Communication from Public

Communication from Public

Name:

Lisa Fimiani

Date Submitted:

03/02/2021 10:56 AM

Council File No:

20-0147-S7

Comments for Public Posting: Thank you for this opportunity to speak about the parking situation along the Ballona Freshwater Marsh. Please see the attached.

Homeless Situation at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh

COUNCILMEMBER MIKE BONIN, CHAIR COUNCILMEMBER PAUL KORETZ COUNCILMEMBER JOE BUSCAINO

March 2, 2021

I would like you to take action to stop the overnight parking situation at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh, along Jefferson Boulevard just West of Lincoln Boulevard. People are residing in their cars, RV's, and buses and have basically taken up residence. The community of Playa Vista, Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Loyola Marymount University, and organizations tasked with assisting with the management of the Freshwater Marsh, are literally at their wits end. The amount of trash, human waste, and drug paraphernalia has gotten so bad, a haz-mat company had to be hired to assist cleaning up the piles of garbage. This has escalated during the Pandemic.

Educational and scientific studies at the Freshwater Marsh, conducted by the Friends, LMU and other organizations, have literally come to a halt because of dangers associated with criminal activity occurring along the public walking trails. People are contacting our organizations complaining about what they see and are in fear for their safety. NO DUMPING signs are being propped up along the fence (see photo below), as if to taunt those responsible for keeping the area looking nice for the thousands of visitors who come to the Marsh every year to enjoy nature.

The Freshwater Marsh doesn't deserve this.

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Homeless Situation at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh

March 2, 2021

I understand that homelessness is at epidemic proportions throughout the Southland. It's horrible. I feel for those people who are down on their luck. However, the majority of the apparently "homeless" people parking on Jefferson Boulevard adjacent to the Freshwater Marsh are gaming the system. The City Sanitation Department has attempted to help by providing more trash cans, but they are overwhelmed ? as is the Ballona Freshwater Marsh Maintenance Crew

I've included more photos on the next four pages, and below are YouTube links to videos I took of the line of parked vehicles along Jefferson Boulevard during the months of October and November:

FWM Jefferson Blvd Parking Nov 11, 2020

FWM Jefferson Blvd Parking Nov 3, 2020

FWM Jefferson Blvd Parking Oct 10, 2020

As a reminder, the Ballona Freshwater Marsh represents one of the most successfully mitigated restoration projects in the country. In fact, people come from all over the world to learn from its accomplishments. This is a disgraceful situation.

Please do something to humanely prevent these people from parking overnight along Jefferson Boulevard, and find them a proper area within which to live. I am speaking on behalf of myself, and not representing any organization that I'm affiliated with ? although my experiences working and volunteering for these organizations has provided me with first-hand knowledge of this situation.

Thank you!

Lisa Fimiani Board Member, Friends of Ballona Wetlands Treasurer, Ballona Discovery Park Partners Gottlieb Fellow, Loyola Marymount University, Center for Urban Resilience Wetlands Restoration Principles Coalition Partner lisafimiani@

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January 2021

Fencing is being broken down and used as firewood, and trash is being piling up on bushes, damaging native plants

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Homeless Situation at the Ballona Freshwater Marsh

Just 5 years ago Mike, Ted, and Maxine stood on the Jefferson Boulevard woodchip walking path and made a happy announcement about legislation to expand the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area:

Take a look at it now. It's a disgusting dumping ground.

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