By Julia Reeves Santa Monica
I can fully understand the merchants with businesses on and near the Promenade being disgruntled with the problem presented by transients who make their home there, and the fact that City Hall does nothing to curb their wanton acts. More and more, I am finding that that is the case with City Hall.
They either find excuses for not enforcing codes, or ignore them completely. My experience is that these transients assume that the Promenade is their “home” and that they have every right to harass customers, merchants and whomever invades their territory. They are downright arrogant, disrespectful and threatening. I have not seen anyone urinate or defecate there, but, that being the case is just one example of their disregard and disdain for the property and businesses. Whether or not it is a public place has nothing to do with the fact that they are disrupting and destroying property. Santa Monica’s climate, among other things is what brings them here. For the most part, they can sleep there year round without suffering the extremes of heat or cold. The same goes for Palisades Park. The transients may have rights, but so do we! I, personally, could not be more discontented with City Hall.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 27, 2002. Read the original PDF.