Dear Editor:

I’m concerned about the sound of this town hall meeting regarding the homeless hosted by the police and Mayor Pro Tem Rick Rodriguez. (“Police to Discuss Homelessness at March 22 Meeting,” 3/8/18)

It sounds a little like a discussion about criminalizing the homeless. Like a vigilante posse of people who are fed up with the unsightly property devaluing by poor people living outside their homes, apartment buildings, parks and riverbeds. 

While some homeless people exhibit anti-social behavior, not everyone is the stereotypical shopping cart schizophrenic, or Megan’s law sex offender. (In fact, most of those registered sex offenders, at least 98%, are housed here in the city.)

Some homeless people are just regular folks who have the misfortune of living in a society where housing is not considered a basic inalienable human right. And gentrification in the neighborhood has pushed out affordable housing.

Remember, the American Civil Liberties Union is just a phone call away from a class action lawsuit. So I hope this is a meeting about compassion for the homeless who obey the law. 

And while we’re at it, maybe we could push out some of those Megan’s law sex offenders who live comfortably sheltered here in Downey.

Garett Bell
Downey