Readers React to Santa Monica Councilmember Jesse Zwick's Declaration of Triumph over Homelessness - and it's Not Positive

Hi Jesse,

I noticed you put out a newsletter where you said:

"As 2024 kicks into gear I'm happy to report a number of exciting accomplishments and events on the horizon in Santa Monica. From bringing people experiencing homelessness indoors to making our streets safer for all, we're making progress on the issues residents care most about, while our overall economic recovery is proceeding faster than anticipated."

John Alle

Nobody is noticing any relief for the homeless or the residents

That statement is a complete lie Jesse. You're not making Santa Monica safer for all. Santa Monica has devolved into an apocalyptic drug encampment under your leadership.

Two of my friends were hospitalized in 2023. They were knocked unconscious and stomped on in separate incidents.

Watching crime skyrocket and calling it "safer for all" isn't working Jesse.

Watching businesses close and calling it "economic recovery" isn't working Jesse.

Handing out drugs and calling it "harm reduction" isn't working Jesse.

Hiring "ambassadors" to watch the drug addicts get high isn't working Jesse.

Having Santa Monica's Police Department terminally understaffed isn't working Jesse.

Placing drug addicts in affordable housing units in the heart of Santa Monica and letting them overdose in their units isn't working Jesse. A drug addict recently overdosed in my friend's building. He was living in an affordable housing unit, and now he's dead. There was a brutal rape and murder which occurred in that same building. The rape and murder occurred in an affordable housing unit and involved hard drugs.

An emergency implies urgency Jesse. You declared a state of emergency on homelessness twelve months ago.

What have you accomplished?

Nothing.

John Alle

Ignoring people in distress has become an inevitable way of life in Santa Monica

Stop the open distribution and open use of drugs in Santa Monica immediately. End the ambassador program and the private security program and replace those ambassadors and private security with armed Santa Monica Police. Hire more cops and tell those cops to start enforcing the law. No more open drug use and open drug dealing. No more assaulting people and harassing business owners until they close their stores.

As for the transient drug addicts: They need rehab. Not free drugs. Not free needles. Not free housing. They need free rehab. And they need it urgently.

John Alle

Homeless start multiple fires in dumpsters, off the cliffs, and elsewhere

Dear Jesse,

After reading the email you sent to your supporters, I wonder if you and I live in the same city, merely four blocks apart? I have not seen the improvements that you are crowing about and agree with Adnan Safadi concerning the lack of improvement we have both observed.

Just last night on 24th in our alley, the young woman who lives behind the bushes between Tower Imaging and the Kanpai restaurant decided it was a good idea to hide all her belongings in our alley. She probably intended to sleep there, one door down from my house, but saw my husband spying on her and therefore came back to get her stuff. I have reported about her and several others that live on the streets in my area and unfortunately, very little can be done to force them into better situations if they don't want it. Fortunately, at this time, none of them seem to be drug crazy addicts like those closer to the beach. But, that is my reality

If you want to make the city better for the tax paying residents, do something quickly that would circumvent Prop 47. It will take creativity and imagination because I know we do not have a lot of available land away from residential areas, but seemingly the city has money for everything but more police. So let's do it. Send out the drones, and buy the mother-in-law units. Set up the porta-potties and make it happen!

Call me anytime to compare.

Madeleine Hertz

John Alle

The parking garages are hazardous and not safe