On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Hall meeting to protest the city’s intention to build a proposed homeless shelter project within the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
As a result of the outcry, the City of Arcadia decided on Tuesday night (May 18) to hold off on the proposed Tiny Home Shelter project while a 60-day study was proposed. Local residents called for close attention to the matter until the city completely abandoned the project.
On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Council meeting to protest the city’s proposal to build a homeless housing project in the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
On Tuesday afternoon, about 200 people of all ethnicities gathered in front of Arcadia City Hall, holding signs that read “No Traveller Centers, Endanger Residents’ Safety!” “We need a safe place to live, no more homeless shelters” and other signs to protest against the city’s construction of homeless shelters in the city.
On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Hall meeting to protest the city’s proposal to build a homeless shelter project in the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
About 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Council meeting on the evening of May 18 to protest the city’s intention to build a proposed homeless housing project within the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
On the eve of the meeting that evening, people again chanted slogans in the city council chambers, hoping that city council members would hear the people’s call and immediately end the construction of the homeless shelter project.
On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Council meeting to protest the city’s proposal to build a homeless housing project in the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
Residents of Arcadia have said that the solution to the homeless problem must be to get to the root of the problem. Instead of solving the problem, a project to build homeless shelters in residential areas alone will bring a series of irreversible and pernicious effects to the city, inviting more homeless people, and with them will come violence, robbery, drugs, sexual assault, mental illness and other problems.
On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Hall meeting to protest the city’s intention to build a proposed homeless housing project within the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
In practical terms, residents believe that the City of Arcadia is simply not equipped to address the subsequent malignant impacts and has no response. “We don’t want beautiful Arcadia to become like downtown Los Angeles with its filthy mess, homeless tents on the side of the road and skyrocketing crime rates. No one wants homeless people living right in front of their homes.”
On the evening of May 18, about 200 people marched in front of the Arcadia City Hall meeting to protest the city’s proposed homeless housing project within the city. (Courtesy of City of Arcadia residents)
The City of Arcadia is promoting the proposed homeless shelter project. Initially, it is expected to build at least 15 miniature shelters that may be 8 feet in length and width, with beds, restrooms, showers, water, electricity and other shared living facilities for homeless people to stay. The proposed site is near a par-3 golf course, the city’s southern business district, the city of North El Monte and its business district, and nearby senior centers and residential areas.
The city of Arcadia has previously said that building a homeless shelter would better house and manage the city’s homeless population, saying it is the most ideal solution to the local homeless problem at this time.
But the city’s idea has not been well received by the public. Resident Liu believes that the 15 tiny houses the city wants to build are simply not enough to solve the problem of 106 Travellers, “If that’s the case, why is the city questioning the placement of Travellers in such a dense residential area of ours?”
Another resident, Michelle, mentioned that data shows that the number of Travellers in Arcadia has soared from post-2018 to 106 today, a point in time that just happens to coincide with the city’s 5-year plan to help Travellers. Therefore, she believes that if free housing is provided to the Travellers again today, it will only make the Traveller problem in Arcadia unbearable.
She said that the city has to get to the root of the homeless problem in order to solve it. The only way to really help the homeless is to address their problems of employment, alcoholism, drug addiction and crime.
This past weekend, people had already protested with signs in front of the homes of each of the five city council members, calling for the withdrawal of the plan. Earlier in an online meeting organized by the city council, more than 500 people left messages and called to oppose the construction of a homeless shelter in the city.
During Tuesday night’s city council meeting, in addition to the outside protesters, about 60 people called the meeting and 180 people sent emails expressing their discontent with the project.
Arcadia’s Chinese-American Mayor Dai Shouzhen said that the “Tiny House Housing Area” project is only in its early stages and has not yet been approved by the City Council. Because of the overwhelming opposition and the lack of supporting data from the City Council, he proposed to stop the project for now. At the same time, he proposed a 60-day program, saying that the city council needs more time to study the local homeless problem.
In response to this news, many people are concerned that it is a reprieve for the City Council, because according to the procedure, the City Council will still continue to discuss the project later.
Michelle therefore urged everyone: “The city council is not giving up on this project, it’s just holding off on it for now, it’s not over. So everyone should continue to focus on this project until the city gives up completely.”
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