VENICE, California — Ah yes, Venice Beach in California: synonymous with sun, surf, palm trees and, now, homeless people.
As many as 200 tents line the oceanfront in this Los Angeles-area town that for decades has been a lure for surfers and tourists.
The area is a chaotic jumble of any material that can create shelter, and of waste and detritus, amid appalling hygiene conditions. The smell of urine competes with that of suntan lotion.
“I didn’t expect to see so many homeless people here in Venice. Already in Hollywood a few days ago, I was a bit surprised, but here, all these tents touching each other, these shacks, these tarpaulins, it’s almost lik…
Keep on reading: California’s famed Venice Beach grapples with homeless problem