization and voice of Pacific Palisades since 1973. PPCC strongly opposes any proposal to use or study the use of public state beaches, beach parking lots and parks for homeless housing of any kind, whether described as “tiny cabins,” safe camping” or “emergency response shelters.” Thousands of other citizens of Los Angeles, including the overwhelming majority of Palisadians, share our position.
PPCC supports the lawful use of our public state beaches and parks by all citizens, housed and unhoused alike, for recreation and enjoyment. But the dangerous “Palisades Fire”—which, as has been widely reported, exploded over the weekend in our fire-prone hillsides and quickly spread, at this writing, to 835 acres—has put this matter into stark relief for the Palisades community. Under no circumstances should public officials entertain the idea of sanctioning homeless habitation at Will Rogers State Beach or any of our nearby fire-prone areas.
The beaches are for all citizens of Los Angeles and the entire region; they are our Central Park.
The use would be unsafe for homeless individuals, the nearby community and the region.
The county controls the use of the state beaches; habitation on beach parking lots is not permitted and is contrary to the county supervisors’ express goals.
The use would violate the Coastal Act and is unprecedented in California.
The use is contrary to Judge Carter’s ruling and express goals.
There is no “immediate emergency,” nor would the “solution” be “temporary.”
Pacific Palisades is overwhelmingly opposed, as are numerous neighborhood and community councils and thousands of other citizens.
Respected Palisades organizations, entities and individuals strongly oppose the use or study of the use of public beaches, beach parking lots and parks for homeless housing. The level of community opposition is unprecedented.
To date, eight Westside neighborhood and community councils (including five non-coastal councils), representing tens of thousands of constituents, oppose CF 21-0350 and/or the use of the beach parking lots and public parks for this use. Over 1,000 pages of public comments in opposition have been submitted in CF 21-0530. Over 20,000 individuals have now signed an online petition opposing the use of public beaches and parks for homeless housing.
Moreover, as result of the motion in CF 21-0350, the public outrage about this ill-advised proposal and the ongoing, unacceptable conditions at homeless encampments in CD 11, 11,000-plus individuals have signed a recent online petition calling for Councilmember Bonin’s recall.
The proposal to “study” the use of public state beach parking lots and parks for homeless housing is a singularly unnecessary, dangerous and bad idea. PPCC implores Los Angeles City Councilmembers to act responsibly, in the best interest of all citizens of Los Angeles and the wider region, by amending the motion in CF 21-0350 and removing the state-owned/county-operated WRSB and Dockweiler Beach parking lots, as well as Westchester Park and Mar Vista Park (opposed by the respective councils in those areas), from the sites to be studied for feasibility and/or funding for homeless habitation.
LAFD warns on its website: “Catastrophic brush fires are occurring at an increasing rate not only in California but across the country. Hillside communities within Los Angeles are under continuous threat of a devastating wildfire. As this risk increases, it is important you protect yourself and your family by planning, preparing and staying aware.”
Given the clear and grave risk to public safety, allowing this matter to proceed any further with respect to WRSB would be the height of irresponsibility by our public officials. Should the City Council vote to approve this motion without removing WRSB as a possible site for sanctioned homeless habitation, PPCC will consider taking all appropriate, available steps to protect the lives and welfare of all Angelenos and others who visit WRSB (housed or not), who rely on PCH to commute and who live nearby.
Executive Committee:
David Card, Chair
Christina Spitz, Secretary
David Kaplan, Vice-Chair
John Padden, Organization Representative (PRIDE)
Richard G. Cohen, Treasurer
Joanna Spak, Elected Representative (Area 1; Castellammare, Paseo Miramar)
Pacific Palisades Community Council
The Palisadian-Post accepts letters to the editor via email at mypost@palipost.com or mail/hand-delivered at 881 Alma Real Drive, Suite 213, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. To be considered for publication, letters must be signed, and are subject to editing for length and clarity. Opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the views of opinions of the Palisadian-Post.
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