By Kenneth McCrae S.H.E.L.T.E.R.
You will note that Santa Monica did not “opt in” to this year-round homeless shelter program, (SMDP, Sept. 9, page 1). Perhaps this will finally convince Santa Monica’s homeless that they are not wanted. But perhaps it won’t.
As Mitchell Netburn, executive director of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority suggests in the article, the majority of the homeless would choose to get off the streets if enough shelters were available.
Too bad Santa Monica isn’t taking part in this program — our current 365 beds for 1,400 homeless means that almost 75 percent of our homeless sleep on our streets every night instead of a county-run shelter.
Even when OPCC adds its 55 beds (only 35 of which are new) in two years, over 70 percent of our current homeless population will still have no place to go!
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 15, 2003. Read the original PDF.