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# Untitled
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/100502-story-20021005/
- Published: 2002-10-05T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:46:27.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Ocean Park, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Ed Sharrow Santa Monica*

(This letter was originally addressed to Mr. John Maceri, executive director of the Ocean Park Community Center).

Your guest commentary in the Santa Monica Daily Press on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002, failed to address the real reasons why we “whine and bicker” about the homeless in Santa Monica.

Our city has a stated goal of reducing the number of homeless on the street by providing long term solutions. However, for more than a decade, the number of homeless on our streets continues to increase and the city continues to spend more on homeless related programs.

Unfortunately, many organizations like the Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC) do not provide annual independent financial audits so that average citizens can feel confident that our tax dollars are being spent wisely. This opens your organization up to public criticism. Certainly, when I review the 990 tax forms filed by you, I am very concerned by the numbers. GuideStar, a philanthropic research organization more qualified than I to evaluate OPCC, states that total revenues for OPCC (fiscal year ending June 30, 2001) show total revenue of $6,640,263 with expenditures of just $4,344,526\. That’s a GAIN of $2,295,737 for a single year. OPCC’s single year gain is more than the total amount the City of Santa Monica claims to have spent on homeless related programs last year ($1,826,722 according to the annual report presented to the City Council on Sept. 24).

When GuideStar evaluates OPCC’s total assets against total liabilities, the OPCC still has a $2.3 million surplus!

You are apparently very effective in your administrative and fund raising abilities. Certainly our tax dollars would be better spent elsewhere.

If this is not the case, please open your books. Have a certified independent audit performed annually. Let the taxpayer have an explanation why it was necessary to spend $152,674 on “special events and mailings,” according to the OPCC 2000 Form 990.

It’s our money. Each homeless person is our brother. Our community has a right to know why city sponsored programs are not fulfilling city stated goals.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 5, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/100502.pdf?ref=smdp.com)