The Meanest City
Los Angeles ranks #1 on the list of meanest cities in a report put together by The National Coalition for the Homeless. The full report is here, scroll to page 36.
I have highlighted some of the main parts and bolded the important parts for the skimmers.
-Los Angeles was spending $6 million a year to pay for fifty extra police officers to crack down on crime in the Skid Row area at a time when the city budgeted only $5.7 million for homeless services...24 people were arrested 201 times...Many of the citations issued to homeless persons in the Skid Row area were for jaywalking and loitering, “crimes” that rarely produce writtencitations in Los Angeles outside of Skid Row.
-Moving homeless individuals from Skid Row not only takes them away from a familiar area, but also moves them farther from service providers. Around the time of the police crackdown on Skid Row the providers in surrounding neighborhoods, such as Santa Monica and Hollywood, noticed an increase in their homeless populations, a problem for which they were unprepared.
-In October 2007, six homeless plaintiffs challenged a law that makes it illegal to sit or lay on sidewalks. The city agreed not to enforce the law between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. until it builds 1,250 units of permanent supportive housing. 1,250 new units of housing would only aid 2.6 percent of the city’s homeless population.
There is also a list of cities that prohibit FEEDING the homeless. Full list of cities here.
Santa Monica, CA has taken numerous steps to address the sharing of food with homeless persons in the community. The city’s ordinances directly limit food sharing in two ways. First, in a law recently passed by the City Council, the city has prohibited leaving food or clothing in city parks as a means of donation. Second, the city has an ordinance that requires any group who intends to “feed the needy” to first obtain a permit. In order to meet constitutional requirements, the city has amended language in another ordinance that prohibited the distribution of food on city streets and sidewalks without a permit. The new language exempts noncommercial food distribution from the ordinance’s scope.
I have highlighted some of the main parts and bolded the important parts for the skimmers.
-Los Angeles was spending $6 million a year to pay for fifty extra police officers to crack down on crime in the Skid Row area at a time when the city budgeted only $5.7 million for homeless services...24 people were arrested 201 times...Many of the citations issued to homeless persons in the Skid Row area were for jaywalking and loitering, “crimes” that rarely produce writtencitations in Los Angeles outside of Skid Row.
-Moving homeless individuals from Skid Row not only takes them away from a familiar area, but also moves them farther from service providers. Around the time of the police crackdown on Skid Row the providers in surrounding neighborhoods, such as Santa Monica and Hollywood, noticed an increase in their homeless populations, a problem for which they were unprepared.
Mere and I start our route in Hollywood and look for people who are alone or hidden. Although we didn't know exactly why, we knew there was a good reason why some people chose to stay far from skid row or other areas with shelters and other service providers. I'm glad we pay special attention to these people, especially those that have chosen nicer, safer neighborhoods to live in.
There is also a list of cities that prohibit FEEDING the homeless. Full list of cities here.
Santa Monica, CA has taken numerous steps to address the sharing of food with homeless persons in the community. The city’s ordinances directly limit food sharing in two ways. First, in a law recently passed by the City Council, the city has prohibited leaving food or clothing in city parks as a means of donation. Second, the city has an ordinance that requires any group who intends to “feed the needy” to first obtain a permit. In order to meet constitutional requirements, the city has amended language in another ordinance that prohibited the distribution of food on city streets and sidewalks without a permit. The new language exempts noncommercial food distribution from the ordinance’s scope.
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