Following comments from the public concerning an ongoing public nuisance and health hazard surrounding homeless camps, Councilman Jim Mosby urged a permanent solution saying, “We have to stop waiting.” I’ll assume he was referring to a long-term plan to mitigate homeless camps in the riverbed.
Public speakers pointed out the obvious; homeless camps have not only returned to the riverbed, but also to the areas they once occupied on public property adjacent to several local businesses.
The trash in and around these camps contain infectious waste (discarded needles) and harbors disease carrying rodents. The warming and cooking fires used by the “campers” create a serious hazard to neighboring properties.
Their inhabitants have harassed people entering businesses, used profane language to express themselves when children are present, and assaulted business owners who ask them to leave.
The city manager indicated the Police Department is in the process of finalizing a fresh count of homeless camps that have returned to the riverbed. He also said the item would appear on the agenda during one of the two meetings in February; we’ll have to see what the staff suggests as a solution.
A year ago, I asked on these pages following a half-million-dollar cleanup effort: “Are the homeless and their trash really gone?”
I then observed that “it didn’t take long for the nomads to start returning; I walk the Riverbend Walking/Biking trail regularly. Low and behold new camps, along with their trash started reappearing; not hidden in the underbrush, but in clearings made by the city less than 10-feet from the paved walking trail!”
I wonder if it is even legal to stop illegal camping on public property. The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed with the 9th District Court of Appeals in San Francisco when they:
“Held that the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause of the Eighth Amendment precluded the enforcement of a statute prohibiting sleeping outside against homeless individuals with no access to alternative shelter. And, as long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping outdoors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter.”
When this matter returns to the City Council, I certainly hope the staff report includes a plan to address the problem. The last effort involved an event, cleaning up the riverbed, which could have been a part of a long-term plan but wasn’t.
A comprehensive, multi-year plan to not only remove the camps but also relocate the inhabitants to adequate treatment and shelter is needed to satisfy the Supreme Court decision.
The city can’t do this alone; it will take the efforts of the County Community Services, Behavioral Wellness and most likely one or more nonprofits to manage this problem. But, before anything can happen the city must have a plan with cost estimates so funding can be sought from county, state and federal agencies.
Although I agree that a permanent solution is needed, it seemed hypocritical that Councilman Mosby — whose own property adjacent to River Park on the eastern edge of town is the resting place for several inoperative and rusting vehicles, motor homes and trailers, has numerous dead trees that have fallen into a fence separating his property from a Caltrans right-of-way, and has been the subject of court orders to cease non-permitted activities — would have any interest in cleaning anything up.
He and two other councilmen were instrumental in eliminating the code enforcement function of city government; these were the folks who helped keep the city neat and orderly, as a “cost cutting measure” after some complained they were being required to clean up their property.
Based on past performance, I am not confident the current council majority can deal with this issue considering most of the members have little interest in cleaning up the town. New councilmembers with a vision and new ideas are needed to handle issues like this.
— Ron Fink, a Lompoc resident since 1975, is retired from the aerospace industry and has been active with Lompoc municipal government commissions and committees since 1992, including 12 years on the Lompoc Planning Commission. He is also a voting member of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association. Contact him at news@noozhawk.com. Click here to read his previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
