The city has purchased the Ramada Inn on Washington Blvd. near Lincoln and intends to use it as another transitional housing facility; that is, another Bridge Housing center, and we have seen what a disaster that has been for its neighbors.
So far the city has been unwilling to adopt reasonable conditions on the project to protect residential and commercial neighbors. And the project is a serious misuse of limited shelter dollars; twice as many motel rooms could have been purchased at an inland site.
The City has scheduled an appeal hearing on the Venice Ramada Inn Homeless Shelter for Wednesday, April 14 at 10:00 a.m. The Board of Public Works will hear the appeal.
The City is requesting that the Board of Public Works deny our neighbors' appeal. We want the Board to grant the appeal. The agenda for the meeting can be located here: https://ens.lacity.org/bpw/agendas/bpwagendas86149508_04142021.htm
Please help stop this project
1. Submit your written comments and tell the Board the residents appeal should be granted. Comments must be submitted before 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Please fill out the form at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-5Aa2sSqJhYbBUSnFuJa2_Rmp8aYWRDlLgqPDSx-sK4sc8w/viewform
Where the form asks for the “Item No.” – Enter “2”
Where the form asks if you are “For” or “Against” the item, click “Against” (meaning you are against the Board denying our appeal).
In the “Comments” section, start your comments by saying: “This appeal should be granted.” Then, give a few reasons why you oppose this shelter project, such as:
· Detrimental impact on beach access, recreation, and tourism
· Detrimental impact on local neighbors and businesses
· Public safety concerns , i.e., crime and encampments like at Venice Bridge Housing)
· City’s failure to include reasonable conditions in the permit to protect the community
2. Please participate in this meeting. You can participate in the meeting by dialing in through your phone: +1 669 254 5252 and use Meeting ID No. 161 637 1032. Press # again when prompted for participant ID. There will be a brief period permitted for public comments where people attending by phone will be allowed to speak. Please dial in a few minutes early to receive instructions from the Board Secretary on how the hearing and public comment will be handled.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Board Secretary will ask, “Who Supports Granting The Appeal?” We need you to indicate than you support our appeal being granted (which means that you oppose this project). Even if you can’t stay for the entire meeting, it will help to be there in beginning to let them know you support our efforts!
You can watch the meeting through this link:
https://www.lacity.org/government/follow-meetings/board-public-works-meetings
3. Please speak during public comments. When the Board Secretary asks who wants to speak during public comments, please indicate that you want to do so. The Board will allow up to 20 minutes for people who oppose the project and support our appeal to speak. Please use your time to briefly comment on the following:
· Detrimental impact on beach access, recreation, or tourism; or
· Detrimental impact on local neighbors and businesses; or
· Public safety concerns (i.e., crime and encampments at Venice Bridge House); or
· City’s failure to include reasonable conditions in the permit to protect the neighborhood; or
· A better use of scarce shelter dollars could be made by buying more motel units inland instead of this building.
