Residents in Venice, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, say they hire former gang members to help deal with visible homelessness and related disorder in their community. The New York Post reports that local residents describe the situation as a “war zone” and say they rely on the men they hire to improve safety and order.
The outlet frames the effort as part of a neighborhood response to longstanding problems tied to homelessness, though it does not provide full details on how the hires are selected or how their work is coordinated with public agencies. The reporting emphasizes residents’ dissatisfaction and their belief that the hired individuals can deter disruptive behavior, while offering limited information about outcomes, oversight, or whether authorities are involved.
Across the two items provided, the core claim is the same: Venice residents hire former gang members—specifically described as “ex-gangbangers” and “ex–MS-13 gangbangers,” according to the New York Post—to address what they portray as ongoing local disorder related to homelessness. Both accounts rely on resident characterizations of the effort’s value.
