LOS ANGELES—A group of five Venice residents and property owners have filed a lawsuit against the city and county of Los Angeles.
Jack Hoffman, Arthur Kraus, Brad Neal, Garry Harris, and David Krintzman, named as plaintiffs in the case, are filing the lawsuit under the premise that dangerous conditions have arisen in the area due to an inability to limit vagrant camping in the beach community.
The safety of Venice residents and visitors is cited in the lawsuit, a safety that is allegedly threatened by the consistent presence of mentally ill, drug-addicted homeless individuals.
Despite the City Council’s budgeting of $500,000 in an effort to sanitize the popular tourist destination, the lawsuit claims negligence for sanitation in the area, with open drug sales, public urination, and public defecation listed as common occurrences.
The county has yet to make a public comment in regards to the lawsuit as its currently in litigation.