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WESTSIDE -
Venice - They're back.
After a successful cleanup of the Venice Public Library and adjoining Centennial Park about four years ago, tents and stationary structures have once again made way to a public space that was infested for years.
Located on Venice Boulevard just blocks from the beach; locals have reached out seeking immediate action to prevent a complete back slide that saw dozens of tents and structures populate this once pristine public property.
The criminal element was so bad that patronage of the Library plummeted, and swift action taken by LA city officials in cooperation with Councilwoman Traci Park (CD-11) saw the entire property sealed off with temporary and permanent fencing that ended years of illegal and dangerous conditions.
The homeless encampments at Centennial Park — the narrow park strip along Venice Boulevard next to the Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library — was cleared by city officials in June 2022. The city conducted outreach over several months and then relocated or offered interim housing to most of the people living there; the tents were removed and the site was cleaned up afterward.
After that cleanup, the park remained free of that particular encampment and was fenced and landscaped to discourage a return of large tent camps.
For the Venice Public Library itself and its immediate grounds, the situation has fluctuated over time:
There were people living in tents and encampments adjacent to the library in prior years (around 2022), and neighbors raised safety and fire-risk concerns. The city has used its anti-camping ordinances and enforcement efforts to limit tents on sidewalks and near libraries across Venice, including around the library, and enforcement actions have reduced the number of tents.
However, community reports and local discussions indicate that some encampment activity and RV parking have reappeared around the library area at times after initial cleanups (e.g., late 2024), suggesting that while major encampments were removed, people experiencing homelessness have returned or relocate nearby.
The images here are from last week taken by resident locals.
City officials have been informed of the current uptick in new encampments.
(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-three-year resident of the neighborhood who covers the current encampment and RV crisis here in Venice. Have an encampment or RV issue? Contact him via e-mail at [email protected] )
