Garcetti faces anger over homeless shelter plan in Venice

Rick Swinger, left, a 38 year resident of Venice, voices his opposition to put a homeless shelter in a vacant MTA lot in Venice, while talking to Councilman Mike Bonin, foreground, left, and Mayor Eric Garretti, right, during a town hall at Westminster Elementary School in Venice.

Barbara Gibson, second from right, a property owner in Venice, argues against plans for a homeless shelter on a vacant MTA lot in Venice to Mayor Eric Garcetti, left, during a town hall at Westminster Elementary School in Venice.

Dara Lasky, center, a Venice resident since 1968, said she would support a homeless shelter for seniors and families with children but “not the clear meth addicts and criminals taking over our streets.”

Anthony Wells, right, a Venice resident for 30 years, asks city officials why money is being spent on short-term shelter beds when they could be spending it instead on putting people into preexisting homes, which he believes would be far less expensive.

Kevin Eheh, left, with the #SheDoes Movement, an organization to get women off of the street and into shelters, is joined by others outside the town hall at Westminster Elementary School in Venice.

Venice resident Rita Silverman, second from right, and others shout down city officials during a town hall at Westminster Elementary School in Venice to discuss plans to put a homeless shelter on a vacant MTA lot in Venice.