Recreation and Parks Commission
November 8, 2024
Mayor and City Council Members
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica,CA 90401
Re: Public Safety at Reed Park
Dear Mayor, Council Members and City Manager,
The Recreation and Parks Commission recently received a wide-ranging public safety update on Reed Park following a homicide in an alley nearby. The Commission asked for the briefing because members feel the city and police department have made recent progress in addressing some of the public safety challenges that have plagued the park at various times for decades.
That progress includes:
--Funding for the planned re-imagining of the Miles Playhouse and areas around it…
--The installation of a new hi-tech video surveillance system… --A noticeable and increased police presence during peak daylight hours to discourage and prevent open drug use and smoking at the park… --Successful efforts by Code Enforcement to force the owner of an eyesore property across from Reed to fence off and secure the property so it is no longer a hangout for homeless populations…
--A recent SCOTUS ruling and Council action to dissuade flagrant camping in parks…
--A series of fun, family-oriented summer music and movie events at Reed cosponsored by the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition with financial support from the city and SMPD…
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Ever since the last event in mid-September, the Santa Monica Police Department has worked to prioritize putting a Public Safety Officer at the park during daylight hours whenever possible. Flagrant drug use at the park has lessened substantially since. Encouraged by the positive changes and recent developments, the Commission discussed and voted, 7-0, to make the following recommendations:
--Consider new, strategic signage that specifically targets illegal activities such as “No Drug Use Allowed”, “No Smoking Permitted” and “This Park is under Video Surveillance”…
--Continued Public Service Officer “rollcalls” as much as possible… --Continued PSO presence during daylight hours as much as possible… --A return to two-person Ambassador teams whenever possible… --Consider a return of city-sponsored events such as “Meet Me At Reed” or perhaps a new series of Saturday concerts in June or July similar to “Americana in the Park” at Gandara…
--The creation of “tree aprons” around certain trees in the center of the park to protect them from root compression and to discourage day-camping by groups of individuals who frequent the park…
--A possible police substation/work station at the park if space/resources are available…
We recognize and appreciate all the work the Council, city staff and SMPD are doing to help make Reed Park more inviting and appealing to everyone. We believe the above recommendations will go a long way towards that goal.
Sincerely,
Chair Steven Johnson
Recreation and Parks Commission
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
sm
§antamonic:aJDairr :}Oress
Home > Featured
Encan1pinent c s
sp· easS PD
responds to hoineless
• •
cns1s
by Matthew Hall - March 6, 2023
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
1 David Yakobson
From: John Cyrus Smith <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 10:38 AM
To: Lana Negrete; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Barry Snell; Natalya Zernitskaya; Dan Hall; Ellis Raskin; councilmtgitems; Elaine Polachek
Subject: 3-11-25 ITEM 4.I. CAMPING ORDINANCE
Attachments: 2 RP REED PROGRESS LTR TO CC 110824.pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor, Council, City Manager,
Please see the attached letter from the Rec and Parks Commission concerning Reed Park and the proposed changes to the anti-camping ordinance..
Thank you,
John Cyrus Smith
[email protected]
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Recreation and Parks Commission
November 8, 2024
Mayor and City Council Members
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica,CA 90401
Re: Public Safety at Reed Park
Dear Mayor, Council Members and City Manager,
The Recreation and Parks Commission recently received a wide-ranging public safety update on Reed Park following a homicide in an alley nearby. The Commission asked for the briefing because members feel the city and police department have made recent progress in addressing some of the public safety challenges that have plagued the park at various times for decades.
That progress includes:
--Funding for the planned re-imagining of the Miles Playhouse and areas around it…
--The installation of a new hi-tech video surveillance system… --A noticeable and increased police presence during peak daylight hours to discourage and prevent open drug use and smoking at the park… --Successful efforts by Code Enforcement to force the owner of an eyesore property across from Reed to fence off and secure the property so it is no longer a hangout for homeless populations…
--A recent SCOTUS ruling and Council action to dissuade flagrant camping in parks…
--A series of fun, family-oriented summer music and movie events at Reed cosponsored by the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Coalition with financial support from the city and SMPD…
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Ever since the last event in mid-September, the Santa Monica Police Department has worked to prioritize putting a Public Safety Officer at the park during daylight hours whenever possible. Flagrant drug use at the park has lessened substantially since. Encouraged by the positive changes and recent developments, the Commission discussed and voted, 7-0, to make the following recommendations:
--Consider new, strategic signage that specifically targets illegal activities such as “No Drug Use Allowed”, “No Smoking Permitted” and “This Park is under Video Surveillance”…
--Continued Public Service Officer “rollcalls” as much as possible… --Continued PSO presence during daylight hours as much as possible… --A return to two-person Ambassador teams whenever possible… --Consider a return of city-sponsored events such as “Meet Me At Reed” or perhaps a new series of Saturday concerts in June or July similar to “Americana in the Park” at Gandara…
--The creation of “tree aprons” around certain trees in the center of the park to protect them from root compression and to discourage day-camping by groups of individuals who frequent the park…
--A possible police substation/work station at the park if space/resources are available…
We recognize and appreciate all the work the Council, city staff and SMPD are doing to help make Reed Park more inviting and appealing to everyone. We believe the above recommendations will go a long way towards that goal.
Sincerely,
Chair Steven Johnson
Recreation and Parks Commission
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
1 David Yakobson
From: Jacob Wasserman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2025 8:44 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Council Mailbox
Cc: Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Dan Hall; Natalya Zernitskaya; Lana Negrete; Ellis Raskin; Barry Snell
Subject: In Support: Item 4.I
EXTERNAL
Dear Santa Monica City Council,
As a voter, resident, and parent, I support the proposed ordinance in Item 4.I. The existing municipal code is cruel, and it saddens me deeply to see our welcoming City have on the books a both literal and figurative blanket ban. It is time to repeal it.
The existing code criminalizes people with no other place to go, for merely seeking shelter when they otherwise lack anywhere else safe to sleep. It does nothing to solve homelessness, merely forcibly pushing people from place to place. It wastes our tax dollars while accomplishing very little. Legal scholars have argued that such ordinances violate basic human rights. The crisis requires far more beds and shelter space than we have available.
I hate to see the City side with the conservative wing of the Supreme Court here.
Having had unhoused people take shelter in my car ports before, and living myself just next door to a residence housing the formly unhoused, I know that compassion is needed and that our unhoused neighbors simply want a home first and foremost.
Thank you for this move in the right direction.
Jacob Wasserman
11th and Washington
90403
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025
Item 4-I
March 11, 2025