Thread: TEMECULA: Day laborers booted from Stampede property

The northwest corner of Old Town Front Street and First Street has long been a popular spot for the city's day laborers to gather and look for work.

No more.

The Temecula Police Department, responding to complaints from the owner of the parking lot at that corner and from nearby businesses, recently told the group to vacate the premises, a directive that has been heeded by the dozens of people who had made that corner a part of their daily routine.

"I have to admit I was surprised by how responsive they were," said police Chief Andre O'Harra during a phone interview.

Detailing the complaints that sparked the city's action, O'Harra said there were reports of public urination, drinking and drug use, and fights.

Also, some of the women who work at the Temecula Stampede, a country-western dance hall, said they had been "accosted and whistled at" while walking into the building, he said.

The majority of the parking lot ---- about two-thirds ---- is owned by the city. The remaining one-third is split between the Eastern Municipal Water District and the owners of the Stampede.

Because of the Police Department's action, the day laborers have moved to a nearby dirt lot about a block south of the corner, the lot south of the U-Haul business on Old Town Front Street.

From about 6 to 8 a.m., roughly 45 people ---- most of them men wearing ball caps and carrying jackets ---- are waiting along the edge of Old Town Front looking for the "go" sign from passing motorists.

During a visit to the lot on a Wednesday afternoon, a few of the men who had yet to find a job for the day weighed in on their new reality.

"The Stampede is better," said Eduardo Sanchez, a Lake Elsinore man who has been coming to Temecula, on and off, for five years looking for work.

That said, Sanchez and some of the other guys who hung around to talk about the move seemed resigned to their new dirt lot.

"They don't want people up there," Sanchez said, looking toward the Stampede.

Another of the men, Jose Rodriguez, who said he lives on a ranch near the Santa Rosa plateau, said he's hoping the city will step up and build some sort of shelter for the day laborers, a place with a roof and a restroom.

And the sooner the better.

Rodriguez said the laborers already have been pushed south away from the U-Haul property, and there's a sign on the dirt lot that hints at development to come.

Although a day laborer shelter has been discussed in the past few years, Temecula city officials have not taken any action on the idea.

There has been action, however, from a nonprofit called The Brook, the charity that each Sunday provides food and support for the needy at Sam Hicks Monument Park.

Gayle Kreeger, a volunteer with The Brook, said recently that she was meeting with a group of business leaders to start a company that would match up the day laborers with jobs.

And that company might be based in commercial space, sparing the men from standing on street corners to look for work.

"These are law-abiding family men who are either green-carded or citizens," she said. "They don't want trouble."

As for why they were given the boot from the Stampede, Kreeger said it was a couple of guys in the group who were drinking, using drugs and looking for fights.

"There's always a few who ruin it for everybody," she said.

Since the move, she said, the group has been policing itself.

While that might be the case, O'Harra said that the department will continue to monitor the group's behavior.

And he said that if the owner of the dirt lot complains about their presence, the department could, once again, force another move.

"Just because they moved locations doesn't mean we're hands-off," he said.
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/temec ... 6754d.html

[quote="TakingBackSoCal"]The northwest corner of Old Town Front Street and First Street has long been a popular spot for the city's day laborers to gather and look for work.

I used to frequent the Old Town on the weekends. It was nice to find a location where the illegal squatters were not present polluting the streets. They are an eye-sore to say the least, and ruin the whole integrity of neighborhoods everywhere they conglomerate ! It's time to check their citizenship, round up the unauthorized ones, and stop their manifistation and clear them out of our communities! It would set examples to them that we will NO LONGER tolerate their presence and illegal activities! Lack of enforcement is the WHOLE problem going on. Without it, NOTHING will change!

They enforce their own ordinances.

9.14.010 Consumption of alcoholic beverages in public prohibited. The drinking of beer, wine, liquor, fermented malt beverage, intoxicating liquor, or other alcoholic beverage shall be prohibited at the following locations, unless specifically permitted by the prior written approval of the city:

A. On any public street, roadway, boulevard, alley, parking lot, sidewalk, or any other property owned, controlled and/or operated by the city, county or any public agency;

B. In the public parking, loading, access and areas accessible to the public of nonresidential property except on the premises of a commercial establishment holding a valid on-sale license or permit from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control; or

C. Within any public park, recreational area, or recreation facility owned, controlled and/or operated by the city, county, or any public agency. (Ord. 99-05 § 1: Ord. 99-04 § 1: Ord. 97-07 § 1(part))

9.02.010 Bodily functions prohibited in certain public areas.
No person shall urinate or defecate on private property in any area exposed to the public view, or on any public street, roadway, boulevard, alley, parking lot, sidewalk, or any other property owned, controlled and/or operated by the city, county or any public agency, except in a public or private restroom. (Ord. 97-07 § 2)

10.08.080 Loitering—Obstructing traffic.
It is unlawful for any person to stand upon any street, sidewalk or other public way open for pedestrian travel, or otherwise occupy any portion thereof, in such a manner as to annoy or molest any pedestrian thereon, or so as to obstruct or unreasonably interfere with the free passage of pedestrians, motor vehicles or other modes of travel. No person shall sit, lie or sleep upon any street, sidewalk or other public way. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons sitting on the curb portion of any sidewalk or street while attending or viewing any parade permitted under the provisions of this code; nor shall the provisions of this section apply to persons sitting upon benches or other seating facilities provided for such purposes by municipal authority. (Ord. 91-16 § 2 (12.08.05)

http://www.qcode.us/codes/temecula/

"These are law-abiding family men who are either green-carded or citizens," she said. "They don't want trouble."

Then they should be looking for work at the state's Job Centers, not loitering in the streets.

Originally Posted by miguelina

"These are law-abiding family men who are either green-carded or citizens," she said. "They don't want trouble."

Then they should be looking for work at the state's Job Centers, not loitering in the streets.

What she said sounds real fishy to me. Green cards? LOL

Its his right to run them off his property.If they hang out there why dont ice come in and move them back to where they come from they cause a public newsence to where nobody would want to shop there.but thats what they want to control everything and ruin stuff for everybody else.You see them all the time here gathering in front of the dairy mart waiting for someone to come pick them up for work.They leave trash all over the place and even sleep on the side walk cops drive by all day and never check them out.Police say we cant do anything because their not breaking the law there is no sign posted no lottering so they can stay there as long as they want to.The store owner told me he has lost alot of shoppers because of it i asked him why not put up a sign he is afraid they woild burn him out and they probebly would.

They don't want people up there," Sanchez said, looking toward the Stampede

Nooo, they don't want ILLEGALS loitering there. Big diff.

I was at the Stampede for my 36th B-day five years ago (yeah - I rode the mechanical bull!) and that part of Temecula is an adorable "old west" type part of town. I loved it and would be back, but I got banned from that place for getting in a fight on the dance floor!

Originally Posted by SicNTiredInSoCal

I loved it and would be back, but I got banned from that place for getting in a fight on the dance floor!

Gayle Kreeger, a volunteer with The Brook, said recently that she was meeting with a group of business leaders to start a company that would match up the day laborers with jobs.
"These are law-abiding family men who are either green-carded or citizens," she said. "They don't want trouble."

That is the reason your giving for people who have been reported to the police for getting drunk in public, urinating in public, doing drugs and getting in fights. you really are a gullible woman, arent ya gayle