(May 27, 2017, 8:40 p.m.) -- A rift with impacts for homeless-impacted neighborhoods citywide is now visible entering LB's 2018 election cycle between LB's incumbent Mayor/City Council and Long Beach taxpayers who seek a prompt, tougher City Hall public safety response to vagrants, transients, suspected drug addicts and other homeless persons allegedly committing neighborhood crimes.
An online petition signed by over 1,200 mainly 3rd Council district residents since April 15 and sent to Mayor Garcia and Chief of Police Luna, stated that residents now feel [petition text] "threatened in our own neighborhoods" and complaining that "they can't go to the parks, joggers take pepper spray with them, businesses are robbed, our garages are ransacked, our belongings are stolen, our cars are broken into...unable to enjoy our own neighborhood because we feel it has been taken over." The petition added, "We're sick of it." At the May 23 City Council meeting, Council incumbents (Austin absent) and Mayor Robert Garcia displayed a united front in praising City Hall's current homeless practices and voted 8-0 (Austin absent) to approve an item agendized by Councilwoman Price (joined by Councilmembers Austin and Andrews) that directs city management to work with City Hall departments and produce a city management report within 120 days that will lead to development of a future plan offering [agendizing memo text] "a holistic approach to the issue of homelessness and residential quality of life." During Council discussion, no Councilmember(s) or the Mayor spoke the word "crime." Councilwoman Price (who chairs the Council's "Public Safety Committee") cited "quality of life" issues but didn't describe them and acknowledged that some residents had sent a petition to the Mayor and Chief of Police but didn't quote from it or mention how many people had signed it. [Scroll down for further.] |
Councilwoman Price's agendizing memo stated in pertinent part: "In terms of quality of life issues, the perception by many residents is that the issue is one of enforcement, which would fall to law enforcement authorities. While this argument may sound persuasive, the reality is that enforcement of existing laws is only one aspect of the issue. However, others would argue this is a Health Department issue, which is also insufficient, as the topic includes issues well beyond only Health Department programs and services. As is also the case with it being related to housing, economics, mental health, and other areas. The truth is they are all right as this is a complex multidimensional issue spanning national trends, societal shifts, cultural ideology, state law, education, and countless other topics." In contrast, testimony from the public included Belmont Heights resident Laurann Wakefield, who told the Council: "[T]his is not about homeless people who are sincerely down and out and in need. We don't see it as a homeless problem. We see it as a public safety and a crime problem and that's really what's happening with us." She added, "Give us more police officers and patrols. And let the vagrants and criminals know we're not going to continue to lie down and roll over. And while we're very appreciative of being put on the agenda tonight, we can't wait 120 days to see results. Crime is escalating. The community is at the boiling point. We must have budget for public safety, increased police and general protection for the public..." Alamitos Heights Improvement Association president Gary Morrison said members of his group talk to him frequently about this issue "and they want something done now, sooner or later...120 days may seem short for y'all but from where I am, [it should be] sooner than later..." And Paul Gomez said that when he walks outside his door, he sees "nothing but basically tweakers and thieves...I live in waterfront property and you walk outside and the same guy that stole your bike is holding a sign saying 'Help me with food.' And the same guy who's holdin' that sign is walkin in CVS or Gelsons and walkin' in and walkin' right out with everything he wants, and it seems like there's nothin' being done about it." Mr. Gomez said he's aware of official statistics showing fewer LB homeless persons "but that's not what I see when I walk out my front door...These are a bunch of drug addicts and a bunch of thieves, what I see, the majority of them, and it's just very disappointing that nothing's being done to fix the problem. I know we're working at it, but that's not what I'm seeing..."
Councilmembers said nothing in response to the public's testimony. The Council's 8-0 action comes as five Council incumbents (Gonzalez, Price, Mungo, Uranga and Richardson) plus Mayor Garcia seek reelection in April 2018.
Since April 15, 2017, over 1,200 Long Beach taxpayers to date, mainly from LB's 3rd Council district, have signed the online petition that states: [Petition text] Dear Mayor Garcia and Chief Luna,
The May 23 agenda item by Councilmembers Price, Austin and Andrews sought Council approval to direct the City Manager to [agenda text] "work with the Health Department; Police Department; Fire Department; City Prosecutor's Office; Public Works/Parks, Recreation and Marine; Economic Development, BIDs, Workforce Development, and other Community Resources; and I-Team/Technology Services to prepare a report on the specified areas relating to homelessness and residential quality of life in the City of Long Beach. The report should summarize the data and identify a multi-departmental strategic approach to address the listed topics. This report should include the expected funding required to effectuate a citywide strategy to address homelessness and residential quality of life issues associated with homeless and transient activity. The report should be returned to the City Council no later than 120 days from today's date." Councilmembers Price, Austin and and Andrews accompanied their May 23 agenda item with a six page memo (Price as first named memo author, usually indicates Councilmember's authorship) titled "Need for Comprehensive Strategy Identifying Opportunities to Address Homelessness and Community Quality of Life Concerns" which stated in part: [Price-Austin-Andrews May 23 agendizing memo]...There is no doubt that the issue of homelessness extends beyond the duty of any single department within an urban city like Long Beach. In terms of quality of life issues, the perception by many residents is that the issue is one of enforcement, which would fall to law enforcement authorities. While this argument may sound persuasive, the reality is that enforcement of existing laws is only one aspect of the issue. However, others would argue this is a Health Department issue, which is also insufficient, as the topic includes issues well beyond only Health Department programs and services. As is also the case with it being related to housing, economics, mental health, and other areas. The truth is they are all right as this is a complex multidimensional issue spanning national trends, societal shifts, cultural ideology, state law, education, and countless other topics.
The Price-Austin-Andrews memo sought the following information from LBPD: [May 23 Price-Austin-Andrews agendizing memo] (a) Data on the effectiveness of the current Quality of Life officers including; the number of current officers in this position} their duties} the number of contacts they make on a typical workday and information regarding placement of homeless individual in city sponsored services or programs. The agendizers allowed a 120 day timeline for city management to deliver the requested report, effectively allowing its arrival as late as September 20, 2017...by which time the Council would have already acted on the FY18 budget (including restoring police officers for taxpayers.) During Council discussion of the item, no Councilmember(s) or the Mayor spoke the word "crime." Councilwoman Price (the Mayor's chosen chair for the Council's "Public Safety Committee") cited "quality of life" issues but didn't describe them. She mentioned that some residents had sent a petition to the Mayor and Chief of Police but didn't quote from the petition or say how many people had signed it. And she cited but didn't reveal details of a March 9 internal memo that city management had sent the Mayor and the Council on the "State of Homelessness in Long Beach." (LBREPORT.com obtained a copy of the May 9 internal memo, published it on May 20 and also links to it below.) Before hearing from the public, Councilmembers and the Mayor spent roughly 15 minutes discussing the agenda item among themselves, several praising city staff's current actions on homelessness...and some (including the Mayor) urging city management to do a better job of telling the public what the City has done and is doing. The At roughly 10:43 p.m., the Mayor and Council took up the Price-Austin-Andrews agenda item. Councilwoman Price moved approval, seconded by Councilman Andrews. By this time, a number of the petition-signing residents who'd come to be heard had left (including parents who had to leave to put their children to bed.) [After the meeting, one of the petition-signers present at the meeting told LBREPORT.com that she estimates, based on individuals she recognized in the audience and social network postings after the meeting, that as many as thirty petition-supporters were likely present earlier in the Council meeting.] Some salient transcript excepts (unofficial, prepared by LBREPORT.com) follow: [Excerpts of May 23, 2017 Council colloquy, agenda item 23] At roughly 11;02 p.m. (six hours after the start of the Council meeting), members of the public were invited to speak to the item, limited to three minutes each. Among the speakers were: Laurann Wakefield [among 1,200+ petition signers]: ...I live in Belmont Heights in district 3...I would really urge you to take a look at that petition that you've all been given. The 1,300 people who signed it have included 1,300 comments and we have a very different outlook on this problem that you're presenting right now. Neither the Mayor nor Councilmembers said anything in response to the public testimony. Mayor Garcia asked the Council to record its vote. It was 8-0 (Austin absent on the item, exited earlier in the meeting) to approve the Price-Austin-Andrews item. The 3rd district residents' petition came after vagrant/transient-related neighborhood-crime issues prompted roughly 100-150 ELB Plaza/El Dorado Park South area residents (5th district) to demand action at a public meeting held on an ELB street on September 7, 2016. (LBREPORT.com coverage, here.) At about the same time, downtown Long Beach residents and businesses became vocal over vagrants urinating, defecating and engaging in anti-social nuisance activities in their neighborhoods. Councilwoman Price herself organized a September 17, 2016 Third Council District public meeting (detailed coverage by LBREPORT.com here) at which she acknowledged an increase in visible homeless individuals accompanied by a disturbing change in the types of neighborhood related crimes in LB and beyond. Councilwoman Price's meeting invited City Hall agency representatives (including LBPD/LBFD) to describe measures the City is currently taking and Councilwoman Price added her frequently stated view that the issues now facing Long Beach and other cities stem in part from statewide matters: Prop 47 (Nov. 2014: voters reduced penalties for what ballot proponents labeled nonviolent, non-serious crimes), Prop 57 (Nov. 2016: voters increased parole opportunities for felons convicted of what ballot proponents labeled non-violent crimes) and AB 109 (2011 Governor-backed/legislature enacted "realignment" which diverts certain felons whom Sac'to deems "low-level" to County jails.) On Oct. 4, 2016, Mayor Garcia scheduled a lengthy City Council "study session" on homelessness, which enabled city staff to describe actions the City is currently taking but didn't seriously address neighborhood crime issues. The event brought Mayor Garcia plaudits from homeless advocacy groups. A week later on Oct. 11, 2016, Jack Smith, former Vice Chair of the Homeless Services Advisory Committee and also a member of the Committee that developed Long Beach's Ten Year Plan to end homelessness, came to the City Council to speak about what he'd heard a week earlier at the "study session." Mr. Smith stated in pertinent part: "It's important to focus on behavior and not status. We cannot tolerate bad behavior, and we cannot use status as an excuse for that behavior." He also advised Councilmembers to listen to homeless persons and not to "service providers" or various "experts" and city staff. He also cited the need for Councilmembers to display political will. These were among Mr. Smith's final public words to the City Council; he passed away suddenly a little over two months later in mid-December 2016. (To see and hear Mr. Smith's final Council remarks in full, click here.) On Mar 9, 2017. LB's Director of Health and Human Services, Kelly Callopy, sent to City Manager Pat West for the Mayor Garcia and all Councilmembers what City Hall calls a "TFF" -- a "to-from-for" memo that isn't confidential but isn't usually disclosed to the public. LBREPORT.com managed to obtain a copy of the March 9 memo, which was titled "State of Homelessness in Long Beach" and we published it on May 20, 2017. In a key section pertinent to public safety and LBPD, it stated: [Text from March 9, 2017 memo to Mayor/Councilmembers, pp. 5-6] The May 23 item as agendized specified a 120 day timeline for delivery of management's report to the Council; by our unofficial calculation that could allow its delivery as late as September 20, 2017. By that date, the Council would have already taken voted actions on the FY18 budget (including whether to restore some number of police officers for taxpayers.) During public testimony, two public speakers told Councilmembers that 120 days was too long, but before they were allowed to speak, Councilwoman Gonzalez said 120 days seemed was too short, to which Councilwoman Price seemingly agreed indicating the report would be acceptable "as soon as possible." Mayor Garcia (as chair) didn't seek assent from Councilman Andrews to this (who'd seconded the motion), and since his assent wasn't publicly stated, the motion as passed was for management to deliver its report to the City Council within 120 days. It's unclear if management's report to the City Council will be publicly agendized or another "TFF" -- a memo quietly sent to the Mayor and Councilmembers for their review without being simultaneously shared with the public. . 10:21 p.m. May 27: An earlier version of this story misidentified the agenda item's co-agendizers as Price-Gonzalez-Andrews when they were Price-Austin-Andrews. blog comments powered by Disqus Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:
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