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# Down and dirty shopping
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/down-and-dirty-shopping-editor/
- Published: 2008-01-10T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T17:53:37.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Promenade, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Fred Alexander Santa Monica*

A few days ago, I went shopping on the (Third Street) Promenade, and to my dismay, it was awash with homeless persons loitering and sitting on prime benches. I can imagine what tourists would think seeing these filthy homeless persons talking to themselves and asking for spare change. This experience certainly ruined my shopping spree; I have no intentions of returning to the promenade to shop again.

Why is it when I shop at other centers, such as The Grove or the Westside Pavilion, there are no homeless? Could it be due to our City Council members’ pro-homeless stance. Perhaps they should change the city’s logo to a homeless shopping cart; they can also promote Santa Monica as the city that caters to the homeless.

If the homeless trend gets any worse, I believe you will see numerous empty retail spaces. Perhaps that is what is needed to move the City Council to action. Of course, their response may be to build more shelters and apartment buildings for the homeless. Have you seen the apartment building for the homeless at 5th and Colorado?

Your tax dollars at work — encouraging the homeless to live, drink, steal and panhandle in Santa Monica.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 10, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/011008.pdf?ref=smdp.com)