~ NEWS ~
ACLU challenges Santa Monica over treatment of homeless
10:00 AM | July 14, 2009
The ACLU of Southern California today filed a civil rights suit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles against the city of Santa Monica, saying police routinely violate homeless people's constitutional rights and the Americans With Disabilities Act by harassing and arresting them even as the city fails to provide sufficient shelter beds.
"Santa Monica is effectively running a deportation program for the homeless," said Mark Rosenbaum, the organization's legal director. The suit is similar to previous legal challenges against Laguna Beach and Santa Barbara that Rosenbaum said have resulted in policy changes that have helped the homeless.
In its 20-page complaint, filed jointly with Munger, Tolles & Olson on behalf of six individuals, the ACLU alleges that "Santa Monica should be a kind of oasis for those forced to live and sleep outdoors--a place where the climate and open spaces make homelessness somewhat less horrible than it would be most other places." Rather, it said, the city "has made it a crime to be homeless."
The complaint said police routinely prod chronically homeless people to move on to other places, such as Venice, Culver City or downtown L.A.'s skid row.
Earlier this year, the city released data showing it had reduced its street population by 8% from 2007 levels, to 915. Officials credited an effort to ensure that individuals most at risk find transitional housing and treatment. A high percentage of those sleeping on the streets have mental illnesses or addictions.
The complaint mentions a 56-year-old woman with paranoid schizophrenia who said she fears that spaceships are trying to kill her. After being jailed three times, and having her fears scoffed at by police, she relocated to Venice.
"They're arresting people because they're poor and mentally disabled," Rosenbaum said.
--Martha Groves
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Comments
I don't understand why the ACLU would sue Santa Monica. I see the poor line up for bags of food. I see them sleep in the green areas and along the beaches. I have seen police talk to the homeless but usually because they were blocking the sidewalk so people had to walk in the street, or one guy just stopped in front of the 4th street off ramp. There is quite a bit of human urine and excrement around, you smell it before you see it; but i've never seen anyone hassled by the police for no reason.
Of many cities, santa monica tries very hard. They put forth more effort than larger cities and the community is far more forgiving. Wasting money on a lawsuit will only turn good people bitter, and vindicate the more pessimistic.
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Posted by: Mike | July 15, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Please don't send anymore to Bakersfield. I have a commercial office building that won't rent and is sitting empty.
The homeless sit on the corner of the alley in the shade and drink all day long. It is enough to scare the hell out of anyone.
Three years ago one of them all drugged out of his mind, walked into my office and tried to beat me to death. I was able to get my gun and shot him, didn't kill, but hit him four times out of five bullets. All the time screaming stop, as this character was beating me to death. when the police finally arrived 12 minutes later. I was taken to the police station in handcuffs and questioned then the police drove me back to my office. I spent five (5) hours at the police station, and I was half beaten to death at 67 years old. I am only 4'11" and weigh 98 lbs.
This guy looked like a line-backer for the 49ers. even the bullets didn't stop him.
The police had to taze him to take him down, and even then it took five policemen to get him on the gurney and take him in an ambulance to the hospital.
They don't mess around my building any more. The word got out real fast. They sit on the corner now and drink and call me Mom. They say they will look out for me. Well I don't know about that, it will probably depend on what drug they are on at the time.
This guy got three (3) years in prison for elder abuse. True story, The police said not too many people live through such an attack. I was bound and determined it was me or him, and I wasn't going to sit still and let that character beat me to death without a fight. My best advice is be prepared to defend yourself at all times. Always keep a defense weapon within your reach, and don't just threaten, be prepared to use it..
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Posted by: Nora Weber | July 15, 2009 at 07:56 AM
One thing the City of Santa Monica has done right is document that we have one of the oldest and most disabled homeless populations in the country. Police are not the answer here. Even within this thread you can see how much venom this community (one of the wealthiest and most privilegded on earth) has towards this very vulnerable population...
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