Fighting Homelessness: Santa Barbara's Plan

One theory suggests that the nicer a city is to the homeless, the more they attract -- and Santa Barbara has a downright unwelcoming reputation.

1 minute read

December 1, 2003, 6:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"For 20 years now, cities in Southern California have debated how nice -- or how unfriendly -- they should be to the homeless." Cities with warm winter weather -- like Santa Barbara -- often see homeless populations swell during the winter. "...Santa Barbara also has passed some tough laws over the years to keep the homeless from becoming too visible, especially in such areas as the city's spectacular beachfront or the lucrative upscale shopping areas along State Street... 'If you were to pick one city in the country to be a model of how not to deal with its homeless, Santa Barbara would be it," said Mitch Snyder, a national homeless advocate."

Thanks to Chris Steins

FULL STORY: 'Snowbird' Homeless a Santa Barbara Quandary

Sunday, November 30, 2003 in The Los Angeles Times

Community / Economic Development United States

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