Santa Barbara seeks to turn the tables on the homeless

[villager]

Source: LA Times

Santa Barbara seeks to turn the tables on the homeless

Cities have tried many ways to move panhandlers and vagrants out of prime shopping districts, but Santa Barbara believes it has a new angle — 90 degrees.

Using $50,000 in redevelopment funds, the city is planning to turn 14 benches perpendicular to the State Street storefronts they now face. The idea is to make it more difficult for beggars to establish contact with passersby, officials said.

"They'll be sitting with their backs to half the people coming and going on the sidewalk," said Marck Aguilar, a supervisor for the city's redevelopment agency. "They'll have half the potential contacts with the public. It might not be financially beneficial for them." To discourage prolonged stays, Aguilar said, workers will also remove the backs from several benches on a two-block stretch of the city's most vibrant commercial thoroughfare.

<snip>

But Ken Williams, a county social worker and impassioned advocate for the homeless, called the idea "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic."

<snip>



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-santa-barbara-benches-20110121,0,7575749.story?track=rss

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. In Miami Beach, many benches are nearly flush with the road and have dividers which prevent

someone from laying down and sleeping.

[mike_c]

2. punish and harass the homeless-- that's the ticket....

Sheesh. If panhandling is a problem in a community it suggests that people need alternatives, not fences or other barriers that keep them down even further. WTF is wrong with people?

[villager]

4. "Just go away.." is the new social science...

n/t

[Cleita]

3. Santa Barbara and opulent suburbs, home to a lot of filthy rich people

including Oprah. Are you reading this Jerry Brown? Property tax the shit out of them especially the out of staters like Oprah and the Arab oil sheiks and you can solve their homeless problem by using the money to shelter and get medical care to those unfortunate people and maybe even balance the state budget.

[zazen]

5. +10,000. Is SB a third-world urban center?

What's next? Ensuring no cardboard is left in dumpsters lest the pesky homeless create makeshift shelters out of them?

I'm picturing 20% of the better off people pushing through streets of malnourished urchins and cardboard shacks. I thought that only happened in Asia or parts of Latin America. (Oh right--wrong century.)

[alfredo]

38. I am seeing homeless panhandlers at the malls here in

Lexington Ky. It doesn't appear they are alcoholics or mentally ill, they are hungry.

[Kolesar]

6. Do you t;hink they would dig potatoes for the city food pantry?

If given the chance? That is what was done in Ohio when DHL air freight pulled out of Winchester, Ohio, leaving many jobless.

[defendandprotect]

15. You want the rich elites to dig potatoes for the soup kitchens?

What we need is not slave labor but actual jobs -- and safety nets --

and housing for the homeless!!

[Kolesar]

16. I would like to buy my deadbeat brother a ticket to Santa Barbara

so that he would quit taking my mother's social security money. I wonder if he could cut it bumming money from someone else?

[defendandprotect]

24. Think Mom's and Dad's have been trying to save a lot of family members....

this is also playing a large role in harming the middle class --

and think a lot of family members have also been trying to save other family

members.

We need jobs -- and MEDICARE FOR ALL --

We also need to rethink this property/ownership/dollar bill thing/winner take all/

capitalistic nightmare we're living!

[AndyTiedye]

27. ??

Think Mom's and Dad's have been trying to save a lot of family members....

this is also playing a large role in harming the middle class --

Is that what you meant to say? It doesn't make any sense.

We need jobs -- and MEDICARE FOR ALL --

That DOES.

We also need to rethink this property/ownership/dollar bill thing/winner take all/capitalistic nightmare we're living!

What sort of alternative do you have in mind?

[defendandprotect]

31. You think long term unemployed is 22 million and families aren't trying to help them?

Are you kidding? You really didn't understand that?

It's not just your Mom -- it's many Mom's who are trying to help --

and Dad's -- and sisters and brothers, as well!


We also need to rethink this property/ownership/dollar bill thing/winner take all/capitalistic nightmare we're living!


What sort of alternative do you have in mind?


Well, living under capitalism, I would think the "alternatives" would come trippingly off

the tongue. Downsize capitalism. Reregulate capitalism.

Unregulated capitalism is merely organized crime.

Capitalism is a ridiculous "King-of-the-Hill" system intended to move a nation's wealth and

natural resources from the many to the few -- and it has long done that quite successfully!

The remedies seem clear -- but that said -- we have a corporate government -- and

corporations replacing sovereign governments all over the world.

In other words -- the rise of the Fourth Reich.

Yes -- there had best be alternatives -- plenty of them!

[Kolesar]

32. Can my brother move in with you when Mom dies?

I would like to move and not give him my address.

[alphafemale]

33. heh. Yeah we have a fcking mooch as a roomate now.

We stopped feeding him because he only gave $40 one time since August (in August) toward groceries but always sniffs around at dinner time. He steals beer, liquor and snack food. He has money to buy beer liquor and snack food but takes it to HIS room. His board has been paid by his step-mother for the last six months. He's getting cut off from that as of this month, at the beginning of the lease this was stated as the last she would pay...he's like 60 by the way...well WELL past the time to be supported by Mumzy. I really really hope this ignorant fck who also used the N word around me and suggested we shoot our dog in the head CAN'T come up with the coin on his own. I despise this mooching MFer and want him OUT.

[Kolesar]

36. That would bother me a lot

I had a roommate who got in a shouting match with me and grabbed me by the throat. I moved away as soon as I found another place. We had no lease obligation.

[alphafemale]

47. He's standing at the stove now. Humming and slurping.

And making those squeaky, scratchy noises with his fork on the plate.....AAARRRGGHHH!!!!!

:grr:

This is, officially, the most annoying man in the world.

[formercia]

40. Next time you feed him, tell him it's dog meat after he finishes,

and that you took his advice.

[alphafemale]

48. He'd probably laugh, actually.

"You killed your dog for me!? THANK-YOU!"

I hate this MFer.

[AndyTiedye]

51. Only the Part About How Their Trying to Help Family Members Was Harming the Middle Class

Do you mean that many in the formerly-middle class are overextending themselves trying to support their extended family?

I wouldn't have described that as "Harming the Middle Class".


I'm OK with more regulation, but I'm not holding my breath for it (for the same reasons you stated).

[AndyTiedye]

26. Proposition 13 Makes That Impossible

Can't raise property taxes due to Proposition 13.

Even if you could, it wouldn't inconvenience the wealthy, but a lot of people who are barely hanging on would lose their homes.

[Cleita]

28. Actually, Gov. Brown is giving back authority to

local governments to raise the revenues they need to because he can't through Prop. 13. No one really wants to repeal Prop. 13 in its entirety for the reason you state. http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/01/10/governor-jerry-brown-wants-return-authority-and-mo/

[slackmaster]

29. Our property tax rates are regulated, but due to high values our property taxes are pretty high

About #10 among the states compared to income levels.

The middle class in California is one of the most highly-taxed middle classes in the USA. Don't fuck with our homes.

[Le Taz Hot]

34. Proposition 13 only applies to properties

that were owned in 1978 and prior. As soon as they resell, they're reassessed. It seems too many people are under the impression that no one's property taxes have risen since 1978 and that is inaccurate.

[AndyTiedye]

49. But Only When they Sell, and the Tax RATE is still fixed

They can't just jack up the rates on rich people's properties as some have suggested here.
Nor can they arbitrarily reassess property to massively increase the tax bills.
The can reassess property when it is sold, but not before.

They can raise the valuations across the board by a certain amount each year, but that is limited to a small percentage.

There is also a provision for lowering assessments in the event that property values have fallen since the property was purchased.
It is likely that many who bought during the bubble are requesting this.

[Le Taz Hot]

54. That was kind of the point I was trying to make.

In 1978 my house was probably worth somewhere along the lines of $45,000 and taxes were assessed based on that amount. However, when I bought it in 1999 it was considerably more than $45,000 and the first full year I was here, my property tax was assessed at the new value, not the old one.

I'm just saying that too many people are under the impression that California is broke because of Prop. 13 and no one's house has been re-assessed since then. California is in the financial shithole for a whole lot of reasons and Prop. 13 isn't even in the top 10.

[a la izquierda]

oh fuck me...

god forbid anyone in SB have to "deal" with their poor and less fortunate brethren. can't have Buffy getting upset on her way to buy some expensive-ass thing she doesn't need.

*sigh* what the fuck is wrong with this country? i try to go a day without asking this, but it gets harder and harder.

[villager]

8. A *day* without asking? Man, if I get through an *hour* I'm doing okay...

n/t

[a la izquierda]

eh, i'm currently an optimist...

i have to be, or i'll go totally mad.

[a la izquierda]

9. eh, i'm currently an optimist...

i have to be, or i'll go totally mad.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Same here.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

41. these aren't the "less fortunate" these are the intoxicated and insane

I know the area well,

[AndyTiedye]

50. We Don't Do Very Much to Help the Insane in this Country

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

52. No argument from me,

My girlfriend has been assaulted twice by roaming psychos who in more enlightened times would have been permanently institutionalized. The one who was arrested wasn't even homeless but had wandered away from a group home because she wasn't allowed to smoke crack there.

Unfortunately if there is one issue on which progressives and conservatives are in total agreement is that letting the insane roam the streets is preferable to institutional care. Conservatives object to the cost - Progressives object to anyone being deprived of their right to be an intoxicated nuisance.

[Boojatta]

43. "on her way to buy some expensive-ass thing she doesn't need"

If everybody agrees to buy only what is needed and to not buy anything that is merely wanted, then will there be less unemployment?

[a la izquierda]

7. Dupe-delete

[handmade34]

10. waste of money

how about adding another 2 zeros to that and create suitable housing and jobs...

[fascisthunter]

11. the upper class and their policians make me ill

they don't want to do anything about homelessness, yet they go out of their way to make them invisible... sounds like a great plan, Elitists.

[Frisbee]

13. Not only do they go out of their way to make them invisible...

they go out of their way to create them in the first place. And have become quite good at it.

[SemperEadem]

12. why don't they just ask for permission to just cull them?

that's in essence what they're after. "Our rich, beautiful eyes should not be made to have to look at anyone who is not in our income bracket--in fact, why are they even allowed to be alive????"

Santa Barbara needs to spend that 50K on better outreach programs for the homeless instead of spending it on acting like asses.

[defendandprotect]

14. Deception and cruelty to deal with HOMELESSNESS???

Who are we trying to deceive -- ourselves?

$50,000 for this game-playing which might be used to finance a soup kitchen --

or providing some housing for the homeless??

Disgusting!!

[totodeinhere]

17. How about actually helping the homeless rather than worrying about stuff like this?

We need mental health services, programs to help with substance abuse, and hey what a concept, decent housing for everyone.

[ZombieHorde]

18. This is like turning up the radio when your car is making a strange noise. nt

[defendandprotect]

25. Love it -- !! :)

[Boojatta]

44. What alternative would you propose?

Contacting Ghostbusters Incorporated and asking them to investigate the strange noise?

[eagertolearn]

19. My brother was homeless there for years until he died of alcoholism

They were always trying to "deal" with the homeless by destroying their camping areas, giving them tickets for sitting on the curb etc... After so many tickets they'd go to jail which cost the state lots of money because they always go through DT's (required to medicate them through this). Instead of jail they should have been forced to go through rehab and check in for daily meds if they were provided shelter and food. Most of these homeless are mentally challenged and need help and to be taken care of. I bet my brother cost the state millions of dollars before he died:(

[EFerrari]

20. That headline sure describes a battle of the titans.

:sarcasm:

[muntrv]

21. Looks like the freeptards are responding to the LA Times article.

[bergie321]

22. We should just cover them with tarps

That will make the problem go away...
:sarcasm:

[county worker]

30. I work in SB and go down town a lot. Those homeless are not a problem.

I give them what change I have. I think we need to see them so we know what the hell is going on in this country.

I remember a line I heard in social studies many long years ago and it was "the invisible poor."

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

42. sociologically speaking, "the invisible poor" refers to rural poverty

[Le Taz Hot]

35. Are you listening, Oprah?

Let's see how much of a humanitarian she really is since she's got more money than the GDP's in many countries. And they're using Redevelopment Money. Great.

[NaturalHigh]

37. They want to make things harder for the homeless?

Like the homeless have it so easy now. Do these politicians ever consider that the cheaper (and better) solution would be to spend government funds to end homelessness and institute real employment solutions? For the price of a few cruise missiles, we could put a real dent in the problem.

[daleo]

39. And this will just move them somewhere else

It won't do anything about jobs, money, homes, or mental health care.

[Boojatta]

45. Begging doesn't do anything about jobs, homes, or mental health care.

It does something about money for the person who is begging, but at what cost in lost customers to nearby businesses?

[daleo]

46. The homeless will just beg elsewhere

Near some other businesses, most likely. Alternatively, they might commit some petty crimes if panhandling laws are really effective. Maybe the happy customers might avoiding panhandling, at the price of something worse.

When I was young, panhandling was rare. It really took off during Reagan's era and hasn't looked back. But it could be dealt with constructively again, if the rich would just be willing to share a bit more, via taxes, enhanced social services and better wages for the working and middle classes.

[defendandprotect]

53. This is so disgusting ... I think we need "Most Disgusting Stories" ....

just like the "Greatest" --

Had to come back and say that --

Santa Barbara, who is making your decisions for you?



:puke: