PPTFH on The People Concern
The Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness (PPTFH) is aware of the lawsuit filed against The People Concern by two former employees and the similar allegations made by the former client referenced in your Aug. 9 article.
The allegations are being thoroughly investigated by the city of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, city of Santa Monica, State of California and the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Investigations like these are required whenever a complaint is lodged, and we will monitor the course of these proceedings to their conclusion. We are confident and fully expect, however, that the results will show that The People Concern does an exemplary job in assisting the homeless despite the working conditions and other challenges that a homeless, often mentally ill, population inevitably brings.
The People Concern is a large organization serving the most vulnerable in our society—individuals very few other organizations are able or willing to help. The People Concern remains among the finest comprehensive service providers to homeless individuals in California, if not the nation.
Our strong, positive opinion of The People Concern is based on our partnership with them over the past three years and, even more importantly, on the results they have helped achieve in the Palisades. As of July 31, The People Concern, in partnership with PPTFH, LAPD and other agencies, has offered services to 619 homeless individuals in the Palisades.
Of those, 152 have agreed to engage with services. Eighty-two individuals are now off of the streets, with 53 of them living in permanent housing. Another 26 are still on the streets but receiving services and moving toward housing.
Since 2016, our Enforcement Coordination Committee has made over 800 individual contacts with homeless individuals and ensured that they did not camp in high-risk fire areas by cleaning up 61 hillside encampments and putting up signs and enforcing them.
Los Angeles has an estimated 53,000 homeless individuals. We should all be grateful to The People Concern for its perseverance and dedication to helping these homeless people.
PPTFH Executive Committee:
Doug McCormick, President
Sharon Browning, Vice President
David Morena, Secretary-Treasurer
PPCC Election
The Election Committee of the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) strongly objects to any campaign behavior that involves duplicity or disparages others. PPCC’s Code of Conduct applies to all candidates and board members, and requires all debate and communications to be honest and respectful.
We require all candidates and expect their supporters and others to behave accordingly. We urge all community members to show respect to those who seek to volunteer their service to the community.
The PPCC election continues with online voting until Aug. 30 at 9 p.m. Please vote at pacpalicc.org for your area representative and the at-large representative.
David Card, Election Committee Chair
George Wolfberg, PPCC Board Chair
The Store Next Door
I had a project to do for which I would normally go to Norris Hardware. I went to Fisher Hardware in Santa Monica instead.
They were great—easy to get to, just off the freeway, and they carry the same lines that Norris did. I needed a piece of wood as well, and their guy in the lumber section gave me a piece that would do the trick and didn’t charge me for it.
And … they had just hired one of the guys that worked at Norris Hardware. It was good to see him, and he said that he was thankful he had the job.
Hopefully, the others will find work, too.
Stan Feinstein
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.