Ocean Park seen as possible center site
CITYWIDE — Elected officials here are urging county supervisors to look elsewhere as they decide which locations would be best suited to host homeless stabilization centers, where the down and out could receive temporary shelter and social services.
It’s not that officials here are against the creation of the five regional centers, each with the ability to house 40 people. On the contrary, many hailed the idea as a “giant step forward” in getting other municipalities to do their fair share to eradicate homelessness.
However, because Santa Monica already provides many of the same services that would be offered at the center, it would be more prudent to locate it in a community where there is a significant need, but a severe lack of support, city officials said.
There is also concern that Santa Monica is over-extended and could not handle the influx of additional homeless the centers might bring.
“I’m not anxious to see a facility in Santa Monica,” said Councilman Richard Bloom, a member of Bring Los Angeles Home, a coalition of elected officials, social service providers, clergy and law enforcement which is expected to release a 10-year plan to end homelessness today. “I think there are plenty of opportunities for these centers here, but I think that everybody needs to step up to the plate and contribute to the extent that Santa Monica has. We are not opposed to the location of services, we just believe everyone should be involved, not just the City of Los Angeles and Santa Monica.”
Under a $100 million initiative approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, five regional centers will be created over the next few years, each located in strategic locations through the county.
The centers will be used by law enforcement as an alternative to booking homeless persons with mental illness or substance abuse issues who are arrested for minor offenses and in need of social services.
In addition, the centers will serve people who are discharged from county jails and hospitals and have no identified place to go. The centers will be staffed with mental health, health/substance abuse, and social service experts who will deal with current issues and seek to arrange for appropriate housing with supportive services upon discharge.
One location that could be used is the Ocean Park Community Center’s SAMOSHEL, which city officials said is already overcrowded.
“The point we are trying to make is that we are over capacity,” said Kate Vernez, assistant to the city manager, governmental relations. “With 88,000 people within the county, it will take the entire region to have any relay impact on homelessness.”
Councilman Bobby Shriver said placing a center in the city will be counter to the City Council’s effort to get others involved. The council last month announced its support for a state law that would require cities to identify in their general plans locations where homeless services can be located, known as “fair share zoning.”
“The consolidation of services is not a good idea. We’ve seen that from looking at problems on Skid Row,” Shriver said. “We need to disperse service throughout the region.”
As part of the county initiative, local governments will have no power to block the construction of these shelters, much to the chagrin of Sup. Mike Antonovich, who cast the lone vote against the proposal out of fear that it had the potential to spread the problem of homelessness.
Supervisor Don Knabe proposed amending the initiative to give veto power to cities, but that was rejected by a majority of supervisors who felt too many municipalities would opt out as they have done in the past.
“We aren’t trying to shove this down anyone’s throats,” said Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Santa Monica. “But we have seen, even with the most responsible proposals, a small group of people derail an entire project because they didn’t want it, and that is unacceptable.”
Yaroslavsky said those designing the initiative will work closely with elected officials from the 88 cities within the county to address their concerns and see if a deal that benefits everyone.
As for Santa Monica, Yaroslavsky said he can’t rule out a center being built here, but he did say that the city has “done more than its fair share and would not necessarily be a place that we are looking.”
“It’s all about how the city feels it can help and how we can help them,” the supervisor said. “The money has been appropriated for next year’s budget, but the remaining details still have to be worked out. This is still very early on in the process.”
In addition to the stabilization centers, the initiative also includes the creation of community courts where minor, “quality of life” offenses could be dismissed upon the completion of a drug and alcohol recovery, or mental health program. Offenses eligible for dismissal would include Metro fair evasion, jaywalking, traffic citations, and all associated fines and warrants.
The City of Santa Monica is in discussions with the City Attorney’s Office to create a similar court here, said Ed Edelman, City Hall’s homeless czar and a former county supervisor, who praised his successors for taking a “bold step.”
Edelman will be meeting with county staff on Friday to further discuss the initiative and see where the city of Santa Monica can be of service.
“I’m sure as we go along and look at the plan in more detail, there will be suggested changes,” Edelman said. “The fact that the county has put up additional money into this is a step forward. It won’t end homelessness but it will at least give us a greater chance at reducing the numbers of homeless in our region.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 6, 2006. Read the original PDF.