Homelessness; Gang and Drug Enforcement

By David P. Wong

Homelessness and affordable housing are complex problems that will require multiple efforts. Care must be taken not to cause further deterioration of the housing supply. Community and non-profit involvement are vital.
Gang involvement and drug abuse likewise require coordinated efforts of law enforcement and community organizations.

Anyone who drives around Long Beach can see the people who are living out of a shopping cart or sleeping in doorways. It will be no surprise that there are homeless in Long Beach. But, homelessness is not a crime. The fifth largest city in California should be active in seeking solutions for its own residents.

The very first step that I would take would be to convene a "Mayor's Symposium on Homelessness." This would include representatives of local churches and charities, City and County staff people and people from other nearby cities. This would be a listening session to gather information as to the current state of the problem in Long Beach and to begin forming coalitions to address the issues.

A one night "census" of the homeless would give a sense of the scope of the problem.

There are some homeless who are only temporary... they need only a base from which to get a job and get a cash-flow started again.

Some are drug-addicted. They may need hospitalization or treatment programs in order to become employable. Until then, they will need shelter.

Some are mentally ill. They may never be employable.

Any proposed solution must take these differing points of view into account.

Homelessness in California increased due to three events.

One, during the administration of Governor Ronald Reagan, facilities for the mentally ill were closed. This was to eliminate the "warehousing" of mentally ill patients. This was a good and well-intentioned program. However, the promise was that smaller, local programs would take the place of the large, impersonal institutions. The second part never materialized. The hospitals were closed and NO alternative was implemented. Many of the mentally ill were thrust onto the streets.

Second, veterans from the Viet Nam War returned into U.S. cities and many times became substance abusers, limiting their employability.

Also, in the late 1980s, the shift in the Southern California economy away from aerospace pushed many families to the edge financially so that they lost their homes.

We need to identify options for emergency shelter as well as temporary or transitional shelter.

I would propose the immediate development of a shelter program utilizing local churches modeled on the successful Interfaith Shelter Program in Orange County. This is a transitional program that can be started with minimal cost.

A longer-term goal might be to evaluate the many empty buildings in Long Beach for possible acquisition and conversion to shelter purposes.

I would also look for funds that the City might use as seed money to get such a shelter started. I will assign a member of the Mayor's staff to work directly with the problems of the homeless.

As you suggest, other cities have experience with shelter programs. Many different models exist. Surely there is something that would work for Long Beach!

It is not fair that Long Beach should send its homeless to shelters in other cities. It is not a solution to the problem to shove homeless persons into other neighborhoods.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The problem of adequate and affordable housing is so complex that when you start to address one part of it, you find that it is connected to every other part. Because there are State and Federal welfare and subsidy programs, every plan needs to take them into account.

Even if we just try to improve the quality of life in some of our low-income neighborhoods or to advance code enforcement, we may change the affordability of housing. Environmental concerns have caused most cities to adopt a "slow" or "no growth" stance. This will produce an even tighter housing market. The reality is that a tight housing market will result in higher housing costs.

The budget impact of housing subsidies is something that Long Beach should evaluate very carefully.

However, there are some powers that the City has which can be used. The City should vigorously pursue redevelopment funds in order to rehab existing buildings and neighborhoods. Funds to build new low-income housing should be applied for.

Zoning regulations should be reviewed to see if different kinds of housing (senior, single-room occupancy, etc.) can be encouraged. Tax breaks might be used to encourage development of low-income housing.

I have suggested the use of "sweat equity" to rehab some of our abandoned buildings. This would allow their own future home.

I would also suggest we investigate the possibility of requiring low-income units in any development or redevelopment that is presented to the City for approval. The city might require that low-income units be provided in another location by the same developer.

Since many of our low and very low-income residents are seniors, the City should look at ways to encourage the development of safe and affordable senior housing. This housing could be in retirement towers built with the cooperation of non-profit or faith-based organizations. This would possibly free other units in nearby buildings for low-income people who are not seniors.

The ultimate solution would be cooperation between City, County, State and Federal governments, the development of more housing throughout the city, as well as job and work programs.

The specific proposals would require a lot of citizen input and careful study and evaluation of successful programs in other cities.

DRUGS AND GAND VIOLENCE

Much of my community involvement in the past has been in the area of gang violence and drug abuse prevention. I would call on this experience to propose and shape programs for Long Beach.

Long Beach has wonderful city parks that could be used for educational, sports and other diversion programs. Recreational centers are a great resource in this way also. Family activities at these locations will play into the cultural strengths of the diverse population of Long Beach.

I would work to develop mentoring programs so that our youth will have alternative life visions presented to them. This could also be conducted in conjunction with the school district and should also utilize former gang members.

I would also look for ways to link interfaith or community organizations into diversion programs. For example, the Boy Scouts of America have an in-school program for low income youth that we could utilize.

I would work with the Police Department both to find ways we could beef up the enforcement aspects of their job and to create better relationships to the youth of this City, through school and community programs. Community-based policing has often shown to be effective in breaking up the incarceration cycle for our youth.

I think we should also consider a "summit meeting" of identified gang leaders to discuss the issues they see in their communities. Perhaps a truce of some sort could be negotiated. Like it or not, these people are often seen as the de facto leaders in their neighborhoods.