Homeless initiatives proposed by task force

Some 50 individuals call Laguna Beach home but have no homes, the Laguna Beach City Council will be told tonight, Jan. 22. The council will be asked to tackle the issue of chronic homelessness by enacting a number of proposals from the council-appointed Homeless Task Force.

The task force met for about a year, and has come up with a slew of initiatives, including emergency services and a designated homeless feeding area, to try to move chronically homeless people into housing and to reduce their presence in Laguna.

A key goal for the task force was how to improve the behavior of chronic street-dwellers who aggressively panhandle, use the sidewalks as toilets, and sleep on public and private property.

Among the proposals:

Continue to assign a police officer to the homeless beat;

Increase the hours that public toilets are open;

Support a multi-service center with emergency shelter, lockers, and access to services such as detox, mental health and housing;

Public education to discourage citizens from giving directly to panhandlers;

Relocate the Sunday morning breakfast at Main Beach park to an area away from the children’s play area and volleyball courts;

Consider an ordinance to outlaw aggressive panhandling;

Utilize the Homeless Court system;

Initiate efforts with neighboring cities to expand emergency shelter beds and permanent housing programs.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Jan. 22 in the council chambers at Laguna Beach City Hall, 505 Forest Ave. For more information, visit www.lagunabeachcity.net