City Should Help, Not Hide, Homeless

Well, it looks like another win for the cosmetically correct. With the enactment of the “anti-camping” ordinance, Santa Ana City Hall has finally “cleaned up” and rid itself of those pesky homeless (“No Place to Call Their Own,” Oct. 5). So now the 275 people who were living there have been left to search for a new crevice in which to huddle for the night--which is exactly what the city wanted: out of sight and out of mind. It is estimated that there are up to 1.5 million Americans living on the streets today. And instead of making an effort to change the way American cities are responding to this problem, Santa Ana chose to follow the leaders. Bless organizations like Operation Fresh Start that, through private donations, helped many of the homeless the city evicted.

Unfortunately, private organizations can only do so much, and many homeless remain out in the cold. But when people visit the “new” Civic Center, they are met with fresh flowers and rolling green grass that help create an overall eye-pleasing facade. And that’s just what it is: a facade.

NOEL ALZUA, Huntington Beach