Myers Must Resign or Be Sent Packing

I am outraged by the measures taken by the Santa Monica City Council to arrest people for nothing more than sleeping in the parks. They have turned their backs on the Homeless Task Force and the citizens of Santa Monica--housed and otherwise, by not waiting for the Task Force to recommend a comprehensive, humane plan.

It is unjust to arrest people for a non-criminal activity, especially while practical alternatives do not exist. As a homeless outreach worker I see many people find housing--but only as many as we have the time or the resources to help.

Ending homelessness in Santa Monica will take ending homelessness in America. The causes of homelessness are not the vices of thousands of homeless individuals in every major city in this country but rather the selfish policy decisions of our political and business leaders.

Until we choose to make comprehensive, systemic changes, we can only help individuals out of homelessness. By providing job training and placement programs, by restoring our mental health system and by creating low-income housing we can get people off the streets permanently, not just until their time in jail runs out.

I encourage the City Council to end their ineffective and inhumane policy of arresting needy people, at least until the Task Force completes its recommendations. Perhaps they could direct the Police Department to find progressive solutions for enforcing the real crimes committed in our parks such as violence and drug sales.

MARC S. GROBMAN

Venice