By Guest Commentary By the board of directors of the Pico Neighborhood Association
Although the Pico Neighborhood Association supports efforts to end homelessness in the city of Santa Monica, it strongly opposes the plan to develop a homeless and mentally-ill live-in/drop-in center at 1751 Cloverfield Blvd.
The organization does so for a number of reasons, including the following fundamental problems associated with the proposed site.
Location. The proposed location, at the very gateway to our city, is adjacent to schools, residences, Santa Monica’s art center and businesses of all types, including some of the city’s biggest business complexes. The size of the proposed center and the services it will offer practically ensures that hundreds of users — many of whom, the center’s director admits will be mentally ill — will be turned out into the neighboring areas. OPCC’s current downtown location has proven unable to keep clients from congregating at all hours. The larger size of this proposed project will only increase the magnitude of the problem.
Financing. For a city struggling with a prolonged economic downturn, the purchase and conversion of a light manufacturing site, at a projected cost of some $9 million, is far too costly given the projected benefits. Our city funds should be spent on improving the quality of life of the residents, on our schools and parks, and on permanent affordable housing, not contributing to already well-funded social services. Further, the proposed use of low-and moderate-income rental housing accounts to help finance this project would be an irresponsible, and possibly illegal, use of those restricted funds.
Better alternatives. The existing Rand complex of mixed-use buildings, recently made available to the city of Santa Monica, is far better suited for the intended purpose of the shelter.
Not only is it closer to the downtown area and its substantial homeless population, it is adjacent to the city’s human services and other related city departments. More important, there are no acquisition costs involved, only remodeling and site improvement costs. The former Robbins Auto Top building, literally across the street from the current shelter, is vacant and available. Disruption to current clients would be minimal. The current, soon-to-be-vacant police services building may also prove to be suitable for the shelter’s proposed uses.
As the location of the largest number of community housing projects and social service locations in the city of Santa Monica, the Pico neighborhood has long been the leader in accommodating our less fortunate, and in creating workable solutions to the social challenges facing cities like our own.
There are times, however, when a proposed solution would create far more problems than it would actually solve. Such is the case with the proposed shelter at 1751 Cloverfield Blvd. The PNA asks only that the city and the non-profits they work with develop sound, rational and productive partnerships that benefit everyone: The less fortunate, yes, but also the residents of Santa Monica and the residents of the Pico neighborhood.
Failing that criteria, the PNA has no choice but to strongly oppose the proposed development at 1751 Cloverfield Blvd.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.