Pacific Beach is mobilizing to get word out to authorities that it has serious issues with homelessness, and other problems in the community that need to be immediately addressed.
So much so that a new Facebook site, facebook.com/cleanuppb/, has been established.
“Pacific Beach has been overrun by homeless, angry transients and filth,” said entrepreneur Mike Spangler, who organizes the annual North PB Sip ‘N Stroll summer block party. “This (Facebook page) is a place to collect and post pictures. “The community of PB, which is paying lots of money, are sick and tired of the city ignoring our homeless, transients, lack of police and overall trash issues,” he said. “We encourage pictures and specific accounts of what is happening in hopes that this page will go viral for more attention to what our community needs.”
Pacific Beach resident Racheal Allen sought out, and received broadcast news attention recently by pointing out a problematic situation in full public view that had gotten out of hand.
“I reported on a homeless woman who’d just been trashing up the sidewalk who’d been urinating in a cup and throwing it,” Allen said, adding, “I’m very fed up with all this, and I said, ‘I’m going to try and do something about it.'”
Spangler said his purpose in creating the new Facebook site was not to “point fingers” at anyone in particular. But rather, he said he wants to draw attention to an issue that can no longer can be ignored.
“These are people of which some of them have mental illness, so we need to be reminded that the purpose of this is to show the city our issues — not degrade people,” he said.
Allen, too, concurred that a recent uptick in the growing conversation about homelessness is all about the subject, and not about specific individuals.
“It’s quality of life,” she said. “My neighbors, like me, want to do something. They just don’t know where to start. I want to try and help the police as much as I can, any way that I can.”
Concerning their appeals on social media, Spangler noted, “We live in the 21st century, we might as well use it. It’s also a way to engage younger people in the community.”
Above all else, Spangler said, “I don’t feel like (Pacific Beach) is given the attention and the funding that we need to take care of our (social) responsibilities. It’s disgusting.”
“I can tell you of 10 places where I could go and find (problematic) transients all the time,” Spangler added.
A homeless coalition comprised of local churches begun last fall by Simon Mainwaring, rector of St. Andrew’s by-the-sea Episcopal Church, meets monthly and has established a website at www.pbhomelessnesscoalition.com. The next meeting of the coalition will be Wednesday, April 20 at St. Andrews at 1050 Thomas Ave.
