Homeless activists are trying to provide an alternative to Third Street Promenade business owners who are frustrated with the city’s homeless population.
Members of the Ocean Park Community Center’s Adult Outreach Team — which connects residents living on the streets with services available to them — have been distributing fliers that ask business owners to contact the team when they have problems with a homeless person.
The team’s focus is on providing assistance to homeless persons who are mentally ill or substance abusers.
“The flyer was a reminder to let people know that we are out here,” said Reenita Dues, an outreach coordinator. “The majority of our focus is being out there for people.”
When businesses call, a team member is dispatched to the scene and determines what services are available to help the individual. Sometimes, team members can take the homeless person to a shelter and help him get cleaned up and offer new clothes and a hot meal.
“We go out into the community where there are large and small communities of homeless individuals,” said Debbie Maddis, OPCC associate director. “If they are ready and willing, we do the transport and services right there.”
Besides businesses and private individuals, the outreach team assists the police department on homeless issues and conducts presentations to groups about current resources for the homeless. OPCC officials say the group answers between three and five calls a day.
Ever since the outreach team was created in 1986, officials say it has worked with the business community on dealing with the city’s long-standing homeless population. This week’s fliers on the Promenade are nothing knew, they say.
“We have always done outreach to the Promenade,” said Dues, who has been on the outreach team since 1999. “Most of the work we have been doing was responding to people who already knew us.”
And not every call is about a homeless person harassing people. Dues says many times business owners call when they become concerned about a homeless person who lives near their store or see on a daily basis.
“Most often homeless people aren’t that big of a nuisance,” Dues said. “Many times business owners see these people and get to know them, and then see them getting sick or not getting enough food, and they’ll call us and alert us of that person.”
To find out more information about the Adult Outreach Team, to schedule a presentation or to report someone in need of their assistance, call (310) 508-7944.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 2, 2002. Read the original PDF.