Authorities Dismantle Homeless Encampments at Dockweiler State Beach Amid Growing Concerns

On Thursday, August 22, 2024, authorities undertook a significant cleanup operation to dismantle a series of homeless encampments at Dockweiler State Beach in Playa del Rey, Los Angeles. Equipped with trash bins and backhoes, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, assisted by police, systematically removed the encampments that had proliferated across the beach. The operation followed advance notice given to those affected, which indicated that the cleanup would commence at 7 a.m.

The encampments at Dockweiler were notably different from recent clearances elsewhere, such as Long Beach. The areas at Dockweiler were more dispersed, with encampments scattered across the beach rather than concentrated in a few central locations. This spread-out pattern made the cleanup more complex and involved extensive coordination among the cleanup crews.

Residents of Playa del Rey had expressed growing concerns about the increase in the number of encampments, which they believed had risen to around 50 to 60 tents. Local resident and community organizer Lucy Han voiced frustration, accusing nearby cities like Santa Monica of relocating their unhoused populations to Playa del Rey. She described the situation as “lawlessness” and cited incidents of aggressive behavior from some of the individuals living in the encampments.

This cleanup effort aligns with recent directives from Governor Gavin Newsom, who has advocated for more aggressive action against homelessness and encouraged local governments to clear encampments while also providing alternative shelter options. Newsom has threatened to withhold state funds from local governments that fail to address the homelessness crisis effectively, emphasizing that neglecting the issue is a greater problem than the cleanups themselves.

Councilperson Traci Parks, representing Playa del Rey, described the cleanup operation as “coordinated” and highlighted the involvement of the Coastal CARE+ Team, a new resource secured through the city budget. While the immediate outcome of the cleanup in terms of citations or further actions remained unclear, the operation reflects a broader state effort to address homelessness with a combination of short-term interventions and calls for more sustainable solutions.