Well, dang! I already wrote the whole story in the title! Sorry! Except for one important bit, which is that it seems like there’s a little bit of evidence here that CD11 is actively encouraging housedwellers to put in planters to keep their neighbors away. Bonin’s transpo deputy, Alek Bartrosouf, spent months working with some housedwelling residents of Park Avenue getting rid of an encampment and, once it was gone, was all like “put in planters!” It’s not exactly conclusive but it is suggestive.
Here’s the background, part one. The other day I received a bunch of materials about homelessness from the Department of Recreation and Parks. The whole stack is up on Archive.Org. And here are links to some of the prominent items:
☆ Emails between Bob Davis and CD11 folks — These are emails between Boardwalk Hitler Bob Davis of Rec and Parks and various minions at CD11.
☆ Rec and Parks LAMC 63.44 Standard Operating Procedure — LAMC 63.44 is the equivalent of LAMC 56.11 for parks. This invaluable document explains RAP procedures for confiscating and destroying the property of homeless people located inside parks.
☆ Park cleanup request flowchart — A one page decision guide for RAP personnel involved in property confiscation and destruction.
☆ LAMC 63.44 — The text of the law.
And the background part two has to do with those appalling planters, placed illegally on sidewalks by housedwellers to prevent encampments from forming because they hate homeless people so much and have zero respect for the rule of law if it impedes the progress of their inhumanity. This is a huge problem in Venice and elsewhere around the City. And mostly, like I said, the planters are illegal.
And it’s obvious that the City of Los Angeles is aiding, abetting, and conspiring with the bloodthirsty housedwellers that install the damn things, but it has been pretty hard to find actual explicit evidence of the conspiracies,1 so we2 are forced to try to piece together proof of what’s going on. And in this email chain between Bonin’s Transportation Deputy, Alek Bartrosouf, and a bunch of housedwellers, there is just the tiniest bit, as I said, of evidence.
A great deal of the conversation is transcribed below, but the short version is that after months of helping the housedwellers get rid of the homeless encampment and some offensive bike racks, Bartrosouf emailed the ringleaders, one of whom is named Melba Levick (melbalevick@gmail.com), thus:
On Aug 27, 2018, at 18:24, Alek Bartrosouf <alek.bartrosouf@lacity.org> wrote:
Hi Melba,
I was happy to help, although it took a lot of people who contributed to making it happen seamlessly. I have spoken with Gail and Ira about how we can make that area even more beautiful with some landscaping ideas. It would be awesome to have some tree wells and planter boxes to ‘green’ the block but also create a welcoming environment for you, your neighbors, and guests of Venice. Hopefully something like that can be entertained in the near future, ideally with support and direction from the neighborhood council. It is outside my realm of work (I focus on transportation specifically) but happy to help however I can.
Have a great week!
Best,
Alek Bartrosouf
And a little later in the conversation Bartrosouf emailed a few other ringleaders with this charming little missive:
Lauren & Mark
I’ll just leave this here :)
http://peoplest-prod.azurewebsites.net/plaza/
The Kit of Parts is helpful and can be inspiring.
Best,
Alek
The Kit of Parts he mentions is this PDF, consisting of recommended outdoor furniture items for plazas in Los Angeles, including really heavy planters. It includes detailed information on how and where to buy them. Now, there’s a difference between this situation and most of the planters in Venice in that it’s not clear that Bartrosouf is recommending illegal placement. He seems to be recommending that the open space at the west end of Park Avenue between Speedway and the Boardwalk be somehow turned into a plaza and piled up legally with a bunch of junk to prevent re-encampment. But it’s what we have. Turn the page for a transcription of the months-long discussions between the City and the housedwellers that led to the planter-placement recommendation.
From: Gail Rogers
Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2018 12:48 PM
To: Mike Bonin <mike.bonin@lacity.org>; Michael Putrah <40498@lapd.online>; Taylor Bazley <taylor.bazley@lacity.org>, James Roberts <31381@lapd.online>; James Setzer <31260@lapd.online>; Michel Moore <23506@lapd.online>; Robert Davis <robert.davis@lacity.org>; Alek Bartrosouf <alek.bartrosouf@lacity.org>
Subject: Fwd: Homeless Encampment problems on Park Avenue
Gentlemen: I am forwarding this most important and urgent letter that was written this morning by my neighbor, Cathy Dreyfuss. She sent it to Taylor Bazley and I feel that you should all also read it. I can attest to the fact that she speaks for all of us here on Park
Avenue, Venice.
PLEASE. WE NEED YOUR HELP.
From: Cathy Dreyfuss
Date: Wed, Jul 18, 2018 at 8:20 AM
Subject: Homeless Encampment problems on Park Avenue
To: Taylor Bazley <taylor.bazley@lacity.org>
Cc: Ira Koslow, Gail Rogers
Taylor-1 know you have received letters from us- the residents on Park Avenue- about the increasing problems of the encampment on Park Avenue. I am sending this with photos so you can see the typical look of our street on a weekday morning-10 am this last Tuesday- and this isn’t as bad as it usually is. The people and the bikes, bike parts, trash, food boxes, pizza boxes, bottles, liquor bottles, drug paraphernalia, tents, packs- stay all day and all night with no one to clean it up. I bring them trash bags and brooms and shovels and it does no good.I hear the fighting and the yelling at dawn and midnight and it is getting worse.There is now an aggressive dog living there as well. There are more drug addicts and dealers there and the meth users are as aggressive as the dog. And what’s going on with all the bike parts? Are they stolen?
We are very supportive of the city’s efforts to find short and long term solutions for the homeless problem in LA, but I can tell you right now: our block has become dangerous, disgustingly dirty and unlivable. Nobody deserves to live in this kind of circumstance- neither the homed or the homeless on Park Avenue.
Something has to be done. I have owned my home here since 1982 and I have never been so disgusted with what I have to live with, see and hear everyday. I have also been a criminal defense attorney- deputy public defender- in this area for a long time. When I am the one wanting to call the police and have everyone arrested, you know the situation has become untenable.
Here are some suggestions that we have been making for a while now:
1. Get the concrete bunkers removed as soon as possible. It only makes it more difficult for the homeless to move their tents away from Park Avenue. It also creates an enclosed space for the encampment that increases the problem.
2. Get rid of the bike share racks which make it more crowded and are unnecessary- there is another rack a few feet away on the OFW.
3. Enforce the removal and packing out of the encampment during the day
Please bring this to Mr. Bonin’s attention and let us know what will be done.
Thank you,
Cathy Dreyfuss
25 Park Avenue
On Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 8:30 AM, Gail Rogers < > wrote:
Good morning, Alek. Happy Monday morning.
Park Av. update?
I met with Bob Davis regarding the removal of the K-Rails and he mentioned that you and he have been in touch about removing the bike racks from Park Av. and putting some along OFW next to the ones that are there.
Any progress?
BTW, we watched Dateline on NBC last night. They did a special on the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles and several times, we saw Park Avenue prominently displayed with its tent encampment, Hulu Bike rack and border wall. Ugh!!
Looking forward to an update from you.
Thank you,
Gail
Alek Bartrosouf <alek.bartrosouf@lacity.org> Mon, Aug 20, 2018 at 8:56 AM
To: Gail Rogers
Cc: Robert Davis <robert.davis@lacity.org>
Hi Gail,
They were scheduled to remove the racks on Friday but ran into some technical issues of removing the racks from the ground. They are going to get back out there soon and coordinate with Bob.
If you’re able, can you some me some ‘before’ shots? I want to make sure we document the before and after:)
Alek
On Thu, Aug 23, 2018 at 4:48 PM, Gail Rogers wrote.
I know that I speak on behalf of all the Park Av. residents when I thank you for the removal of the bike racks.
It is so pleasant to walk down our street and not see green metal!
Thank you so much!!!,
Gail
On Thu, Aug 23, 2018 at 7:34 PM, Robert Davis <robert.davis@lacity.org> wrote.
You’re welcome Gail. Hopefully we can remove the rest soon. Working on it.
Regards,
Bob
From: Alek Bartrosouf
Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 10:46 AM
To: Gonzalo.Barriga@lacity.org; Kyle Kozar
Cc: Taylor Bazley <taylor.bazley@lacity.org>; Robert Davis <robert.davis@lacity.org>
Subject: Re: 723 OceanFront Walk, Venice
Great!
Kyle, I spoke with our Sanitation folks. Every Friday they are out there clearing Ocean Front Walk and have an LAPD presence as well. They are willing to also include Park Ave to assist in your efforts. They are out there between 630 am and 11 am on Fridays. Can you schedule something on 8/17 or 8/24?
Once you have a date, keep Gonzalo informed and he will make sure Park Ave is included and can be there to support the Hulu crew.
Best,
Alek
On Tue, Aug 7 2018 at 2:51 PM, Kyle Kozar wrote:
Hi Sean,
See the email below. Would you guys be able to schedule the Park Ave/OFW Station adjustment on either Friday 8/17 or 8/24 between 6:30 and 11 am? The LA Sanitation folks can be out there to make sure the area is cleared out so that you guys can do the work.
Let us know.
Best,
Kyle Kozar | Bike Coordinator
Mobility Division, City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 115
Santa Monica, CA 90401
On Sun, Aug 26, 2018 at 2:50 PM, Marsha Straubing <marstrau@aol.com> wrote:
Dear Alek and Bob,
My husband Paul and I are so thankful for your efforts in helping to return Park Avenue to the beautiful walk street it has been for decades.
We offer you our continued support in keeping our street and all of Venice a safe and attractive place to live and visit.
In Gratitude,
Marsha Straubing and Paul Kibbey
44 Park Ave
Robert Davis <robert.davis@lacity.org> Mon, Aug 27, 2018 at 9:50 AM
To: Marsha Straubing
Cc: Alek Bartrosouf <alek.bartrosouf@lacity.org>
Good Morning Mrs. Straubing,
Thank you for your comments. We will continue to work on making things better along this area and will rely on continued support from the neighborhood as well as the various City agencies coming together.
Regards,
Bob
Dear Alek and Robert,
My husband Hugh and I are so appreciative of your efforts to get our Park Ave. back to
normal!
With many thanks,
Melba Levick
28 Park Ave.
On Aug 27, 2018, at 18:24, Alek Bartrosouf <alek.bartrosouf@lacity.org> wrote:
Hi Melba,
I was happy to help, although it took a lot of people who contributed to making it happen seamlessly. I have spoken with Gail and Ira about how we can make that area even more beautiful with some landscaping ideas. It would be awesome to have some tree wells and planter boxes to ‘green’ the block but also create a welcoming environment for you, your neighbors, and guests of Venice. Hopefully something like that can be entertained in the near future, ideally with support and direction from the neighborhood council. It is outside my realm of work (I focus on transportation specifically) but happy to help however I can.
Have a great week!
Best,
Alek Bartrosouf
On Mon, Aug 27, 2018 at 9:52 AM, Melba Levick <melbalevick@gmail.com> wrote
Thanks for you note and your great ideas Alek. I’ve been away and know that my neighbors have been very active in order to make this happen. I’ll be back early Dec. and looking forward to participating in neighborhood council. It would be great to have planter boxes etc., great ideas
With best wishes
Melba
Lauren & Mark
I’ll just leave this here :)
http://peoplest-prod.azurewebsites.net/plaza/
The Kit of Parts is helpful and can be inspiring.
Best,
Alek
Image of Alek Bartrosouf is ©2019 MichaelKohlhaas.Org and is somewhat tangentially associated with this lil Bartrosouf here.
- Not least because the City of Los Angeles, and especially CD11, pretty much refuse to comply with the Public Records Act on this topic. They release nothing. They won’t even communicate any more. The fact that they’re so damn evasive would in ordinary circumstances suggest that they are hiding something monumental, but with the City it’s hard to tell because a lot of time they’re just obstructionist because they can be. In this case, though, I’m pretty sure they are in fact hiding something monumental.
- In this context “we” means either people who understand that harassing homeless people, forced by circumstances to live on the sidewalk, is appalling and inhuman behavior, or people who understand that if we’re going to even have laws then they have to apply to everyone, not just the vulnerable underclasses against whom these housedwellers want to wield them as weapons. Or, obviously, both.
