MARTIN L. HANNIGAN, San Clemente
Respectfully, as a resident of San Clemente since 1972, I totally concur with (former) Councilmember Gene James’ plan for the removal of these vagrants from our fine town.
The option for private security not only in North Beach but at the Pier is “shockingly” cost-effective, compared to the addition of OCSD entry-level sheriffs to nanny the vagrants, considering base pay, pension, and other benefits.
The opinion that “many in the community believe the unhoused,” which are actually the “vagrant criminals,” create real crime, not nuisance crimes, is totally proven true given facts on the ground from the citizens of our fine town who attempt to have a quiet walk down the Beach Trail or take children to a park.
San Clemente has zero obligation to provide housing or other benefits to the vagrant population. Property owners, “motels,” have zero obligation to be subjected to an eminent domain taking of their business or other rights.
San Clemente has zero obligation to build low-income homes except for police and first responders, as has been discussed for 10 years. Sheriffs should live here in town, not Temecula. Firefighters should live in town, not Corona.
The idea of paying for “immediate unlimited interim housing” for vagrants is comical, at best. The idea of providing an RV park is laughable to people who actually worked all their lives to aspire to live in San Clemente.
Let us enforce “our” rights as property owners and law-abiding citizens to require council and staff and OCSD to enforce nuisance ordinances, loitering ordinances, pandering ordinances, soliciting ordinances, overnight camping ordinances and hygiene ordinances.
Being at the extreme south end of the county, Supervisor Foley wants to push the problem down here where nobody will notice—kinda runs downhill, I guess. Thanks for your time.
