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# ‘Clean sweep’ the only answer to SM woes
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/clean-sweep-the-only-answer-to-sm-woes/
- Published: 2004-05-28T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:26:11.000Z
- Author: Bill Bauer
- Tags: Opinion, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless

Recent news reports disclosing that City Hall’s newest homeless ordinances aren’t having much of an impact on homeless-related problems aren’t a surprise. Regulations to limit the number of “guests” at food handouts in public parks and prohibitions against camping in posted doorways on downtown private property are a sham.

Out-of-town “halo-polishers” call their daily food handouts to hundreds of transients “family reunions.” They feed in smaller groups to skirt the law. County health and food handling requirements are ignored because of lack of enforcement.

Although hundreds of Third Street Promenade merchants have posted trespassing notices, vagrants sprawl in building entrances at night. Numerous citations have been written, but according to the City Attorney’s Office, only 45 cases have been prosecuted. And to what, if any, penalty?

In the meantime, City Hall does all it can to attract more transients, enable them and insure they’re not harassed or inconvenienced. In spite of tight budgets, funding of the “continuum of care,” known in homeless circles as the “continuum of misery,” continues unabated. On top of $2.1 million in direct city funds budgeted for 10 service providers in the present (and upcoming) fiscal year, City Hall generously handed millions more to just one agency, the Ocean Park Community Center, to expand services.

Last August, City Council approved $7.4 million in “housing” dollars for OPCC to purchase and renovate property at 1751 Cloverfield Blvd. to move and expand their existing 30-bed shelter. In addition, the City Council recently approved moving expenses and unanimously OK’d building a nearly 11,000-square-foot modular building on Olympic Boulevard near Fifth Street for a new, bigger OPCC drop-in center including public showers and lockers.

Although the actual cost of the new center has been “buried” in the expansion budget for the Big Blue Bus yards, the value of the packages has to be in the $2 million-plus range. Bottom line: The City Council hands one nonprofit, non-city affiliated provider over $10 million to service, maintain and enable transients from everywhere but Santa Monica. Remember, these are the same people who, until recently, were saying “no” to our schools.

I’m not opposed to proven, lifestyle changing programs that help people truly in need whose support system has collapsed. But here, it’s clearly gone beyond lending a hand. It’s become the great social giveaway, no strings attached — and ignore the consequences.

It’s clear that City Hall has no desire to reduce homeless-related impacts on the community. It’s no accident that funding continues to increase, services expand and those who criticize are castigated and vil-lainized. Elected politicians and their lackeys on city staff are doing all they can to thwart laws and policies that would reduce negative impacts from our growing “army of anti-social vagrants.”

Unfortunately, the pro-transient mind-set extends beyond City Hall.

A couple of years ago, Grant Elementary School students were sent home with PTA-sponsored flyers advising parents to tell children it was OK to cheer up “homeless” strangers by approaching them on the street and asking, “Hello. How is your day going?” The same message was reprinted in the official city magazine, the Seascape, and distributed citywide a few months later.

City Hall’s policy is to publicize the (few) homeless success stories and down-play negatives. It’s why crimes perpetrated by transients are underreported in the press. Local reporters tell me it’s why “transient” is no longer posted on the “arrest listings for press” page on the police Web site.

There must be some reason why our politicians are so dogmatically in love with the mentally ill, parolees and criminals, the seriously physically sick, alcoholics and drug addicts. They must see the presence of so many undesirables is a threat to public health and safety — but they care more about them than us.

If they really think their misguided compassion is good for residents, they need to be retired and quickly. And, encouraging vulnerable children to approach strangers on the street is particularly dangerous, irresponsible and beyond stupidity.

The buck stops at the dais. There are four councilmen up for reelection — all of them have served multiple terms. They have no intention of changing course on this issue.

There’s only one way to change City Hall’s homeless agenda and that’s with a good housecleaning. It’s time to get out the brooms and sweep. (Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer).

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 28, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052804.pdf?ref=smdp.com)