Zuma Dogg was speaking to a Skid Row Homeless Advocate (who does more than TALK, but pounds pavement) says the "Illegal Dumping" thing is a "Red Herring" that politicians are putting out there for deflection.He says the problem just isn't as big as the City is leading you to believe. And it isn't a major factor from a numbers standpoint. (I KNOW THIS COMMENT WILL OUTRAGE PEOPLE...But this is THIS guy's opinion. And I say he deserves a say.)
And here is the real issue the Homeless Advocate wanted me to be aware of and will be pushing for...
PROBLEM NUMBER ONE: Harassment of Skid Row Homeless by arrest and re-arrest, including a lot of slamming against walls.
LAPD are arresting a lot of people at Skid Row for "jaywalking". A lot of the people in this area walk back and forth across the street like the Third Street Promanade, so the cops can catch them on that, then check for any/everything else including outstanding warrants for the previous jaywalking ticket. AND, probation violations. Then it becomes harder and harder to break out of the cycle, because you can't get a job with the probation violation.
AND THE COST OF IT ALL IS A LOT OF MONEY AND THE COURT SYSTEM AND JAILS ARE TIED UP OVER IT. AND IT'S ALL JUST A REVOLVING DOOR. Here's what my friend proposes:
After all of this waiting in jail and the courts the judge makes a quick decision anyway. So this person who I was speaking with suggests when the police arrest someone at skid row and it turns out it's JUST for jaywalking, or some minor "loitering" stuff...have a station nearby to do this: If they sign a form that says they agree to join one of these "Sweep the streets" Neighborhood cleanup non-profit projects (like Chrysalis), the whole matter is settled on the spot (at this community station that could even be a mobile station). And the courts are not tied up. AND you will have outreach programs at the station to move people into. And meanwhile, they are handed a broom or cleaning supplies on the spot and have to get started to avoid being sent to jail, then and there. (Immediate Community Service sentence.)
THE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE MORE HOMELESS DROP IN STATIONS, SOME PARKS LIKE THE ONE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SLEEP (There is only ONE place in the City where you are actually allowed to lay down and sleep.) We all know that a lot of the shelters are too restrictive, with too many rules and regulations for a lot of the people who are on the street. YOU MUST PROVIDE A BIG PLACE LIKE A ONE OF THESE CONCERT HALLS YOU ARE BUILDING, WITH A PARKING LOT EVERYONE CAN CAMP OUT IN, AND CAN DROP IN, WITH BEDS...Like a Graetful Dead parking lot, but for homeless instead of concert goers who can go inside to sleep (instead of the show).
You built all five-star accommodations and expensive luxury housing Downtown, but forgot to build some shelters/set aside space for all the people already living on the streets. And arresting them, jailing them, running them through court and releasing them on a daily basis isn't accomplishing the goal. (If anyone inside City Hall has a brain, now would be a good time to start using it!)
Until then...Forget about these five star plans for Downtown L.A. It's nice to think that you can build all this expensive new housing, LA Live, Grand Ave Project (Grand Illusion) and expect Downtown Los Angeles to once again become an economic and tourist hub...except you have to put on your "Wizard of Oz" voice to warn people, "Ignore the mentally ill homeless people aggressively panhandling and threatening you. It's only the "800 lb Gorilla-Elephant In The Room" that you have to ignore for it all to work.
(photo: City Hall after Council Meeting on Friday 5/15/08 by ZumaCam)
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