SOUNDING OFF: Repeal ‘unconstitutional’ ordinance

A year ago you published my opinion piece celebrating our city’s first steps in addressing the issues associated with our homeless residents. The City Council had just adopted the recommendations of its Homeless Task Force.

I wrote then, “While many communities are mired in negative, divisive and costly efforts to deny, bury or ship out the homeless, Laguna Beach and its City Council came together “¦ [and made] us proud to be among its citizens. Now we must get on with the even bigger business of turning recommendations into reality”¦”

For real progress, “Housing must come first, combined with supportive services. Someone who uses every ounce of energy trying to stay warm and dry outdoors at night, finding something to eat, staving off the demons of mental illness”¦, responding to misdemeanor summonses and struggling to replace a confiscated ID (without which almost nothing is possible), has no shred of energy, time or emotional resources left “¦ to change anything.”

I closed with the optimism that so many of us felt then, referring to our goals and the steady, determined progress Laguna Beach would make, adding the widely shared sentiment that, “Together we can do this.”

A year later, a lawsuit has been brought against the city administration for a pattern of constitutional violations apparently aimed at driving our homeless residents out of town. How terribly disappointing. This lawsuit did not come without multiple warnings. In fact, a prominent attorney and resident of Laguna Beach, who is not a party to any legal action, advised the city months ago that its actions invited such litigation.

No one benefits by a protracted lawsuit. To avoid that sad outcome, city officials must repeal an unconstitutional ordinance that makes it illegal for the homeless to sleep at night, and get back on track in a good faith effort to implement the spirit and letter of the recommendations the council adopted. Our city deserves nothing less, and I hope our citizens will send that message, loud and clear, to our elected and appointed officials. Together we can do this.

CAROL RHOADS lives in Laguna Beach.