Many say Santa Monica makes it too easy for transients, which is why we have a “homeless problem.” This newspaper’s editorial “Make the homeless uncomfortable” (Oct. 28, 2004, page 5) offered some common sense observations and remedies for the problems.
All of us desire to help those in need and who will respond positively to help. On the other hand, patience is wearing thin with those who resist rehabilitation and who are here to milk our generosity.
City Hall’s chronic homeless project, launched in 2004, has nearly 50 people enrolled. Up to six months of stabilization services and counseling are required to qualify for housing under the program. “Participants must be able to live in permanent housing, be a good tenant and good neighbor,” said Stacy Rowe, City Hall’s team administrator for homeless needs. Thirteen individuals have already been placed in housing funded by City Hall and other sources.
“Some of those enrolled could receive housing support via the recently acquired $948,907 Housing and Urban Development grant for housing chronically homeless alcoholics. Other clients could receive housing subsidies via other funding sources,” Rowe said. Projections are to have 30 to 40 persons off the streets and housed within the next 18 months.
Housing, for example, could take a variety of forms, including supervised nursing care, independent living, a secure facility, specialized shelters or family care.
“Plans are to begin with Santa Monica’s longest term homeless and get them into housing before we take in more recent arrivals — a move we hope will discourage people from flocking here to sign up for free housing,” Rowe said.
A “housing first” approach under consideration by City Hall also will identify chronically homeless inebriates and put them into housing almost immediately. With housing needs met, clients will be subjected to intensive casework intervention from mental health professionals who will hopefully wean them from alcohol or other self-induced harm while guiding them toward programs leading to self-sus-tainability.
When asked what happens when clients don’t respond, Rowe answered, “Some people — the mentally or physically impaired, seniors, etc. — might never be self-sufficient but the rehabilitation process continues long after they get into housing. Case management never stops.
“No single approach will work for everyone,” Rowe added. “Different approaches work better because people are different. The goal is to help as many people as we can. That requires tailoring the casework and programs to the person — not forcing persons to conform to our protocol.”
Having a number of keys to open different and multiple locks makes sense, but what happens when clients still cling to unconstructive behaviors?
The problem is that there is no requirement for participants to quit drinking or doing drugs and to become self-sufficient. I fear the potential for abuse by malingerers living rent-free is high, but Rowe is confident that progress will be made.
In the meantime, City Councilman Bobby Shriver has been working to make sure the U.S. Veteran’s Administration does its fair share to solve the nation’s and region’s homeless problem by providing housing and working with homeless veterans to help them to reenter productive society.
This would seem to be a no-brainer considering there is plenty of space in the sprawling Westwood reservation for up to 800 homeless beds, plus supportive facilities and related services. The VA has an obligation to support the men and women who’ve served their country and who’ve fallen on hard times or developed physical or mental problems that contribute to their unfortunate condition.
Amazingly, the commercial redevelopment of VA acreage and/or the outright sale of property to private developers is under serious consideration. I can’t think of a bigger disaster and abdication of social responsibility than the selling off or commercial redevelopment of even one square inch of VA ground.
A decision on the VA will be made in a few weeks, so please write today to: The Honorable R. James Nicholson, U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., Washington, D.C. 20420- 0002. Tell him the VA must help homeless veterans while preserving this valuable land for future generations and uses.
If Shriver’s proposal isn’t implemented and any VA property is squandered, we’ve lost a key opportunity to both help end homelessness and sustain our own futures. (Bill Bauer is a longtime Santa Monica resident and a freelance writer.)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 9, 2006. Read the original PDF.