Homeless remark stirs controversy

Ed Koch and Will Oremus

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003 | 10:56 a.m.

A comment on a television news talk show by a Las Vegas official implying that the homeless are not "regular people" has given more ammunition to critics who say Las Vegas is the "meanest city" in America when it comes to the homeless.

Neighborhood Services Director Sharon Segerblom, appearing Friday on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston" on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable Channels 1 and 39, said, "Regular people who go to work every day have to feel some safety."

Her statement on the show was in answer to a question by Ralston about city ordinances targeting the homeless.

Segerblom's comment came as she was trying to improve the city's image and defend its policies toward the homeless in the wake of a report last week by the National Coalition for the Homeless that named Las Vegas the nation's "meanest city" for its treatment of the homeless.

Segerblom's comment also mirrored statements by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who has been accused of being insensitive to the plight of the homeless.

In 1999 Goodman suggested sending the homeless to the abandoned prison in Jean to live and, in his 2002 State of the City address, he said some of the homeless are "robbing and killing and raping each other."

While city officials have been outspoken in questioning the study's credibility, critics say statements by Goodman and Segerblom have only reinforced perceptions of hostility toward the homeless.

Asked by Ralston if she meant to draw a distinction between the homeless and "regular people," Segerblom responded: "Absolutely ... Do you think the homeless are regular people?"

Allen Lichtenstein of the American Civil Liberties Union, Ralston's other guest on the show, said Segerblom's comments revealed a counter-productive attitude toward the problem of homelessness.

"I took exception and still do take exception to the distinction being drawn between homeless people and normal people," Lichtenstein said.

"There are a lot of people who are out there because they ran into bad luck. They need particular kinds of help, and maybe they could get back on their feet with that kind of help."

Segerblom's words played to the stereotype that homeless people are "an infestation -- just a bunch of bums, as a opposed to people who are down on their luck," Lichtenstein added.

Homeless rights activist Linda Lera-Randle El could not believe what she heard as she watched the show.

"I was dumbfounded, and my initial thoughts were, 'What an elitist snob,' " Lera-Randle El said. "Then I thought about the times I have put myself into a predicament by tripping over my tongue and saying something I should have worded differently.

"Still, she (Segerblom) is a professional, and as a professional representing the interests of the city, she should have been careful, even under pressure, to say exactly what she meant to say."

Lera-Randle El said Segerblom should "just apologize for her comment and not further inflame an already inflamed situation."

However, on Monday, Segerblom stood by what she said, noting in a prepared statement: "Regardless of any undue emphasis on one word, the city of Las Vegas is actually working to address the problem of homelessness."

Segerblom, who declined to be interviewed, said in her written statement that the city "continues to protect the quality of life for all citizens."

During the broadcast Segerblom defended the city's efforts at addressing homelessness, noting the city has a rental assistance program and is working with a nationally renowned developer to build low-cost permanent housing primarily for homeless veterans on the old MASH Village shelter site.

"And for the people ... who are housed, who work, who have a constant daily routine, we are trying to protect their quality of life and make sure their neighborhoods are neighborhoods of choice," Segerblom said in her statement.

While her "regular people" comment was made late in the half-hour program, earlier in the broadcast Segerblom made a similar point, using a more carefully chosen words:

"Homeless people have rights, but so do people who get up and go to work every day, people who live in the city, people who visit the city. It's equal rights, it's not more rights."

She repeated that assertion in Monday's statement.

Gus Ramos, head of the Southern Nevada Homeless Coalition, composed of most of the major homeless services groups in the Las Vegas Valley, said he hopes Segerblom's comments on TV were not a blanket statement about homeless people in general.

"There are those who do abuse the system, but many homeless people are just regular people who because of a crisis situation found themselves on the streets," said Ramos, who did not see the show.

"Many of the homeless are regular people who crave to once again be employed, to have safe and decent housing, to be productive. Many regular people are at risk of being homeless every day."

As for the "meanest city" label, Ramos disagreed, noting that the organization that released the report did not speak to his group -- the area's primary body addressing homeless issues -- in its fact-finding efforts.

"We have done a lot and we have work that needs to be none -- but you can't say we are the meanest because it reflects on the many nonprofit organizations that work hard every day to address the homelessness problem," Ramos said.

"More than $52 million in federal, local government and private money has been spent to improve the homeless corridor that includes the Salvation Army, Shade Tree Shelter and Catholic Charities."

Segerblom on the Friday show also pointed to money the city has spent, saying the city's actions spoke much louder than the mayor's words.

Lichtenstein said that while he disagreed with Segerblom's implication that rhetoric from city leaders is irrelevant, he agreed that actions speak louder than words.

But, he said, "The results (of the city's efforts to help the homeless) are unimpressive to say the least. There's less shelter space now than there used to be, even though there are more homeless."