HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3BFrom:beachdrm
To:City Clerk
Cc:Jo-Anne Ebensteiner; Allen Carrier; beachdrm310@gmail.com
Subject:Homeowners Protection Against Squatters Ordinance Proposal
Date:Thursday, February 9, 2023 3:36:27 PM
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William Wickwire, The Movie Colony, beachdrm310@gmail.com 3103441750
I would say that the Movie Colony is one of the most notable neighborhoods in the city. It helps bring caché and
carry forward the legacy of Palm Springs; however, it is being sorely neglected and homeless have increasingly
become a serious issue.
I have a historic home, originally Palm Springs home of the Jantzen swimwear family, which has an incredible
investment in elating the value of the neighborhood, yet we have had multiple incidents of homeless coming into
your property despite double gating, and electric gates as well.
We also have extreme security measures, including 20 outdoor surveillance cameras, but just this week a homeless,
drug addict took up residence in the yard, moving into the patio and sleeping on furniture. The police came but only
several hours after he’d left, but the man returned again TWICE today. He was discovered sleeping in a storage
cabinet accessible from outside, but actually inside the walls of the house.
It’s one thing to have encampments, but it’s quite another when homeless addicts who leave their meth gear around
move int your private property. And police did NOT arrest him, although they did find him today when they came
back on a more urgent 911 call. How are we supposed to surveil property when addicts return like rodents?
We need an ordinance that strongly protects private homes with penalties for offenses like squatters.
It’s a resort city that people come to visit to escape and vacation and getaway and now we are thrust into the center
of a drug epidemic.
Well MANY people are discussing moving out of the city, and if they do, it means less tax revenue, less tourism and
a drop in the real estate market. PSP will not have caché, and social media revelation of the issue is really just
around the corner.
This issue is a blight on the city and our reputation and brand is what we trade in for all kinds of revenue - air
travel, hotels, rentals. People visiting keep this city alive, and if a bad reputation escalates, everything falls apart. In
the meantime, I’d like you to institute a squatting ordinance to protect private homes. The city needs to get its
priorities straight…the safety and well-being of the MAJORITY of its citizens…not just some.
02/09/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B