The Santa Monica City Council is reviewing an annual report of how well its social service programs have helped the city’s growing homeless population become self-sufficient through shelters and work programs. While City Hall contributes $1.8 million in funding toward the cause, millions more are spent in controlling the antisocial behavior of vagrants, as well as cleaning up after them.
And business owners, residents and tourists say Santa Monica loses out from lost revenue because they shy away from the area as a result of its vagrant population.
For the past five years, Santa Monica’s homeless population has been the top concern among residents, according to a city survey.
So this week Q-Line wants to know, “Do you feel City Hall’s efforts have made a positive difference here? Why or why not?”
Call (310) 285-8106 with your response before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less. It might help to think first about the wording of your response.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 27, 2003. Read the original PDF.