Important story, and very sad for the folks—residents and the homeless—involved, reported in this article from California Globe.
An excerpt.
“When you ask residents of Land Park in Sacramento why they chose to buy a home here, many times sacrificing square footage, yard space and modern amenities, you will hear responses such as wanting to walk to nearby restaurants and shops, and to the incredible 100-year old park which is home to the Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town and Funderland. But most of all, you will hear that it is to raise a family in what has been the safest neighborhood in Sacramento for decades.
“However, since the passage of Proposition 47, The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act which decriminalized serial theft and drug possession, the community lovingly referred to as “the Central Park of Sacramento” is now riddled with drug dealing and use, dirty needles, human feces, burglaries, car break-ins, violent encounters and angry residents who no longer feel safe.
“Gina Fippin, an 18-year resident of Land Park, believes the Sacramento elected officials are neglecting its taxpaying citizens and more importantly their safety. She and her family have had their vehicles broken into, and while with her children in tow, she has witnessed drug use and vomiting in the parking lot at Target. She was verbally threatened by a transient in front of Dad’s Kitchen restaurant, and has seen drug dealing and public defecating at the Tower Cafe, Dimple Records and Planet Gymnastics parking lots.
“Her family and friends in the neighborhood have also experienced similar incidents. “My neighbor had her double stroller stolen off her front porch, my in-laws have had their car windows smashed so many times they now just leave their car doors unlocked as it turns out to be a cheaper, less destructive approach. Two friends had their purses stolen at the Holy Spirit school in a smash and grab while picking up their children, and friends who have had their cars broken into have seen their stolen items at pop-up sidewalk sales.”
“Fippin continues, “My husband and I love this neighborhood, but we have had to seriously consider leaving. Along with a security system for our home, we have spent thousands of dollars upgrading our video surveillance just to have a better sense of security in what was once a very safe neighborhood. We are at a loss on how to explain these unsafe, violent and disturbing incidents to our young children.”
“Fippin says the residents in this neighborhood feel completely ignored, villainized and desperate. “The City of Sacramento has failed on its core public safety functions. The vulnerable homeless are not getting the assistance they need from government programs and the drug addicts and criminals have no accountability for their actions.”
“Andrea Michon says the downward spiral they have seen in this area in the past few years is staggering. “I used to walk my children when they were babies to Starbucks, Walgreens and Target on the Broadway corridor almost daily. Now, we avoid those stores due to the high amount of crime and drug addicts either passed out in their own vomit and urine or screaming at customers as they walk by.”
“I have walked out of my front door to find drug-addicted transients passed out on the sidewalk,” Michon said. “I have been accosted in the Target parking lot more times than I can count and have walked into their bathroom with my children only to find people passed out in the stalls. I no longer feel safe to shop there with my kids.”
“Michon and her family have given an enormous amount of support to organizations such as the Mustard Seed School, St. Johns Shelter, WEAVE, and the Children’s Receiving Home. “We want to help those who want to help themselves, but we cannot absorb the problems of people who are coming from other states and committing crimes such as drug use, theft and assault. Our police department is one of the most depleted in the country, and every one of the propositions declassifying crimes only ties their hands more. Many residents have had to hire private security firms to patrol the neighborhoods because there simply isn’t enough law enforcement. Our men and women in uniform work tirelessly, but they are spread too thin. Sacramento is turning into San Francisco from lack of planning, organization and leadership. Plain and simple.”
“Michelle Freire said during a five-day visit from her family, they saw a man screaming at people at the midtown farmer’s market and another man sitting on a curb poking himself in the eyeball with a toothpick, to which police said nothing could be done since he wasn’t a threat to himself or anyone else. They also witnessed people sitting in front of houses and businesses in Land Park, injecting drugs and passing out and found used needles while visiting the duck pond in the park. While using an ATM on two different occasions, they were approached by aggressive panhandlers who became antagonistic when they refused to give them money.”
Retrieved September 17, 2019 from https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/how-the-homeless-epidemic-is-destroying-communities/?mc_cid=3abba7ccc0&mc_eid=cd27d11f5a
Parkway Blog 