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# The good times are over
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/the-good-times-are-over-editor/
- Published: 2002-10-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:47:09.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Tony Street Santa Monica*

Let's just stop it. Please! No more pretense. No more beating around the bush. No more political correctness. Let’s just get it out there for everyone to hear: The people who deserve to live in Santa Monica because they either own their own ridiculously overpriced priced condo or house, or because they are paying a ridiculously overpriced rental rate DON’T WANT TO BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT EARNED THE RIGHT TO LIVE IN SUCH AN EXPENSIVE AREA.

They don’t want to live in million-dollar plus condos and homes that are situated next to run down, 70s-era eyesores filled with people whose idea of work is to dig through their neighbor’s garbage and then turn around and sell it at their weekly garage sale. They don’t want to come home to their market-rate-rented apartment after working a 60-hour week to find their neighbor’s “rent-control-made-it-possible” 2002 Porsche parked in their parking space (because there is no parking to be found on the streets). And, they don’t want to walk, run, nor bike through the gauntlet of homeless people as they move throughout their community.

There. The dirty little secret is out. The truth is that there is nothing cathartic about forcing (yes, forcing) different classes of people to live side by side. It simply heightens (via proximity) the resentments that already exist. The reason why most people move to the westside and choose not to live in South Central, East L.A. or any number of other “high crime” areas is because THEY DON’T HAVE TO. They want to live alongside people with similar goals, values, social manners and can afford to do so. Is there really anything wrong with that?

Whether you like it or not, Santa Monica, you’re going to have to deal with it. The demographics are changing rapidly. The boomers are here. The hardworking, upper-middle class are here. Their kids are here. Their mortgages are here. Their cars are here (check that, one car and two SUVs). And, they are not going anywhere anytime soon. Sure, you could continue to bring in more homeless, more subsidized housing projects, more regulations on property owners, in order to scare them away. But, it’s not likely to work since these people are growing in numbers, have large financial interests at stakes and will eventually say, via their votes, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

Oh, a heads up for those of you who have lived in a Santa Monica apartment for any part of the past 30, rent-controlled years — time is up, the party’s over. Go back to school, get a better paying job, marry someone with money, whatever. But realize that unless you join the ranks of the upper-middle class, you will not be welcome to live here anymore. It’s nothing personal mind you. Besides, I hear Culver City is very nice.

I know the truth hurts. I feel your pain, Santa Monica, but the 60s are over. You won some battles, but you are going to lose the war!

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 11, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/101102.pdf?ref=smdp.com)