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San Fernando merchants, residents call for stronger police response to homeless-related incidents
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the council they face aggressive and disruptive behavior by people experiencing homelessness in business districts and near the post office, and urged greater police presence and solutions for safety and property loss.
Business owners and residents told the San Fernando City Council on Monday that homeless-related activity is harming local retail areas and that police response has been insufficient. Several speakers described incidents of aggressive behavior, trespassing and theft, and asked the city to increase patrols and enforcement.
Why this matters: Business owners said the incidents have deterred customers and reduced revenue. Speakers asked the council to prioritize public safety measures that would make merchants and patrons feel safe returning to local storefronts.
In public comment, Lupita Gonzalez, who described herself as representing merchants, said a homeless person entered her business and assaulted a customer and nearly struck her. On another occasion she said a man shouted profanity outside her store and that officers took about 20 minutes to respond. "There is no safety there," she said, adding that businesses have seen people sleeping near the post office and trash at a local church. "What do we have to do? Do we have to pay for private security?" she asked.
Other commenters also criticized what they described as inadequate police follow-up on reported break-ins and shoplifting. Council members and staff did not adopt new police staffing changes at the meeting; instead councilmembers urged staff to gather more information on patterns and to continue coordinating with police and social-services partners.
Councilwoman Victoria Garcia and others responded by noting city programs already in place, such as food distribution and legal-resource connections for immigrant families, but acknowledged a need to balance outreach and enforcement. Councilmember Patty Lopez pressed for increased patrols during school hours and at key business corridors; she also said she would request a staff report about recent vandalism and needed repairs in parks.
Next steps: The council did not take formal action during public comment beyond directing staff to follow up. Council members asked staff to provide updates at future meetings about homelessness response, patrol patterns and property repairs so the council can consider targeted steps.
