The Donation Is a Reaction to a Multitude of Recent Illegal Behavior in the Area, Primarily Coming From Adolescents
Michael Edlen, a leading local real estate agent and alternative representative for Area 3 on the Pacific Palisades Community Council, made a $5,000 donation to prevent crime in the neighborhood as “disruptive teenage activity” has become more prevalent.
According to PPCC, the funds are earmarked for the “public safety pilot partnership” that is currently being considered by CD11 and LAPD. The effort would add between 15 to 20 hours of patrol time in the Palisades. The CD11 Council Office and LAPD West have already met to discuss the initiative, according to PPCC President Maryam Zar, who said “everyone involved has indicated a willingness to consider the idea.”
Although he hasn’t witnessed any of the disconcerting activity firsthand, Edlen says the donation is a reaction to a multitude of recent illegal behavior in the area, primarily coming from adolescents.
The Palisadian Center for Youth Sports and Recreation, in particular, has somewhat become the neighborhood hotspot for dangerous teenage activity. In early November of last year, LAPD were called about juveniles chasing others on the tennis courts with tasers. A month prior, LAPD received a radio call for a possible overdose of a 16-year-old female around the area behind Palisades Library. Other reports of partying, drinking, lighting fireworks and vehicle racing around the rec center led LAPD to identify the park and surrounding area as an “extra patrol location.”
In a more recent episode of these illicit actions, which was also relayed to Edlen, two teenagers were found “engaging in activity” on the public Carthage stairwell leading up from Haverford Avenue to the alley behind Via de la Paz.
Edlen, who has been a Palisades resident for five decades and a prominent real estate mogul for 35, is a licensed realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty. Over the tenure of his career, Edlen says he has represented about 1,750 clients (approximately 90% of whom are in the Palisades) with nearly $2 billion in real estate transactions made.
The recent PPCC donation is one of many philanthropic contributions from Elden, who says he has donated over $1.5 million to various organizations, schools and programs over the years, and that he believes other real estate leaders should do likewise.
“I made it my policy for the last 20-something years to donate a portion of the commission I receive on any purchase or sale transaction. As far as I know, I was the first in the Palisades to make that a business model. Now, at least three other agents have officially taken a similar approach.” said Edlen. “I would like to encourage anyone in real estate to have a similar perspective and give back to the community that they have derived their income from.”
