Santa Monica's Disneyland and Eradicating Homelessness

February 9, 2004

Dear Editor,

I'm sure the results of this survey were music to the ears of the Bayside District and City Hall but I don't think the results fully reflect the concerns of Santa Monicans who live in other parts of the community. (“Home Shopping,” Feb. 9, 2004)

One of the reasons I moved to Santa Monica was because of the funky laid back, eclectic and unique atmosphere that downtown had. After twenty years of being massaged and tweaked by Roma Design and the Denny Zane political machine it has been rendered a cliche, a "formulaic" (in Denny's words) pastiche of the worst features of strip malls combined with the predictable tastelessness of a Big Mac.

The Z team seems to be unable to contain themselves from their self- congratulatory spasms whilst they pirouette about shouting how "vibrant" downtown is. You'd think that after all this time if these folks were anywhere near as talented as they keep telling themselves that they could think of a new word to replace the very, very tired "vibrant."

Where the Cineplex Odius now resides there used to be a theater that showed Spanish language films, now that was ECLECTIC, as were the wide variety of small shops and restaurants. Maybe it wasn't "vibrant" enough for Denny and the crew, or the revenues generated sufficient for the greedy ideologues who now rule our city but it was INTERESTING and it was REAL.

Denny notes in his piece on the Promenade on the SMRR website that City Hall moved swiftly to make it impossible for movie theatres to be built in other parts of the city so that all this vibrancy could be kept downtown. Thanks Denny! What about a Spanish language theatre for the Hispanic population that resides in the Pico neighborhood to replace the one that was lost to "progress" on the Promenade?

I believe that a truly fulsome survey would discover that many Santa Monicans now essentially avoid downtown, unless they go there for a specific purpose, and that this fact will come to haunt those that have staked their political careers on what has become Santa Monica's very own Disneyland.

Steven Keats
Santa Monica

February 4, 2004

Dear Editor,

I attended the meeting at the Civic Center and was sorry to have to leave before I was able to speak before the committee. (“Homeless Plan Gets Mixed Reviews,” Jan. 28, 2004) The data presented was already outdated, but very informative. The request for positive suggestions was welcome.

I believe that we can eradicate homelessness in a very short period of time, in less then one year, if:

1. All 88 cities in the County comply with their share of responsibilities. Each city has to commit to creating housing and job opportunities for 700 homeless people. When you break down the numbers of people who need assistance that can be shared by each city the burden will be lightened for all.

2. Each city must create opportunity and services for entry Homeless such as SHWASHLOCK (showers, washers lockers and Job search), so that the newly homeless can be helped ASAP, and can be off the streets ASAP. Santa Monica has been doing it for almost 20 years and can be an example to other cities.

3. The program of "comply or be denied" County assistance on all issues will force cities to comply. The same should be the approach with Federal assistance to cities.

4. Create a data base that encompasses all the cities in the County and can be easily accessed to find out availability of services Countywide.

It is a disgrace, a crime and a health hazard to have human beings sleeping and living on the city streets of this rich country.

Sincerely

Bruria Finkel
Originator of shwashlock