Programs may bring homeless indoors to eat
CITY HALL — Homeless czar Ed Edelman said he is close to sealing a deal that will bring public feedings of the homeless indoors.
Tentative agreements have been reached with two of Santa Monica’s largest public feeding groups — Helping Other People Eat (HOPE), which serves free meals to the homeless twice a week at Palisades Park; and Hand-to-Hand, which offers handouts each Saturday on the steps of City Hall.
If all goes according to plan, Edelman said the groups, responsible for roughly 75 percent of the outdoor feedings, would move their operations to the OPCC Access Center on Colorado Boulevard and Seventh Street. OPCC assists the homeless in accessing social services, job training and housing.
Phone calls to HOPE and Hand-to-Hand were not returned. Bob Myers, a former City Attorney for City Hall who is representing the providers in negotiations, confirmed discussions are underway, but would not comment further.
While details still need to be ironed out, Edelman said he is confident the groups will begin operating indoors in roughly six weeks.
“The sooner the better,” said Edelman, a former Los Angles County Supervisor who was hired by the council in December to help reduce the homeless population in Santa Monica,as well as bring other cities together to solve what many believe is a regional problem.
Edelman, who has worked as a mediator, said negotiations were tense at first following nearly 15 years of misunderstanding and conflict between the food providers and City Hall, which has made several attempts to ban the feedings because they are a public nuisance and fail to link the homeless with social services. There was also a concern about public health and food safety.
Despite a 2002 law restricting outdoor feeding programs, as well as a drawn-out legal battle with groups such as Food Not Bombs and the ACLU, public feedings have continued, most notably at Palisades Park, as providers have learned to exploit loopholes in the law, such as restricting the number of those fed. “(Providers) generally felt unappreciated by the city,” Edelman said, explaining the challenge he faced in trying to iron out a resolution. “They felt they were doing good work over the years, but sort of felt like outcasts and not welcome by the city as a part of the safety net that helps the homeless.”
Edelman said with the help of City Manager Lamont Ewell, who brought a new tone to the discussions,and Myers,he was able to convince the providers to come aboard. “(Ewell) had just come on board as City Manager and he sat through all the meetings and raised his voice when he had to and lowered his voice when he had to,” Edelman said. “His commitment, I think, went a long way as did the help of Bob Myers. He has a good rapport with the food providers and that helped tremendously. He had their trust and confidence, so it worked out.”
There is some concern on behalf of the City Council that once the two major providers are brought indoors, others will take their place. However, Ewell said he believes the success of HOPE and Hand-to- Hand will show others that coming indoors is the best way to help those in need.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 11, 2006. Read the original PDF.