VAN NUYS : Meeting Targets Prostitution Problem

A group of community and business activists has met with Los Angeles city and police officials to talk about ways to fight the increasing problem of prostitution on Sepulveda Boulevard.

As a result of the Wednesday night meeting, representatives from the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn., Sepulveda Business Watch and Sepulveda Boulevard-area Neighborhood Watch are drafting petitions urging prostitution-fighting measures to send to city and state politicians. Among the ideas being considered for the circular are harsher sentences for prostitutes and their clients, mandatory minimum sentences and fines for peddling sex, and an extra police car to patrol Sepulveda Boulevard for prostitution.

Romana Catton, a Neighborhood Watch leader and a co-organizer of the meeting, said many of community residents’ initial ideas for the petition were jettisoned or revamped after the meeting. But she added that the new ideas were generated by the residents in attendance. Deputy City Atty. Rick Schmidt, who heads the Van Nuys branch of the city attorney’s office, and three Police Department representatives were also present to discuss existing prostitution laws and programs.

“We talked about the mapping program, petitions and letter-writing (to elected officials). We talked about every avenue we could possibly pursue,” said Catton, who with Flip Smith, co-chairman of Sepulveda Business Watch, is spearheading the organization’s efforts. The new group has named itself the Unified Community Watch Group, Catton said.

Catton said neighbors would like to see a “mapping” program instituted by the city attorney’s office and Police Department, which would discourage convicted prostitutes and their clients from loitering on Sepulveda Boulevard by making any prostitution-related activity--such as lewd conduct or waving down cars--a probation violation. A similar program is being tried in Hollywood, Catton said.

Community activists are focusing on Sepulveda Boulevard between Ventura Boulevard and Devonshire Street, Smith said.

Last year, the Van Nuys Homeowners Assn. obtained more than 1,000 signatures on a petition that recommended several measures designed to combat prostitution. Although the proposals garnered some political support, none were introduced as legislation in 1993.