Venice residents frustrated with RV camp in neighborhood

Neighbors in Venice are frustrated over an RV camp that they say has been in their neighborhood for several years.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - Neighbors in Venice are frustrated over an RV camp that they say has been in their neighborhood for several years.

On Venice Boulevard, there are RVs set up along the street. Residents said over the years, the amount of RVs fluctuates, but the campers always return.

"It's definitely been about six years that this particular camp has been here. It is definitely one of the longest-running camps in this neighborhood. Right around the beginning of the pandemic, we had it a little bit under control and then it just went wild and was completely out of control," said David Mushegain.

Mushegain is a homeowner in Venice and a lifelong Los Angeles resident.

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"It's very nerve-wracking and stressful, especially if you care about your neighborhood. I'm born and raised in LA and I really care about it. It's hard to watch," he said.

Mushegain said the neighbors have banded together over the years to try to come up with solutions.

"As a neighborhood, we're putting in our efforts, but we're battling people that come in and are counterproductive against your efforts and mostly, they're nonprofits. It's kind of a thing where they're making so much money from this, they don't want it to be cleaned up so they come and advise them and tell them you don't have to move, you don't have to clean this up, it's your legal right and it's very disheartening," he said.

He said the people living particularly in the RVs near him are young adults.

"It's not a family and mom [living there]. They paint these pictures when the politicians talk like it's the Great Depression with hard-working families down on their luck, and that was the case then, but that isn't the case here. These are 25 to 30 year old people taking advantage of a system that's broken," he said.

Mushegain said the RV's have brought crime to the area, and that he has been attacked twice.

"I actually had two incidents. One time somebody pulled a gun which was recent and they went to jail and the time before, which was back in 2018, at that camp, somebody pulled a wrench on me and came after me and somebody simultaneously who was with that person pulled a knife and put it to my friend's throat and we had to go to court and go through the process," he said.

He believes there's a need for resources and helps for the people experiencing homelessness.

"A lot of people are suffering from addictions. They're mentally ill. There needs to be some sort of program to treat their addictions," he said.

The Los Angeles City Council recently approved a resolution prohibiting RVs from being parked along various streets in Venice between the hours of 2 to 6 a.m., citing public safety issues. The parking ban includes but is not limited to vehicles that are six feet or more in height. The city's Department of Transportation to post signs giving notice of "tow away, no parking" restrictions for oversized vehicles. However, Venice has already been through this process with several other streets, and it has not made a difference, according to residents.

"We already have it [the signs]. The thing is they don't enforce it so you can't move an RV because it's a dwelling," said Mushegain.

Another neighbor who said she was too afraid to show her face or reveal her name said neighbors feel helpless.

"I feel threatened, like I'm not safe. I'm always watching before I get out of the house. I don't feel safe and I wish I could approach them because I want to help. I want to do something that will help them but I don't want retribution," she said.

The woman cited quality of life concerns.

"It's upsetting to see this and I'm reminded every day because it's [RV's] right in front of my window. We cannot leave our balcony windows open. We have to close them tight because the generators are buzzing. I cannot ask them to put them off because they are cold and that's why they have them," the woman said.

The recently approved resolution includes several road segments where the Department of Transportation will enforce the restriction, which includes both sides of the following streets: