By Harriet Epstein Santa Monica
So Bob Holbrook, Kevin McKeown and Pam O’Connor think they deserve to be re-elected to the City Council. Why? During their tenures, homelessness has skyrocketed in Santa Monica and all they do is mouth their concern for “quality of life.” New York City, with 8 million people has 3,800 homeless. Santa Monica, with 85,000 people has more than 2,000. Under mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg, NYC has diligently whittled down its numbers by a variety of approaches. Santa Monica throws millions at the problem with no results. The homeless court is a step in the right direction, but won’t solve the problem.
The homeless won’t pay fines and will recycle out into Santa Monica’s parks, streets and alleys. Instead, there should be community service sentences. Pay them minimum wage and assign the able-bodied to clean up the garbage in city parks and streets. Also, do a census of the homeless. For those who truly want homes, have them contribute their resources: welfare, veterans benefits, disability income or personal assets towards rent. Subsidize that rent with money saved by eliminating the ineffective city programs for the homeless, start with the budget for homeless czar Ed Edelman. Send the homeless who say they prefer the “freedom” of living on the streets to the professionals for mental evaluation and/or placement.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 7, 2006. Read the original PDF.