CA- Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal defends city on sex offenders

4-28-2009 California:

LONG BEACH - Second District Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal appreciates the passion of her constituents in Alamitos Beach, but she takes "umbrage" when she is criticized for not doing enough when it comes to the issue of the clustering of sex offenders in the neighborhood.

Part of what caused Lowenthal to take umbrage was a commentary in Sunday's Press-Telegram written by Mike Wilson, president of the Alamitos Beach Neighborhood Association, accusing the City Council and mayor for failing to act decisively.

Lowenthal says it is because of her that the issue has become a priority in the city.

"We've done more than any city in the state," Lowenthal says of addressing sex offender residency.

Lowenthal said she has spent hundreds of hours with police and city attorneys drafting and redrafting a city sex offender residency ordinance that is legally viable.

She says she shares the frustration of residents, but says sniping does no good.

"(Critics) need to talk to us instead of taking shots," Lowenthal said. "They need to work with the city to take it to the next step."

Alamitos Beach has become a flashpoint for the issue because of its high instance of sex offenders who have taken up residence in the neighborhood.

And Wilson isn't backing down.

He professes to have respect for Lowenthal and says she has done good work in the area but adds that "events here have overtaken her."

"She tends to be reactive rather than proactive," Wilson said, "and in the last three months we've have 30 more (parolees) move in here."
In his letter to the Press-Telegram, Wilson says more than 140 registered sex offenders reside in just one ZIP code in Alamitos Heights, including 55 in a four-block stretch.

Wilson says there are also a couple of apartment buildings in his neighborhood with 16 and 11 registered sex offenders, respectively.

There is some legal movement afoot. The city has begun a suit against a notorious property at 1149 E. First St.

However, it is using nuisance and other charges rather than the sex offender ordinance to prosecute, according to Cristyl Meyers, deputy city attorney.

She expects to be enacting the ordinance, which was only completed in December, in the near future.

"We are actively viewing a number of locations," Meyers says.

In the meantime, the frustration mounts on all sides.

Lowenthal says the Megan's and Jessica's laws are "broken" because they lack provisions to allow cities to seek criminal rather than civil penalties against those who violate ordinances about housing sex offenders.

She also complains about the cottage industry that has grown among unscrupulous property owners who receive money from the state to provide housing for parolees at four to a room with exorbitant rents.

Lowenthal says until the state begins to enact tougher requirements and harsher penalties, local control will be constricted and undermined. ..News Source.. by Greg Mellen, Staff Writer