Venice, CA – The gentrification of the Los Angeles beach district of Venice has been an ongoing struggle for longtime Venice residents and families for close to fifty years. Much of the initial devastation of lower income and working class communities in Venice occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. The 1970s saw an organized push back by Venice residents but much of the ground gained during that decade was eroded in the 80s and 90s.
Today the struggle to defend the last remaining areas of affordable housing and alternative lifestyle tolerant neighborhoods is exemplified by the work of a small handful of activists who are resisting the police crack down on the un-housed and those living in their cars or motor homes on the streets of Venice. Reports from the Newswire: Venice Homeless Protect LAPD Order to vacate public sidewalk after 9pm, Aug 26, 2010 by Lisa Green | | The Real Stink in Venice by Venice Justice Committee
Recent developments: Bill Rosendahl Helps Homeless Haters Win in Venice by Justice Committee
The Gentrification of Venice and the War on the Homeless