By Matthew Finio Santa Monica
While I sincerely respect Mr. Grymkowski of HOPE and his concern for his fellow man, serving lunch to 150 homeless in Palisades Park each day does nothing good for the city of Santa Monica.
Like it or not, we live in a tourist town, and much of our success relies on visitors enjoying themselves and returning regularly. Having scores of homeless congregate in one of the most beautiful parks in the world is both intimidating and embarrassing, since it makes it painfully obvious that our city has no control over the homeless situation.
Sadly, it’s even more obvious to residents. We see the same homeless in the same locations day after day: The man with the matted hair at Seventh and Wilshire; the woman wrapped in blankets conversing with her reflection in Promenade store windows; the man with the huge lump on his head who hits people up for change or cigarettes in the Staples parking lot on Lincoln.
These are people with serious issues. We can’t call them transients, since they don’t seem to go anywhere. The entire city has become a bizarre campground.
Even a city as large as New York, once thought unmanageable, has learned that paying attention to “quality of life” issues and minor crimes lowers the overall crime rate and improves life for all. But Santa Monica seems to have ignored a small problem long enough for it to become a citywide blemish, angering residents and making it unpleasant to walk our streets, enjoy our parks as they were intended or even use our public restrooms.
Until we pass and yes, enforce laws on vagrancy, loitering and camping in public spaces, and come up with a proper location to feed, process and find help for those who truly need it, Santa Monica will remain the poster child for civil mismanagement.
Based on public outcry, I don’t think our City Council should get too comfortable. The homeless problem stares Santa Monica residents in the face every day, and I would think that anyone with some political ambition and the backbone to do something about it could gain a seat in the coming election.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 7, 2006. Read the original PDF.