TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request that City Council request the City Attorney to prepare and present a draft amendment to Long Beach Municipal Code Section 16.16.010 (E) Prohibited acts, to reflect the Santa Barbara and Eugene initiatives, creating a provision for Councilmembers with the help of City staff to designate discrete and distinct areas of their Council Districts where people would be allowed to park and sleep overnight to help Long Beach Economic Refugees; and
Respectfully request that City Council request the City Manager to instruct City departments in 60 days to:
1) Identify possible parking lot locations (City, nonprofit and for profit) throughout the City that can be used for overnight parking. Explore funding opportunities that would allow such specially designated areas to be matched with staffing, security, and social services, as is done in Santa Barbara County;
2) Establish conditions on how many nights a vehicle can park overnight in one of the lots, where information will be provided on transitioning to a more permanent housing program. For each area we should assess helping these people in their time of need. Staff should establish quality controls on the behavior of the parking lot users to protect residential and commercial neighbors and others staying in the same lot. Establish an economic means test and requiring proof of former residency in Long Beach; and
3) Staff should recommend areas for overnight parking. Staff should consider parking impact, noise, issues relating to access to restooms and/or waste disposal, trash, security and access to social services for the overnight vehicle parking.
DISCUSSION
We are in a new era of poverty and homelessness in our nation, state and our great city. Everywhere I look, I see Long Beach economic refugees seeking basic assistance in support of their life. Food, shelter, health, and safety are the basic needs for our brothers and sisters. Our fellow residents often are faced with depressing and unpleasant choices. Many of our neighbors have lost their jobs, their homes, and their support network. Many people are left with no choice but to live in their vehicles as they try to get back on their feet. We are all a few paychecks away from being in the same situation.
Current city law effectively criminalizes living in one's vehicle.
10.18.040 Living in vehicles prohibited.
No person shall use or occupy any recreational vehicle, trailer coach, camper, van or other vehicle on any public street for human habitation or camping purposes.
(Ord. C-6139 § 1, 1985).
We need to create special zones where people can sleep safely in their vehicles.
The City of Long Beach would not be the first to help address this problem, Eugene Oregon, and the County of Santa Barbara have developed a compassionate community strategy to allow people to safely sleep in their cars.
Each Councilmember should be able to designate zones in his or her district to allow for people, who have fallen on hard times, to park their cars and stay safely overnight. These zones could include municipal properties, parking lots of churches or community-based organizations, industrial areas, and other areas that would have minimal impact on residential communities.
Currently there are many people who are living in their cars. They are in the shadows of our society living in fear. We have a real problem on our hands and we need to come together during this time. I want us to look back on this moment and be proud of our compassion for our fellow neighbors and say we did something to help these individuals in their time of need.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dee Andrews, Councilmember, Sixth District