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Janett Ruiz
Professor Filbeck
English 114b
February 27
th
, 2014

Venice beach
As of 2011 the homeless population in the city of Los Angeles was 23,539 (Los Angeles
Almanac). I chose Venice beach because I have heard that it is a very popular location that
attracts many people and I thought I would like to see what makes Venice beach so special since
I had never been there. Although I had heard many good comments from my friends I
experienced it quite differently and I think it had to do a lot with the fact that I went late at night
and the environment seemed so different than from what my friends had described to me. I had
in mind seeing many families and street performers and really what I saw was many homeless
people fishing for drugs. I also saw many teenagers wandering out and about with their different
social groups. Poverty was my main target when visiting Venice Beach because I think its
something that can be resolved if everyone is well informed on the situation.
I dont find this location too beneficial to the community because although it can have
some positive influence I feel like it is more of a negative impact due to the fact that it deals with
lots of drugs especially in teens who are supposed to be our future. In a more positive point of
view I think this place can be fun for families to see all the street performers and browse through
all the shops. Also, being able to enjoy some fun in the sun! To add to its positive attributes I
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find that all of these homeless people have turned this place into a home not just somewhere
where they can crash. Although the place that I walked through looked like a dump these people
have turned it into their home. Many of the homeless people that I saw seemed to know one
another which made it look like they had turned that place into a community of their own.
From my personal beliefs I think some people can see Venice beach as reflecting
something good and bad because the good in it is that its so multicultural. If you ignore all the
social problems and all the poverty that exists there, Venice beach isnt that bad. It has
attractions, shops where you can browse through, restaurants where you can eat and enjoy with
your family and the beach is kid friendly. Venice beach brings people together and it is a place
where a lot of kids go to hangout. In another aspect the poverty that I witnessed there is severe.
Coming from a small town and seeing the amount of homeless people gathered around along one
place was quite the shock to me. Personally I have never seen so many homeless people gathered
around in one spot and the fact that many of them werent begging for money necessarily but
drugs instead was also very shocking to me.
Like Venice beach I see many similarities to Skid row. Although Skid row is by far a lot
worse they both seem to have the same issues which are social class and poverty. I feel like in
Skid row although they both have the same issues is by far worse due to the larger population
which makes it harder for police to control them. Although Venice beach is still considered an
attraction because of its beach front view. I see many similarities to Skid row such as: the
amount of people living out on the streets, the amount of drugs being used and also the amount
of diseases traveling around. To some extent I feel that if Venice beach doesnt get controlled it
can become the equivalent of Skid row.
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I think Venice beach can be changed for the better by doing the same strategies that
people are trying to enforce in Skid row. One of the options that can be taken place in Venice
beach or should be at least taken in consideration is the initial proposals for SCI and the
Homelessness Prevention Initiative (Culhane). This proposition was five stabilization centers
that were proposed as alternatives to incarceration for those committing minor crimes and for
those discharged from county hospitals, but resistance was so great that none were ever built.
Another option is programs that support people in avoiding shelter entry or that facilitate shelter
exit should be expanded greatly. Rather than creating insulated homeless programs or service
ghettos, as may have been done inadvertently through the federal Continuum of Care policy,
homeless assistance programs should be connecting individuals and families to the regular
sources of health and social services supports they can access in their communities after their
exit from homelessness (Culhane). A newly reformed homelessness assistance system will need
much more closer coordination with mainstream entitlement and income assistant programs
every person or family who approaches the homelessness assistance system should be screened
systematically for benefits to which they may be eligible (Culhane). The homelessness problem
results most fundamentally from a lack of affordable housing especially for populations with
fixed and low incomes, permanent, housing subsidy programs must be expanded aggressively
(Culhane). With these programs I think Venice beach can get cleaned up and it can prevent it
from ever turning into something like Skid row. Besides these programs trying to be established I
feel like what would help the issue get resolved is if the community and the city actually try to
enforce these programs and not just talk about them. What good does it do if nothing is being
taken into action? I agree with the idea of obliterating the problem and not just forcing people to
move out and scattering the problem.
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Some of the positive aspects that could be copied by other areas is the idea of diversity
and the different types of culture. Although Venice beach may have the misconception of a
refuge to many homeless people it does have its positive aspects that can be taken in
consideration by other cities and or beaches. Such as the fact that many kids find that place as a
sort of hangout spot and they are able to socialize with one another. Venice is a real
neighborhood, where people smile at you, take the time to find out your name and inquire, with
friendly interest, about your life even if you're a stranger, even if there's no chance you're going
to leave them a $20 tip (Nagourney). Another key factor that I think other cities should keep in
mind is the way Venice beach is laid out. It has shops along the side and many places to eat as
well which makes it very convenient for those who are strolling by. I think thats something I
would take in for consideration just because I find it more appealing if everything is opened up
and easy to find. Also, the fact that there is so many things to do there is very convenient because
not only will it attract more people but it will help businesses which can help contribute to our
economy.
Although poverty can be found almost everywhere Venice beach stood out for me
because it was my first time ever being there. I found Venice beach to be completely different
then from what I had in mind. I would of never pictured such a huge community of homeless
people all gathered around in one location. Even though poverty is a huge worldwide problem I
do think that there are many ways and many different programs that can be enforced so change
and efface the problem that we have with poverty. Although I didnt see many positive things
when I went to Venice beach mainly just drugs and homeless people I do think there are things
that make Venice beach stand out like its beach front view that attracts many people and also its
variety of culture.
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Works cited
Culhane, Dennis P. "Tackling Homelessness In Los Angeles' Skid Row." Criminology & Public
Policy 9.4 (2010): 851-857. Academic Search Premier. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Holland, Gale. Venice's famed tolerance is being tested by the homeless.Los Angeles Times.
February 03, 2014.
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/feb/03/local/la-me-homeless-venice-20140204
Nagourney, Adam. As Homeless Line Up for Food, Los Angeles Weighs Restrictions.Los
Angeles Times. November 25
th
, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/us/as-homeless-line-up-for-food-los-angeles-weighs-
restrictions.html?_r=0