Our History.....

Venice was a highly diverse community for decades; home to African Americans who were restricted from home ownership in other parts of L.A., low-income Latinos displaced by freeway development, starving artists, senior citizens on fixed incomes and many others.

In 1988, the Mayor identified an emerging housing crisis in Los Angeles fueled — especially on the coast — by escalating rents and property values. The resulting gentrification was already threatening the rich diversity that made up the Venice community.

Just a year or two prior to the Mayor’s announcement, eight committed Venice community members were gathering to discuss the emerging gentrification of their beloved community; the rising rents, increase of homeless people, and their desire to start a movement to address the issues.
Searching for answers on the causes of these matters they created a group called “Neighbor to Neighbor” and decided to educate themselves by inviting experts from local agencies focused on social services, mental health, and those serving homeless and low income residents. Asking what can we do? They soon realized the key to addressing these needs was affordable housing and supportive services. With a commitment to building community, they focused not just on creating a housing development corporation, but a true community development organization; that is grounded in the belief that addressing the needs of the whole person is vital and necessary to preserving a diverse and inclusive community. The result of their vision was the creation of Venice Community Housing.

Since our inception in June of 1988, VCH has worked to invest in permanently affordable housing, advance health and housing-based solutions for unhoused people, promote youth development and education, and build strategic partnerships focused on equity and inclusion. VCH believes we must challenge root causes of housing injustice and homelessness and actively confront all forms of racism in order to ensure equitable communities with access to healthy, safe and affordable homes for all.

 Steve Clare, founding Executive Director of VCH, retired in January of 2016. Becky Dennison, former Co-Executive Director of Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) was hired to lead the organization as its Executive Director.

 

 

 

The organization we have today, 28 years later, is because of the vision, wisdom, and commitment of our founders: Steve Clare, Rick Davidson (deceased), Arleen Handler, Penny Jennings, Susan Millmann, Teresa Reese, Mike Suhd, and Moe Stavnezer.

Becky Dennison and Steve Clare