Venice Stakeholders Association is pleased to endorse Los Angeles City Councilmember Joe Buscaino's Resolution to prohibit sidewalk camping around every school in the City of Los Angeles.
In announcing his Resolution this morning, Buscaino said, “Hundreds of thousands of students are going back to school for the first time in 18-months."
"Unfortunately, many students across this City will encounter sidewalks completely blocked by homeless encampments," he said.
“During the pandemic encampments formed around school campuses all over the city," the councilman noted. "We must address this public safety issue - simple access to sidewalks and schools."
"We have many sensitive use areas in our city, and the most sensitive areas are those where our kids spend their days."
The City’s new anti-camping ordinance, which goes into effect on September 3rd, allows the City Council to adopt resolutions to establish no-camping zones around specific sensitive use locations, like homeless shelters, parks, and schools.
Buscaino's resolution would establish a 500-foot “no camping” zone around every public school in the City.
If adopted - first by the Public Works Committee, and then the full Council - intensive outreach would be conducted at any school with an encampment, connecting the unhoused with services and housing.
Signage will be installed, and enforcement will begin 14-days after the signs go up.
The resolution will include all public schools within the boundaries of the City of Los Angeles, and will allow for uniformity in policy and a clearer understanding of the rules. For those schools where there are no encampments now, the resolution will prevent encampments from setting up around these vulnerable spaces.
A copy of the Resolution, with a list of all schools that will be protected, is available from: <branimir.kvartuc@lacity.org>
