By Don Johnson Venice
It amazes me that no one is encouraging the homeless to apply for work on the two huge federal block grant (matching) funded construction projects currently in full swing in Santa Monica. The projects I am referring to are the $74 million Main Library project, and the multi-million dollar Virginia Park expansion project on Pico Boulevard. The homeless could fill a modest (5 percent to 10 percent) of all basic entry level labor jobs on both huge long-term federal, state and locally funded projects, and they as well as Santa Monica would benefit largely from them being given the opportunity to participate in such abundant local work. Further, there is no racial diversity to be seen on these two huge construction sites in Santa Monica, or any other for that matter. The construction companies contracting with the city on these two major job sites would be greatly enriched and become more “politically correct” from employing individuals from the vast diversity there is to be found in the homeless community, fairness and diversity which the unfortunate longtime unemployed (who have been cornered into homelessness) would bring to these public project worksites. Skip the ill-conceived idea of painting another worthless $100,000 mural on the walls at Virginia Park, and instead use that “scarce funding” to put the neediest class of local people to work.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 31, 2004. Read the original PDF.