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# Public food lines being challenged in Santa Monica
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/public-food-lines-being-challenged-in-santa-monica/
- Published: 2003-03-03T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T01:42:05.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Business, Downtown, #archive-import, Homeless

*Public food lines being challenged in Santa Monica*

Police began enforcing a law Friday night that makes it illegal to sleep in downtown doorways.

Officers will first issue warnings to homeless people camped in doorways of businesses between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., but only where a sign has been posted that cites the law.

Business owners who pushed for the measure — which was adopted by the Santa Monica City Council four months ago — lauded the announcement. Many had grown frustrated over what appeared to be inaction by City Hall on enforcing the controversial law.

Homeless campers have long congregated in doorways overnight and used entryways as rest stops, according to business owners.

The ordinance covers downtown from Ocean Park Boulevard to Wilshire Boulevard, Lincoln Boulevard to Ocean Avenue and commercial zones along Main Street.

Santa Monica Police Sgt. Ira Rutan said Thursday at a meeting with downtown officials that officers will educate campers about the new law before making any arrests. Once a violator has been notified and continues to break the law, they will be charged with a misdemeanor and arrested.

Rutan said he interprets the new ordinance as making it illegal to sleep in any doorway, including those along the city’s alleys.

Bayside District Corp. board members, many of whom have business interests downtown, appeared relieved by the announcement.

Police said last week that enforcement had not yet begun because the department had to finalize some details with the city attorney’s office and the community cultural services department.

But City Attorney Marsha Moutrie said the law — like all amendments adopted by the council — took effect 30 days after being voted into existence last October.

“We contacted the police department (Tuesday) to ask them (if they needed something from us), and see if maybe we were confused,” Moutrie said Friday. “We assured them that there was no barrier to enforcement.”

The council passed two ordinances in October aimed at appeasing business owners, tourists and residents, who complained downtown Santa Monica had become a magnet for homeless people who panhandle and urinate in public.

The majority of the council voted to make it illegal to sleep in front of downtown businesses’ doorways while the second law requires groups who feed the hungry to go through a rigorous government process to get a permit from the city and the Los Angeles County Health Department to provide meals in a public place.

The public feeding law is currently being challenged in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, and city officials have said that — even barring the lawsuit — enforcement may be delayed so health officials can educate the 30 private groups that regularly host feedings.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 3, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/030303.pdf?ref=smdp.com)