SPREAD SEX-OFFENSE PAROLEES AROUND, ASSEMBLYMAN SAYS.

Byline: SUE DOYLE Staff Writer

SYLMAR -- Concerned that their community has become a dumping ground for sex offenders, residents Thursday applauded a proposed law that would evenly distribute the state's most despised parolees across Assembly districts.

Stating that 124 registered sex offenders live in Sylmar and just six reside in Beverly Hills, Assemblyman Richard Alarcon, D-San Fernando, said it is unfair that some communities -- often in lower-income areas -- shoulder more responsibility than others.

``If it was equal up and down the state, I guess Sylmar would have to accept their fair share,'' he said. ``But this is not equal. This is not right.''

Under current law, sex offenders must return to the area where they lived before going to prison. But in many cases, parolees do not have permanent housing to return to, so parole agents often find temporary housing in motels that meet residency requirements for them.

In addition to requiring state officials to evenly distribute paroled sex offenders, Alarcon's bill would require landlords to check renters' names against the Megan's Law Web site -- a registry of the state's 100,000 sex offenders -- to prevent the clustering of sex offenders in one building.

Details of how the paroled offenders would be distributed are not included in the bill.

Alarcon announced the plan in front of a motel where parole agents housed 25 paroled sex offenders this fall until neighbors found out and, loud protests outside the business, demanded their eviction. After the parolees moved out, residents called for laws like Alarcon's proposal.

``They were literally dumped in Sylmar,'' said Chief Anthony Alba of the San Fernando Police Department. ``This is kind of a safeguard for the public against that.''

Parole agents said the motel met the legal requirements that restrict paroled sex offenders from living near schools.

Finding housing for all sex-offense parolees is expected to get tighter after the strong support in November for Proposition 83. The law prohibits sex offenders from moving within 2,000 feet of parks and schools, requires GPS tracking of high-risk offenders and increases sentences.

``This is going to be a difficult bill to vote for. ... But it draws attention to the problem,'' said Bob Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies.

State Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, who authored Proposition 83, said he supports a fair distribution of sex offenders across the state, but added that the law requiring parolees to return to their communities means some areas may get more than others.

``I think it's a careful balance that you have to deal with,'' Runner said.

However critics have said Runner's law creates buffer zones in communities where sex offenders can't live and pushes them into other areas where they can.

``I think the critics are correct that, when you say you can't live here, more will live in another part of the community,'' Runner said. ``But the reason we're doing that is because we don't want them next to a school.''

Still, Alarcon's measure could be a hard sell for areas with few sex offenders, such as Santa Clarita, where just four are registered.

``I think any parent ... is always concerned about where people who are chronic sex offenders would be living,'' said Santa Clarita Mayor Marcia McLean. ``I think it's a problem all over.''

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Tammy Flores, right, Sylmar Neighborhood Council president, listens to Assemblyman Richard Alarcon propose evenly distributing sex-offense parolees across Assembly districts.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer