Four long-term residents of Venice, California, are facing eviction from their rent-controlled apartments to make way for the proposed Venice Dell affordable housing project. The development, a 120-unit complex intended for formerly homeless and low-income individuals, is championed by mayoral candidate Nithya Raman.
The project is slated for city-owned land near the Venice Canals and would include 68 units for the formerly homeless, 49 for low-income residents, and three for onsite managers. However, the current site is occupied by a fourplex where tenants Mary Alice Crowe, 71, and Allan Phillips, 35, have resided for decades.
Crowe, who has lived in her apartment for 43 years, described the deep personal ties she has to the neighborhood. "It’s been my whole life in Venice, pretty much. I’ve raised my son here, lots of friends, family. Everything familiar comes from here," she stated. Phillips echoed these sentiments, emphasizing his connection to his community and his reluctance to leave.
The dispute has led to dueling court actions. While the residents are fighting to remain in their homes, the nonprofit developers have initiated legal proceedings to evict them. Developers argue that they cannot delay the eviction process due to the risk of losing $42.5 million in taxpayer funding. A court hearing on the matter is scheduled, and the project must secure its full financing by September 2027.
Councilwoman Traci Park, representing Venice, criticized the developers' actions, stating that the lawsuit against the tenants reveals a contradiction from those who claim to support vulnerable populations. "The same people who claim to champion tenants and low-income families are now asking a court to evict them from their homes," Park told the California Post.
Adding to the controversy are significant cost increases for the Venice Dell project. City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto concluded in February that the project was "infeasible and unauthorized." Her report estimated the cost at approximately $133 million, a substantial increase from an earlier estimate of $86.9 million, despite a reduction in the number of units from 140 to 120. This brings the estimated cost per unit to about $1.1 million.
Representatives from Venice Community Housing, Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, LAFLA, Public Counsel, and Nithya Raman's campaign were sought for comment regarding the tenants' concerns and the developers' approach to initiating evictions before the resolution of the residents' lawsuit.