Let’s play ball! The Handball Courts are officially open!

The handball courts are clear, clean, and open!

Read the backstory and watch the clearing day video below!

At the beginning of the virus lockdowns 13 months ago, the legendary beachfront handball courts in Venice, California became a homeless encampment. The City issued a stand down on enforcing the no camping in the park rule, and that was that. Over the last year + as many as 22 people at at time have called the handball courts home. Complete with an art gallery, gym, and many a tent, the courts were probably the styled out out of all the Venice camps.

Well, now that is all over! Apparently the virus is retreating and the amenities in the park are allowed to open (super bizarre time we are in). So, in early April the City posted a notice that the people had until April 15 to move out. LAHSA and other service providers came out to offer support to the homeless who lived there, and 10 of the residents got a spot in A Bridge Home, which is the homeless shelter on Main and Sunset where the MTA lot used to be.

On Thursday, 04/15/21, at 8:00 a.m. sharp, L.A. Sanitation, L.A. Park Rangers, , and Rec. and Parks descended on the courts to handle business. Armed with dump trucks, bull dozers, shovels, and a whole lot of man power, they had the courts cleared and fenced off by mid afternoon.

In the following days the Venice Beach BID was onsite handling pressure washing duties. The courts have been opened up for play since the week of April 19, 2021.