VENICE BEACH, Calif.—Homeless encampments outside of the Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library were a cause of concern for organizers of the Herbalife24 Los Angeles Triathlon on May 15, as thousands of athletes and spectators participated in the 22-mile course that stretched through parts of Venice.
The encampments popped up outside of the library after officials cleared out tents and placed 56 people into housing from Westchester Park in November 2021 as part of a collaboration with Councilman Mike Bonin called the “Encampments to Homes” plan.
Residents have been complaining to city officials that drug dealing and assaults are common in the encampments.
A homeless encampment sits in front of the Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library in Venice, Calif., on Feb. 18, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
Videos uploaded to Twitter on the morning of the triathlon showed cyclists passing by the encampments, and another video showed a violent altercation between transients living in the tents.
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