Homeless Services Center Reads Homeless Dead List, Restricts Services Further

The Homeless Services Center today is having a memorial for those who died homeless in Santa Cruz throughout 2010. And on Xmas day, there will be a scaled-down meal there for the community. This meal was traditionally held at the Vet's Hall on Thanksgiving and Xmas, but due to the City and County collusion in closing the Vet's Hall in January--reportedly under pressure from Vets-hostile building manager Tim Bratton, it is being held off at the HSC.

Pastor Dennis Adams holds regular Sunday meals at the HSC at noon. He previously hosted an outdoor meal on Pacific Avenue, which the Downtown Association drove to the Town Clock, and finally to its more distant location.

Ronee Curry gives out burritos and socks (while they last) each Sunday afternoon around 2 PM in front of Borders on Pacific Avenue (until she's driven away by the Downtown Association).

Last year's homeless death toll in the county was initially 45+, later amended to more than 55
See "Unsafe to be Homeless in Santa Cruz" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/19/18633184.php

Songs about this issue sung in front of Mayor Coonerty's Bookshop Santa Cruz last year resulted in a city prosecution and $250 fines for the singers. See "Sing a Song, Go to Jail?" at http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/sing-song-go-to-jail.html and http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2010/01/downtown-music-by-petula-clark-lyrics.html.

It is a tribute to the failure of the Homeless Services Center's failure to effectively advocate and supply emergency shelter--the overwhelming need of homeless people.

The Shelter provides emergency shelter for less than 15% of the homeless population in the winter (and less than 5% in the summer).

The HSC management (previously Leticia Schwartz and now Monica Martinez) and its Board of Directors (headed by Sally Williams) remained silent when City Council passes laws criminalizing homeless survival activity (like sleeping at night or covering up with protective gear).

Martinez works ever more closely with local NIMBY's and homeless-hostile groups to garner funding for programs while increasingly restricting and "policing" homeless people in and around its center.
(See Sentinel story "Homeless center's new director makes World of Difference" at http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_16896094?IADID=Search-www.santacruzsentinel.com-www.santacruzsentinel.com

Attempts to get Martinez to disclose HSC policies have so far run up against a stonewall. See http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/06/18665884.php .