Santa Monica is considering new measures to get homeless people off the streets.
The Santa Monica City Attorney has approved a potential change to a local ordinance to prohibit homeless individuals from sleeping in public spaces. This comes in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to make sleeping outdoors illegal.
The City Council will consider three proposals at Tuesday night’s meeting. One would remove a current exemption in the anti-camping law that permits the use of sleeping bags, blankets, and bedrolls in public areas.
The other two proposals involve either keeping the existing exemption or simply directing city staff to monitor how other cities are handling similar issues.
In an interview with KNX News, Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock voiced concerns about the city becoming a “dumping ground” for the homeless. He claimed that he had been informed by individuals in Los Angeles that homeless people are arriving at LAX and requesting directions to Santa Monica.
(Kathryn W. Boole)
Tuesday’s meeting also comes amid broader homeless crackdown efforts across California. Governor Gavin Newsom has recently directed cities to clear homeless encampments and take more decisive action on the issue.