City Council Pushes for Action to Curb Crime by Homeless

After fielding complaints that the city’s homeless population is out of control, the Santa Monica City Council has voted unanimously to ask the city manager to find ways to step up enforcement of laws often violated by the homeless.

The vote was taken after Councilman Herb Katz asked the council to outlaw camping without consent in city parks and on private property. The council rejected the proposal after an hour of debate, opting instead to try stricter enforcement of existing city and state laws.

Regulations that may be used to fight homeless crime include a city law that prohibits sleeping in parks between midnight and 5 a.m and state laws that prohibit trespassing on private property, City Atty. Robert M. Myers said.

City Manager John Jalili said he plans to have a report on enforcement options for the council within 30 days. The city also has a homeless task force that is expected to issue a report this month on homeless problems and possible solutions.