Our Story

As a Q and A

What got you started?
When we saw Robert D'Elia's plan, it was obvious that none of us would have a place in it. But what really got us moving was the total lack of regard he's shown for the people he hopes to evict. He has a dismissive attitude, as though people getting displaced is not his problem. When we realized that he was the man behind Dogtown Station, we thought, Venice really doesn't need more of that. So, we got together and asked ourselves what we could do about it.

Why do you oppose RAD's plan for development?
The City is in the middle of a housing crisis -- we need more affordable housing, not less. D'Elia has no plans to replace any affordable units in Venice, and that's not acceptable. There are other things wrong with the plan. He wants a height variance. He wants to use up a 14-foot wide strip of public land along the sidewalk. His plan will inevitably destroy at least 8 big shade trees, and will cause traffic congestion along a major coastal access way for years. The buildings he's planning are incompatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. And it goes on.

Isn't this just about the tenants not wanting to lose their cheap rents? Other people have to pay market rates.
That's a question we've had to ask ourselves over the past couple of months. The reality is, most people in our building couldn't afford any higher rent than what they are paying now. We have teachers here, writers, people who work at non-profits, retired postal workers, people who've lived and worked in Venice all their lives. To the rest of us, it doesn't seem right that they'd be forced to move. It's like they're being disposed of now that this neighborhood has become so upscale. But the community has a responsibility to these people.

What's your vision for Venice Manor?
Our vision for Venice Manor is very organic. It's about paying respect to Venice's history and shared values, and creating antidotes to what ails this community. What has emerged is the vision of a co-op that's based on social and environmental responsibility. We want to preserve the treasures we have here -- a diversity of tenants and the historic building -- while at the same time updating the property for the future.

Isn't that a highly idealistic plan?
Nope, we're just people with simple ideals that we feel we share with a lot of our fellow Venice neighbors. We believe in diversity and co-existence and sustainability. This property lends itself perfectly to an environmentally friendly update. Flat roofs could hold solar panels. We can landscape the grounds with native, drought resistant plants, plant community gardens, and create stormwater sluices by ripping up some of the extra asphalt in the courtyards. The scale of the apartments is already in line with lower impact living.

How are you going to finance this?
We're planning to form a Limited Equity Corporation, with each of us making an investment and buying shares, but we'll still have a lot of money to raise to pay the price tag for this property. We’re looking into various options, including investments, grants, and fund-raising. And, we’re contacting other tenant owners to see how they’ve done it. Our success, in turn, will be a roadmap that will help other tenants become home owners.