By Elizabeth Wilson Moyles Santa Monica
I can certainly relate to the comments expressed by the merchants. Working in the hotel industry brings me into contact with visitors from all walks of life.
Visitors from other countries and other states cannot comprehend that a city as beautiful as Santa Monica can allow the problem of homelessness to get so out of hand. They are absolutely astonished at the enormity of the situation, and no visible control.
What is the most shocking to our visitors is the awful “urine” odor throughout the Third Street Promenade.
Aggressive panhandling, let alone the appearance of most of the homeless persons, is very frightening and intimidating. Negative comments abound from our visitors to such a degree that to hear, “I’m sorry I will not come back to Santa Monica. It’s a lovely city but there are too many vagrants on the streets” is becoming commonplace.
Under the umbrella of homeless people is an element of druggies and drunks who ply their trade openly. There is an element of young people, vagrant and intimidating. How can we expect visitors to come to Santa Monica, only to be confronted by the enormous social problem perpetrated by the Santa Monica City Council, and let us not leave out the ACLU. Both of these groups have made welcome the homeless people roaming our streets. As one of the merchants clearly stated, “The homeless are enabled by the people in government in Santa Monica.”
Then there are the self serving “do gooders” who set up food stations in, of all places, Palisades Park! Why not somewhere away from areas where tourists can visit, support our economy and go home with pleasant memories of our lovely city.
Let’s face it, Santa Monica is a tourist city. We are known throughout the world as such. The Third Street Promenade is world renowned. Our economy needs the money spent in our city by all visitors. The coffers in City Hall receive 12 percent bed tax from each bed in our hotels. I hear that rate is going to be increased.
It is not my intention to minimize or trivialize the homeless situation. It is my intention to tell City Hall that the homeless situation will not disappear by ignoring it. If it s a problem too big for local government to resolve go to Sacramento. Go to New York, ask former mayor Giuliani how he solved the problem there.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 1, 2002. Read the original PDF.