Monrovia officials address homeless in Library Park

Monrovia officials address homeless in Library Park
Officials estimate between 17-38 people are homeless in Monrovia

By Terry Miller

As people face a world filled with global conflict, disappearing jobs, higher education costs, and increasing poverty in America, action is needed to help those less fortunate. Monrovia is one city that is becoming proactive.
However, not everyone can or is willing to help. In fact, according to official reports, some of the homeless may not even want help or are resistant to any intervention.
In fact, we spoke with several homeless people this week in Monrovia and got a tiny peek into a world where these men and women have to avoid being arrested for illegal camping.
“People in the library are pretty cool,” says Jennifer Williams, thirty-three, who has been on the streets for 4 ½ years with her dad Edward Allen, 59. “We use to live in a house on Olive but we were evicted,” she adds.
Her father says people generally are more fearful of the unknown about homelessness and all agree that some of the local police can be tough on their plight. “But not all the cops are mean, but they do kick us out at 10 p.m.,” Edward Allen said.
We spoke with Monrovia’s Chief of Police Jim Hunt on Wednesday morning about the issue that has raised many eyebrows in the city.
“They have the right to be in the park, but some residents feel uncomfortable…” Hunt said.
“We’ve had 231 calls for service at Library Park and 32 at the Community Center in the last year.” Chief Hunt was quick to point out that not all these calls were directly related to homeless people.

“There is a problem with illegal drug use in the park, we’ve found needles and other drug paraphernalia there. There is meth use and marijuana.” There have been misdemeanor arrests for property theft, and minor drug violations.
Chief Hunt said that the period January 2013 – April 2014 there were 127 arrests.
The Chief is in charge of a committee that is presenting possible solutions to council in September. One of the key elements Chief Hunt stresses as do many other police chiefs including Phillip Sanchez of Pasadena PD and that is, “Encourage people to help the homeless by giving to a charity…not giving money or food directly to the homeless,” Hunt went on to say, “By giving to the homeless you are contributing to the problem…”

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Photographs by Terry Miller

Chief Hunt says the vast majority of his officers are very compassionate towards the homeless and always suggest the Foothill Unity Center a few blocks away which can really help. In fact, that is the number one resource for the homeless in Monrovia.
What Chief Hunt has proposed to council is essentially a 5-point plan.
1. Outreach and education programs-possibly a “Restorative Court” where offenders can go live in rehab or do jail time to sober up. Santa Barbara offers such a court.
2. Directive Giving – via Foothill Unity Center
3. Re-locating existing community programs to the Park
4. Neighborhood Library Park-Watch
5. Video camera surveillance option

Chief Hunt said that 3 years ago a transient homeless person assaulted security guard at Vons Pavilion and a restraining order was issued. However, according to Chief Hunt there have been no major crimes recently. “The majority are drug-related citations and property crimes,” Hunt said. “Foothill Unity is the first place we direct those who need help. There are also some churches willing to help and the Monrovia Health Center (near the old courthouse) as well as using the facilities in the Library and Community Center.
“What we’d really like to see the city provide is simple,” said guitar player Joe Beck, who has been living in the park about one year. “We need a place to lock up our belongings like an open locker and shower facilities.” Apparently a nearby church used to help but this is no longer the case.
Again, the key issue seems to be educating the community, Chief Hunt stressed. “Compared to Pasadena’s 772 homeless people, our numbers are very low.”

Municipal codes prevent the homeless from sleeping in the park. “They kick us out at 10 p.m. regardless,” said Jennifer Williams.
Hunger and homelessness are increasing epidemics plaguing the United States – striking Americans of every age, ethnicity, and religion, hitting urban and rural communities alike.
According to statistical analysis, the national poverty rate rose to include 13.2% of the population. 1 in 7 people were at risk of suffering from hunger in the United States. In addition, 3.5 million people were forced to sleep in parks, under bridges, in shelter or cars.
The combination of the high cost of living, low-wage jobs, and high unemployment rates only exacerbate these problems and force countless Americans to choose between food, housing, and other expenses. Studies show that money devoted to food is typically the first to be sacrificed. Families will often pay their fixed payments first, such as rent and utilities, rather than pay for food.
In the U.S., more than 3.5 million people experience homelessness each year.
35% of the homeless population are families with children, which is the fastest growing segment of the homeless population.
23% are U.S. military veterans.
25% are children under the age of 18 years.
30% have experienced domestic violence.
20-25% may suffer from some form of mental illness.
In urban communities, people experience homelessness for an average of eight months, this according to a report published by Homeless Services last year. However, the reality is often much longer.
People become homeless for a variety of reasons. Homelessness is primarily an economic problem, and is affected by a number of social and political factors. The number of people experiencing homelessness exploded in the 1980s, as federal funds were withdrawn from low-income housing and social assistance programs for low-income families and the mentally ill.
In Santa Barbara during the late 1980’s Martin Sheen sided with the homeless when officials tried to oust them to “clean up the city.” During those demonstrations many conservative, well-to-do Santa Barbara natives were seen with sardonic signs which said “Homeless…Go Home.”
The absurdity of this attitude wasn’t lost on Martin Sheen. He continued for months to lobby Santa Barbara and other communities to be more compassionate towards those facing homelessness. Now, Santa Barbara offers many more resources and devotes many fully time officials to help deal with homelessness.
Current federal spending on housing assistance programs targeted at low-income populations is less than 50% of 1976 spending levels.
There is an unyielding lack of affordable housing in the United States. The growing gap between wage earnings and the cost of housing in the United States leaves millions of families and individuals unable to make ends meet. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, families across the country would need to earn a “housing wage” of $15.37 an hour.
Joe Beck, who has lived in the park for a year, says help is limited. And after serving in the military, Beck says “The VA sucks!” Beck, Williams and the others in this close-knit group say they rely on friends often for food and some shelter. They also help each other, keeping an eye on each other’s belongings.
Theft and confiscation of belongings appears to be pandemic. “We have to take our belongings everywhere,” said Jennifer Williams.
Chief Hunt emphasized that many of Monrovia’s homeless are “unwilling to get help or are lazy and have substance abuse problems.” Those numbers of people resistant to outside help seem consistent with the national average. But again, Chief Hunt stresses education in the community is the number one issue we face and he wanted to emphasize the importance of giving to charity to help continue funding such resources as the Foothill Unity Center. There are several programs that will help here and in Pasadena. Union Station is one such resource in the city of Pasadena.
The community center in Monrovia offers some relief for the small group of homeless in the park but apparently they aren’t as helpful as they were in the past according to Dually White who has lived in Monrovia most of his life and the past several years homeless.
Chief Hunt said the majority of the complaints from the public about the homeless in Library Park are out of fear for their children. “Crude comments have also been directed to young ladies walking in the park,” according to the Chief. The city will address Chief Hunt’s recommendations to get the homeless the help they need at the first council meeting in September.

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