Sacramento Mayor ignorant comments on Homeless-tent city on Larry King Live

[pauljpoposky]

did anyone else see Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson on Larry King Live earlier this week? he made some pretty ignorant comments about a homeless-tent city in his home city. I plan on writing to Sacramento papers and a letter directly to the office of mayor, as well as blogging extensively on this issue in days to come. read Johnson's comments and tell me what you think. Here is a transcript from the show:

================================================== =

Next, we're leaving the laughs behind and we're taking a serious turn. We'll go to Sacramento's tent city. Yes, it's that bad for a lot of Americans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELSHI: And we're back on LARRY KING LIVE.

There is a tent city that has sprouted up in Sacramento, California.

We're talking now to Kevin Johnson.

He's the mayor of Sacramento.

He's joining us from that tent city.

Mayor Johnson, thank you for joining us.

Tell us about where you are. I see, obviously, tents around you. Give us a sense of what's going on around you.

MAYOR KEVIN JOHNSON, SACRAMENTO:

Well, we're in Sacramento, California. And we're along the American River. And right outside the American River, you can see these tents -- these camp sites behind me. And it just really goes to show that our homeless population is growing in our community and we have to get a much better handle on it.

VELSHI: How big is this?

How many people are there?

JOHNSON: We have over 200 people that are, unfortunately, camping out along the river. And I think what's happening in our city is we have to make sure that we have tough love. We have to find a balance being compassionate on one hand, and then also a zero tolerance. These are safety hazards, not just for the homeless population, but for the people who want to enjoy the river.

VELSHI: Who are these people?

Are they individuals?

Are they families?

JOHNSON: I think they come from all walks of life. There used to be a day where we thought a certain profile of the homeless population was one way. It's expanding. It's much broader than it used to be. Your seeing people who have lost their jobs, who have also lost their homes.

And when their homes have been foreclosed on, they can't find the shelter and the housing first that they would ideally like to have. So they're out here camping.

And then you're also seeing people that are renters and their landlords have lost their homes. And as a result, they're out here homeless, as well.

VELSHI: Interesting, that story about the people who have been renting who are affected by foreclosures is not one that gets told a great deal.

Mayor, why are these people camping?

Why are they not in shelters if they're -- if they're homeless?

JOHNSON: I think, you know, we typically would love to see these folks in home -- in shelters. But what's happening right now is that the increase in shelters have increased fourfold. So, A, there's not space. Number two, a lot of these people have pets and do not want to abide by the rules that go on in shelters. And then lastly, unfortunately, a lot of people don't feel comfortable in shelters. And I think that's why the tough love concept is important, that we've got to be compassionate on one hand, but we cannot have these folks living along the river.

It's a safety hazard, again, not just for them. Let me give you an example. If a fire breaks out along the river and you call the fire department, they challenges getting in. So there's an access problem. And then number two, they don't -- there's no address, so they don't know exactly where to go. And we just can't not afford not to have this in our city.

VELSHI: What is there in terms of water and sanitation in this area where they're camping?

JOHNSON: No water, no sanitation. We're not a true tent city yet. I do believe that we, as a city, need to be looking at a tent city as an option. It should be one of many options to fight the homeless challenges that we're having in our community. But this is not something that's sanctioned. We need a designated area that where we can provide water and decent, you know, sanitation and certainly waste opportunities so that we don't have debris and things like that building up along the river, which is unfortunate for everyone.

VELSHI: So you're saying that it's possible that there could be a permanent solution to this -- or at least a longer term solution -- in an area that you identify, that you can provide services and maybe security?

JOHNSON: Absolutely. I'd like -- you know, it's not -- you know, a tent city is not going to be a panacea. It's not going to solve our homeless population challenges that we're having. But it could be one of many strategic approaches that we can do, that we can take on here as a city.

I would love to see our city explore a designated area in our city where these folks here along the river would have a designated area. We have a tent city. We have three rules -- no drinking, no alcohol and no violence.

If you violate those three rules, then you're going to get, you know, unfortunately, evicted from the tent city. You also have this particular tent city really governed by the people that live there. And that certainly could be done.

And then, lastly, our concern has to be a reasonable approach, because if we have an effective tent city, you're going to have -- it's going to be a magnet. You're going to have people from all over who want to come. We've got to have a cap on it and we've got to spread the challenge throughout our region and our other local jurisdictions, not just the City of Sacramento.

VELSHI: Mayor, very quickly, do you think there's any that the -- the Obama administration is doing that is going to alleviate this problem at all or slow the growth of this tent city behind you?

JOHNSON: You know, absolutely. They're dealing with unemployment. They're dealing with foreclosures.

Let's be specific here in terms of homeless population. In the economic stimulus package, there's $2 billion that are going to go neighborhood stabilization programs that help us deal with people who've lost their homes.

In our community here in Sacramento, we're going to get an increase of $2.3 million to be able to help offset some of the homeless challenges.

So I'm very thankful for the economic stimulus package. It's the first step. It's not going to solve it all. We have to solve it locally here in our jurisdiction.

VELSHI: Mayor Kevin Johnson from Sacramento, thanks very much for joining us tonight. An interesting story. We'll continue to keep track of it.

JOHNSON: Thanks, Ali.

VELSHI: All right. Coming up, your questions and calls about money. Go to CNN.com/larryking and click on blog to tell us what you think. We'll share some of your comments later in the show.

And take our quick vote -- do you dine out less often because of the economy?

[Charles Xavier]

What so ignorant about it?

[pauljpoposky]

mayor johnson, a former athletic star and businessman, has obviously never been homeless or felt the threat of homelessness looming over him. mayor johnson says what is needed to "deal with" the homeless is "tough love" and "zero tolerance" but he does not go into any detail at all whatsoever about the institutional causes of homelessness, vaguely points to the economic recession as a cause and says that the homeless are a danger to people "who want to enjoy the river". by this i suppose we can presume he would mean "good" people, the sort of people who have not suddenly lost their jobs and their homes... mayor johnsons comments are insensitive and tactless and he offers no real alternative to not only house these people and get them out of their situation, but he states upfront that he is ok with the idea of people on the streets, says he thinks there should be a tent city, and does not speak to the need for fundamental institutional changes that would put a stop to the causes of homelessness in the first place so that future generations do not have to suffer this same fate. his calm resignation and acceptance of homelessness as some sort of necessary evil or just another unpleasant fact of life is really just a clear example of the true face of capitalism and american upper-class liberalism. this is what democrats like johnson have to offer those most in need in america. absolutely nothing... oh, except for "tough love" and "zero tolerance"!

[skki]

More classist remarks from another well paid politician.

It's so typical of these people to see homelessness as a scourge on society, image etc, rather than a scourge on the homeless.

[Mather]

Kevin Johnson sounds like a first rate tosser, but what is anyone to expect, he is a bourgeois politician after all.

A good idea would be for activists, homeless people and those who work with and struggle for the homeless to organise actions against Kevin Johnson, such as an occupation of his office, picketing or even occupying his house, if the bastard has more than one house, occupy them and let the homeless get a few decent nights sleep in a warm sheltered place.

Make the **** realise that when he opens his mouth to spew out his assorted bigotries and hatreds, that he cannot do so without suffering the consequences.

Instead of a 'zero tolerance' on the homeless, organise for zero tolerance of worthless ****s like Johnson.

[pauljpoposky]

actually, what I was thinking was something more along the lines of a national media surgical strike by activists and outraged citizens who write letters to the editors of both their own local media outlets (papers, online, local newsfeed/stations, ect) as well as popular media in Sacramento and to also write their anger and outrage to the office of mayor johnson and finally, this is most important, each should encourage everyone they know who might be willing to participate, friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, ect, to do the same. im actually working on a form letter that hopefully will be complete sometime this week. I think this is something we must drag out into the media, even the mainstream bourgeoisie media, especially them... to draw attention to the ignorance and to the issue, the plight of the people. Let this guy go the way of so many tactless and hypocritical politicos as of late, out the door with a good boot to the ass

[Lynx]

Rare is the politician who sees anything beyond the next election cycle. Consequently his recommendations are strictly band-aid solutions to the status quo.

[pauljpoposky]

and now the local gov is evicting the residents of the tent city. marxists and activists in the area need to come to these people's aid and need to be fighting the mayor and the city, demanding housing and a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions as well as utility shut-offs, utility rate hikes and rent hikes.

I will have a letter to the mayor's office completed tonight and a form letter available on this site as well as on my facebook by the weekend. I plan on writing letters to the editors of all of sacramento's major papers and also blogging the subject online. these people dont need tough love or zero tolerance, they need homes and jobs... they need a hand.

from the perspective of a worker who has experienced homelessness before, I can tell you firsthand that the last thing these people need is to have the slightest little bit of security and certainty they've got taken away by the city. how about the city of Sacramento take some tax revenue, stimulus dollars, and perhaps the monies intended to pay the salaries of sacramento's elected officials and use those funds to convert some abandoned or tax foreclosed homes and properties the city holds... convert them into quality-temporary housing for the homeless and start job training and placement programs for these people for city public works and infrastructure projects. there are so very many ways to help these people, of course capitalism wont pursue a single one of them.

I implore anyone reading this in the Sacramento, or in any of the dozens of cities across the country where tent cities are forming and the homeless population is exploding, to please-please get involved and for the rest of us to forward demands to the councilpersons', mayors', governors', and congresspersons' offices and media outlets as well as in union meetings and civic organizations asking, imploring and demanding that they too get involved to condemn the words, actions and inaction of the sacramento authorities and others around the country and to demand that these people get housing and jobs instead of being treated like vermin. human needs need to be met and require human response and action on the part of the working class and our organizations and leaders. please get involved. thank you.

[pauljpoposky]

last night I sent this letter to mayor Johnson's office:

==============================================

To the office of Mayor Kevin Johnson;
Sacramento, CA

My family and I were recently shocked to learn of the horrific conditions suffered by hundreds of homeless persons, many families and victims of the economic recession who have lost their homes, jobs or both and have established an encampment along the American River that has become known across the U.S. and even internationally as the Sacramento Tent City. We first became aware of the existence of the tent city after watching an episode of Larry King Live on CNN in early March, in which the Mayor answered questions concerning the tent city and its residents. We found the Mayor's comments concerning the tent city shocking, appalling even! Specifically, Mayor Johnson's insistence that what the homeless persons encamped on the American River needed was "tough love" and that the city should adopt a "zero tolerance" approach to unauthorized homeless encampments. Most disturbing was Mayor Johnson's remark that "These are safety hazards, not just for the homeless population, but for the people who want to enjoy the river.". Are we to assume Mayor Johnson meant by this remark, persons who have not yet lost their jobs and homes? "good people", perhaps?
No matter what was meant by the Mayor's words, his choice of words was regarded by my family and many of my friends, neighbors and colleagues as tactless, insensitive and even cold-hearted. While I personally understand that the tent city was not officially sanctioned and that the inhabitants lacked all basic utilities and services and were in a potentially very dangerous situation, that does NOT justify the tone of the Mayor's comments. I have personally spent two very brief periods of my life without a home and had to sleep in an car or outdoors, and I can tell you that most homeless persons most certainly do not "choose" to be in the situation they find themselves in. Very few live this way because they "do not want to abide by the rules that go on in shelters". I am curious to know if the Mayor has ever been homeless or lived under the threat of impending homelessness. I wonder if Mayor Johnson has ever spent a night on the street or in a shelter. Perhaps if he had done so his views on the subject would be a little bit different and his words chosen more carefully.
All that is bad enough, but now I've learned of the impending eviction of tent city residents from their temporary shelters because a utility company, which owns the land on which the tent city sits, wishes to develop the site. Mainstream media from Sacramento reported that the people will be moved to shelters. While some might consider this an improvement over living outdoors in a tent, I would point out that Sacramento's shelters, like many in major cities across the nation, have been over-crowded for many years, even before the current recession. I've heard some talk lately of legalizing tent cities, and Mayor Johnson even said on CNN that he thinks that tent cities with "rules" could be one of many "strategic approaches" to solve the problem of homelessness. tent cities are no solution to the problem and shelters, while necessary to care for those already on the streets, do NOTHING to address the causes of homelessness in the first place.
For the sake of not coming across as one who criticizes without offering any possible solutions, I will suggest that the city of Sacramento use any tax foreclosed homes, apartment buildings, office complexes or any other public building in decent condition to provide QUALITY temporary housing free of charge to the growing homeless population and that any housing program be linked directly to job training and placement programs and free health, counseling & rehab services for anyone in need. These conversions and programs can be funded in part by economic stimulus funds already on the way. Also, Mayor Johnson should go to Washington D.C., along with the other mayors of major cities in California and across the region, to put pressure on congress and President Obama to make funds available to help ordinary people first, instead of current plans to spend TRILLIONS in OUR tax funds to bailout the financial markets and the failing billionaires who have clearly become the robber-barons of our age. President Obama and the Democratic Party have the majority necessary and the political capital and goodwill of the American People necessary to do this. I believe that bailing out the average-Joe, working families and those who lost their jobs, homes and likelihood by little or no fault of their own at the hands of a predatory market and the false promises of unscrupulous lenders, who placed profits before people, would go a very long way to easing much of the frustration and impatience felt by many and directed by some toward the Democratic Party and the President. If the Democratic Party wants to avoid a political backlash it needs to start keeping its myriad of promises to the American people, and that means the average working-class family.
As for addressing the causes of homelessness; first you need to act quickly to prevent many, many more from joining the ranks of the homeless. In order to do that I would suggest a minimum year-long moratorium on foreclosures, evictions, rent hikes, utility rate hikes and shut-offs. This is no time, if there ever was any, to be throwing people out onto the streets with nowhere to turn. The people of Sacramento who are losing jobs and homes do not need "tough love" and they do not need "zero tolerance", they need help... they need a hand. Second, people need jobs. Judging by my own experience in life coming from a blue-collar family, as well as the multitudes of interviews in the mainstream media lately with the newly-homeless and tent city residents, these are not lazy people occupying the tent cities. It seems to me, after reading one story after another, that many of these are honest, hard-working people who used to live middle-class lives and who would much rather work and get back to rebuilding their communities and their lives and who do not wish to continue living on the streets or going on unemployed forever. If jobs were available, most importantly -- stable and decent-paying jobs, I think most anyone would rather work.
If the Democratic Party and its politicians in office want to convince the American people that they are in any way the compassionate populists they claim to be, they need to move away from big business and corporate America and stand up for the hard-working people who keep this country running. President Obama and his party came to power because the American people believed that Democrats would take this nation in a different direction than the one we've been pushed towards for the past three decades. I think history proves that the hard working people in this country will only take so much before they look for other political alternatives, that’s the history of so many political upsets and electoral defeats for any political party in power or candidate for elected office.
These are hard times for so many who might never have thought before that they would ever see times such as these. I implore Mayor Johnson to please consider my words here and choose to do everything possible to help those most in need and act immediately to prevent more and more people from losing their jobs and losing their homes. We don't need mutual sacrifice to get through this, the American worker has already lost too much to sacrifice anymore. We don't need "tough love", we need a lifeline. To direct Mayor Johnson's own words where they more appropriately belong, many of the American people are very rapidly developing a "zero tolerance" stance toward corporate greed, toward profits-before people, toward corporate robber-barons and toward uncompassionate out-of-touch politicians who defend those crooks and serve their interests instead of the interests of their constituents. One proper step toward redress would be to actually help these people who have been hit hardest by the crisis instead of just shuffling them around and, I assume your office hopes, out of the public eye.
I will be encouraging all of my friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, colleagues, political allies and anyone at all in my social network to contact your office as well as their congresspersons and those in CA, the Office of the President, mainstream media outlets, clubs, social and civic organizations, unions, places of worship and social networks to express their outrage over the words of Mayor Johnson and the entire approach to "deal with" the people suffering on the streets and without anyplace to go. I have nothing more to say on this matter for today. I hope to hear back from your office soon.

Sincerely,

Paul Joseph Poposky & the Poposky family
Bridgeton, MO

[pauljpoposky]

today I got back this reply from the office of Mayor Johnson:

===============================================

paul,

thank you for taking time to contact me. i appreciate your feedback.

i do not support a sweep of the tent city without compassionate,
responsible options.

i am convening a task force on homelessness and hope to have positive,
comprehensive solutions in the next two weeks.

best,
kevin

[GPDP]

today I got back this reply from the office of Mayor Johnson:

===============================================

paul,

thank you for taking time to contact me. i appreciate your feedback.

i do not support a sweep of the tent city without compassionate,
responsible options.

i am convening a task force on homelessness and hope to have positive,
comprehensive solutions in the next two weeks.

best,
kevin

Translation: Fuck off, you commie bastard. I know what I'm doing.