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# Time to curb city policies
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/time-to-curb-city-policies-editor/
- Published: 2006-08-09T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T19:09:27.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Marilyn Brennan Santa Monica*

Regarding Stephen Baker’s letter (SMDP, July 6, page 4) and the article “No more easy streets” in the “Enough Is Enough” column by Jenna Linnekens (SMDP, July 6, page 5) — right on. I second their concerns and sentiments.

Santa Monica’s drug/alcohol addicted street population is growing and growing and growing, and it is time we sent City Hall, the police and the council members a loud, “I am mad as hell and won’t take it anymore.”

Notice I did not call these street people “homeless.” The term “homeless” means to me someone who has fallen on economic hard times due to job loss or illness,or needs to escape an abusive relationship and has nowhere to turn. Let us for sure help these people all we can. But I draw the line at enabling the addicted to die — which is just what is going on.

Mr. Baker pointed out just what I was thinking myself — that if I or any other ordinary citizen a) exposed myself to children; b) used the public streets as a bathroom in front of people; c) robbed; d) shouted obscenities; e) act out in a threatening manner if not given enough money on demand; f) spit on someone — remember the security guard who warned people to stay away from a certain individual in the park who was a spitter? Instead of warning people to stay away, how about stopping the one spitting on people? If any ordinary citizen did any or all of the above and more they would be surely put in jail and rightly so. But not the street people.

And when someone reports it to the police, they are asked if the individual breaking the law is “homeless” and if the answer is “yes” then they do little or nothing? This is beyond belief. We now have separate laws for the transients and the rest of us? This means basically there is no hope in curbing this dangerous and horrific behavior that goes on 24-7 in our parks, alleys, promenade and streets.

So the message is that if you are a drug/alcohol addicted transient exposing yourself to children — no worries — you have it made in the shade here in good old double standard Santa Monica. And if you are not one of the above, but are sick enough to just want to get away with aberrant behavior, just dress down, don’t shower, get really smelly, do whatever you want, break the laws of the city and then just say you’re “homeless” and nothing much will happen to you.

We can start overriding the people on the city payroll by doing what Jenna Linnekens suggested in her column: Calling the police and cite the laws on the books and insist on the law being enforced. I would also suggest we start cutting off the unlawful feedings by people who do not even reside in Santa Monica. Make them leave and feed the transients in their own backyards, and we should be sure to post their addresses in the former Santa Monica feeding spots so the transients can go there with no trouble.

And by the way, November will be upon us soon, City Council members. So unless you start insisting that the laws you pass are enforced, cut funding on the programs that do not require sobriety as a requisite for help, and start cleaning the city so citizens and tourists can once again enjoy the city and start shopping and spending money here again. If not, City Council, start shaking in your boots. Last election we missed our chance and only got rid of one bad apple, and if we don’t send a message in November, we can be sure the status quo will continue.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/080906.pdf?ref=smdp.com)