Bars removed from benches, but questions still remain

The green vertical bars installed on a dozen Downtown Lodi benches were removed last Thursday, but some residents, and even a Lodi City Council member, wanted answers as to who installed them in the first place.

Lodi City Manager Steve Schwabauer told the city council during its Wednesday night meeting that the “responsible party” had reimbursed the city $400 to remediate the bars that were installed in early April, but he did not identify who that was. Schwabauer said as far as he was concerned, the issue was closed, but if the public or council wanted to continue discussing, they were welcome to do so.

David Diskin, who two weeks ago offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the responsible party’s identification, was glad to see the bars off the benches, but said the public deserved an explanation as to why it took nearly a month to remove them.

“We all agree that no single person should make a decision and act on it on behalf of an entire community,” he said. “The person who does it knows it is wrong, otherwise they wouldn’t have done it anonymously. I’m not certain who did it, but I feel if they were anyone of lesser privilege, that they would have been treated very differently. We need to hold those people accountable and I feel the community deserves to know who did it, not just for the fiscal damage, but for the city's reputation and the distraction they've caused.”

In an email to the council read by City Clerk Jennifer Cusmir, Dr. Christopher Anderson and his wife Donna said they were appalled the bars had been installed, and that the homeless that were targeted by the action are not voluntarily living on the streets.

The Andersons cited an increase in poverty levels and housing costs as primary reasons for homelessness, as well as an increase in unemployment. They said the community should be more compassionate toward the homeless and try to help them out of their unfortunate situation.

“The hostile installation of bars on benches in Lodi targeting the homeless is inhumane and demonstrates further the complete lack of consideration for citizens who are already facing personal trauma and tragedy,” the Andersons wrote. “It is a shameful reminder of the intolerance that still lurks throughout the city. What I find even more disappointing is that the body considers it welcome vandalism. If this is welcome then where will the line be drawn?”

June Aaker, owner of Abrahamson Printing, said she had emailed the council on Feb. 8 and presented to the Lodi Committee on Homelessness in March, the benefits the of the bars.

However, Aaker said she was disappointed she received no response from the council or city staff, and asked them to look at how existing bars on bus stop benches have prevented the homeless from loitering in other areas of town.

“I volunteer my precious time and run a full-time business, however my intentions are for the betterment of our community and the downtown,” she wrote. “What is the point if it’s only going to fall on deaf ears? I’m going to request that the city council, manager and attorney do not remove the bars on the benches until they have personally reached out to the businesses downtown and speak with he Downtown Business Alliance board. The bars have made an impact and have helped.”

Vice Mayor Mark Chandler said he reached out to Aaker last week, and said he would be speaking with many businesses to learn how they have been affected by the homeless in downtown.

“I want to listen to the downtown merchants. I want to listen to all sides,” he said. “I think we need to review the benches and I think we need to get everybody’s opinion. I’m happy to reach out to the downtown businesses, and she offered me an opening on that.”

Following public comment, Schwabauer said the bars had created a distraction and energy that should be directed at efforts the city and council have been trying to accomplish over the last five years to solve Lodi’s homeless crisis.

He added there has been a great deal of public opposition to the Harmony Homes project — also known as the tiny homes — which is currently under construction, and that staff has tried to solve the bench controversy without generating additional negative energy.

“Staff has not approached this as trying to protect a person, but trying to protect a project,” he said. “It really does take a village to make what were trying to make happen, happen. This was a distraction to that, and we tried to resolve it at the staff level for that purpose and that purpose alone.”

Councilman Shak Khan said he received an email from a resident who believed the council was behind the bars and passed a secret resolution to install them.

He agreed with Diskin that the responsible party should be identified, and believed the community wanted to know as well, given it typically takes weeks or months to receive a permit for modifying properties in town.

“We should definitely have a clear answer for the public as to who put the bars on the benches,” he said. “We definitely stand with our businesses and want to make sure they operate in a safe environment, but at the same time, we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Councilman Mikey Hothi agreed with Khan, stating the bars received media attention throughout the region, which made the city look bad.

“It’s not uncommon to have architecture to prevent people from laying down on benches. You see that throughout cities throughout the region,” he said. “But it is uncommon for an individual to take a situation like this into their own hands. I think going forward, if there are similar actions, I think the city should take a certain type of action to prevent them form taking these situations into their own hands.”

Councilman Doug Kuehne said while he thought the bars were ugly, he wondered why the city hadn’t originally built the benches with arm rests in the middle to prevent people from sleeping on them. He suggested it was time the city revisit that option.

“Initially, when we put the benches in, it was because we are a tourist destination. And through COVID, obviously our businesses suffered because tourism suffered,” he said. “And it’s supposed to be a welcoming environment, not only for our citizens, but visitors to Lodi. And I understand the frustration. I’ve talked to a number of business owners downtown. I do business in Lodi, I drive around Lodi every day, and I thought they were unsightly. I’m glad they were removed,

Mayor Alan Nakanishi said the homeless have been a top priority for the council for several years, and its philosophy was to be compassionate to them while trying to solve the issue.

“We also want to keep our streets safe and clean,” he said.