By Kenneth McCrae Santa Monica
Two comments regarding the April 29 edition: First, concerning the position of homeless liaison announced on page 1: I will apply for the position as soon as it becomes available. My qualifications include several years of managerial (retail, wholesale and manufacturing) experience; the fact that I am retired and single and thus able to devote the time (24/7) necessary, and that I spent four years homeless on the streets of Santa Monica before “aging up” into housing. As a former business manager and as a resident of Santa Monica, I do understand both the concerns of our housed residents and those of our homeless citizens.
Best of all, I’ll work cheap — $1 a year, leaving the remaining $199,999 available to apply toward solving the problem. I stand ready to begin work immediately, and could be resolving issues while the City Council debates who should award the job to some “qualified expert.”
If appointed, my first move will be to obtain the blessings of the county commissioners — after all, obtaining cooperation from the several cities involved will require more than just begging on bended knee — a “stick and carrot” approach will be required to bring them all on board. “Bring LA Home” will be of some help, but they are geared to produce results in 10 years, not right now.
Next I’d visit each of the cities in the region to both introduce myself and to find out exactly what their policies concerning the homeless are — or if they even have any beyond “ship them to Santa Monica.”
Given the job and the authority to perform it, I’d quit debating the issues and start kicking some...
Next, in regard to Mr. Sanderson’s rebuttal to Randy Walburger’s letter on page 4: Everyone out there willing to offer a job to a homeless person (at a livable income), please raise your hand.
Actually, there are many homeless able and willing to work, even at low-paying jobs, but most don’t speak Spanish, the language of most supervisors of minimum-wage workers. Those few that can find minimum-wage work cannot afford to live in even the sleaziest local motels or apartments. I ask you to try finding work with no address or phone number to put down on your application, while forced to carry your meager possessions with you from place to place as you look.
One point Mr. Sanderson made that is valid: Education is crucial to improving one’s condition. The organization with which I am now working, S.H.E.L.T.E.R., is attempting to remedy the lack of job training available to the homeless. We are actively exploring the establishment of a locally based internship program, which will provide practical job training and experience to qualified homeless, as well as providing job-placement assistance when they have completed training. In other words, we’re actually doing something to solve the problem.
I invite all of you, including Mr. Sanderson, who want to take action to end homelessness in Santa Monica to join us.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 3, 2005. Read the original PDF.