CITY WEIGHS ORDINANCE ON HOMELESS; SHELTER'S NEIGHBORS UPSET.

Byline: Lee Condon Staff Writer

The Glendale City Council is scheduled to consider a new ordinance today that city officials hope will allow them to prevent inappropriate behavior at public facilities near the city's winter homeless shelter.

Earlier this year, the council considered shutting down the shelter at the National Guard Armory building downtown because of complaints from citizens, downtown businesses and library and parks officials.

The problem was that a small minority of homeless people were loitering, drinking alcohol, urinating in public, and using restrooms to bathe themselves at the Glendale Central Library and the Senior Recreation Center.

Instead of closing down the shelter, the council granted a one-year reprieve but directed the city attorney to come up with an ordinance giving city departments and the local police a stronger hand in coping with the problem.

Paul Bandy, co-chairman of the Glendale Homeless Coalition and director of social services for the Salvation Army, said the ordinance attempts to deal with the problem with ``humanity and compassion.''

``There are a handful of homeless people causing the problem,'' Bandy said. ``It's an attempt to have a balanced approach.''

City Attorney Scott Howard said the ordinance is not directed specifically at homeless people, but rather sets forth standards of conduct at public facilities for all residents.

Everyone, not just the homeless, will have to comply with the proposed new law - which includes a ban on possessing open containers of alcohol on public property and keeps people off public parks and facilities from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The new law allows public facilities like the library and the senior center to develop a ``code of conduct'' which would outline acceptable standards of behavior.

If a person violates a rule of conduct, city officials can ask them to leave. If the person consistently causes the same problem they can be banned for up to 30 days from visiting the public property.

Remaining or returning to the site after being banned could be considered a misdemeanor and the person could be arrested.

``The intention of the ordinance isn't to run around and arrest everybody. That's not the primary goal,'' Howard said. ``It allows us to give people warnings. If the offenses continue to occur a person can be banned from the premises. If the problem continues they can be arrested.''

The proposed new rules include:

A ban on bathing in public restrooms for anyone over the age of 5. ``Bathing'' is defined as washing any part of the human body except for the face, hands and arms. People who need to bathe can get free passes to the local YMCA at the Glendale Services Center at 437 Fernando Court.

No possession of open containers of alcohol in city parks or on city property. Under current rules police have to see someone actually drinking on public property to take enforcement action.

Stacy Rowe, a senior administrative analyst for the Glendale Department of Community Development and Housing, said there are about 400 homeless people in Glendale each night. Of those, only about 10 to 20 cause the types of problems that have frustrated city officials.

``There is a small but visible minority of the population that may be vulnerable to enforcement of this ordinance,'' Rowe said. ``There is no reason to tolerate behaviors that are inappropriate at a public facility.''

Rowe said her department and the homeless coalition are committed to finding a new home for the winter shelter for next year. But in the meantime they are redoubling their efforts to deal with the homeless people who are causing problems at public facilities. Many of the people causing a public nuisance are also some of the hardest people to get to take advantage of homeless services the city provides to help people get off the streets, Rowe said.

``This ordinance is only half of it. We're going to concentrate our efforts on this small group of folks,'' Rowe said. ``Maybe the inconvenience of the ordinance and the outreach may be what it takes to get these people to come in and get appropriate services.''

Rowe said homeless advocates have to do something to address the problem, especially because of the opposition it has caused for the shelter.

``This has a ripple effect on our ability to generate community support for homeless services,'' Rowe said.

The council will consider the new ordinance at its meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at City Hall, which is located at 613 E. Broadway.