We will be meeting today at 11 AM at the Sub Rosa as ever.
On the agenda: the RV situation here compared with Santa Rosa and Santa Barbara, possible link-up’s with Venice in theri struggle, a (shudder) look ahead to the next City Council meeting, more brooding on how to make something meaningful out of this election season, Seattle’s landmark legislation to protect homeless encampments, and more…
Date Tuesday September 06
Time 5:00 PM Tuesday – 9 AM Wednesday
SLEEP PROTEST CONTINUES–SLOW, SUSTAINED, AND STEADY
Pleasant weather, less police harassment, the lure of a safe(r) placer to sleep for at least one night, and the pulse of principle reportedly drew a larger group of sleepers last week and may continue to do so.
The issue continues to be the right to engage in necessary human functions in public places (with no private places being generally available to the poor outside). The basic need and right to sleep runs afoul of the City’s 11 PM to 8:30 AM Sleeping Ban (MC 6.36.010a).
This obscene law continues to be enforced whimsically by the SCPD and increased posse of Parks and Recreation Rangers, now acting as a genteel goon squad on Pacific Ave.
ELECTION ANTICS
With election rhetoric rattling about, some are hoping that the “Our Revolution: Santa Cruz for Bernie” bunch of endorsees (Drew Glover, Steve Schnaar, Chris Krohn, and Sandy Brown) will bring light and liberation to the City Council in the highly unlikely event that some or all of them get past the Big Money endorsees J.M Brown, Cynthia Mathews, Martine Watkins, and Robert Singleton.
Though there have been a few bright spots in the electoral forums, “support for finding legal supervised places to sleep within City limits” and 24-hour bathrooms is about as far as they seem willing to go. Apparently a year of Freedom Sleeper education about the futility and absurdity of banning sleep still can’t get past the desire to woo the most reactionary.
Meanwhile RV residents report increased pressure from the sheriffs in the County–in spite of the clear Coastal Commission indications that anti-RV laws violate the public access requirements of the Coastal Zone. Still no reported tickets though.
SEATTLE STIRRINGS
Meanwhile up in Seattle, a more active ACLU and allied groups are fighting back against the destruction of “illegal” homeless encampments. They aim to replace the current law and practice which allow demolition with 72-hour notice. The new law, if passed, would require proof that encampments pose “an imminent and likely public health or safety harm”; if a real emergency could be proved, then action could be taken within 48 hours.
In all other cases, the city would be required to undertake a 30-day process to notify and offer services to the people living in an encampment before forcing them to move. The law would apply to tents, cars/trucks, and RVs.
For any encampment that did not pose an immediate risk, outreach workers would have to, over the course of 30 days, offer the people staying there extensive outreach and “adequate and accessible housing” before the city could clear the area. If an area was going to be cleared, the city would have to notify the people living there of the specific date and time when the cleanup would occur and provide an explanation of what would happen during that process.
The law would also set up a more thorough process for documenting and storing people’s belongings that are taken during cleanups. It would require the city to provide trash pickup and sanitation services to any camps with more than five people, and it would create an advisory group to oversee the sweeps. If the city violated any terms of the new law while doing sweeps, it would have to pay each person affected $250 per violation.
For more information check out http://www.thestranger.com/
and http://www.columbialegal.org/
BUT BACK IN SANTA CRUZ
Meanwhile, City authorities dutifully backed up by the Scent-Anal (the local daily) have been pushing their old brand of paranoia with an announced indefinitely-extended “closing of the levee”.
Actually for a long time cops and rangers have selectively excluded the public (particularly the poor) from access to the river. Now a killing has become the pretext for a general shut down–more grist for the Take Back Santa Cruz agenda–with those who live outside being the usual targets.
Check out the stench of this sort of bigotry–all dressed up in witty words and fancy formatting. Hatred masquerading as public safety. Sniff out the garbage at http://www.santamierda.com/.
WINDBLOWN WHISTLEBLOWERS
Activists Pat and John Colby, evicted from their lodging after several years of fighting the powerful John Stewart Company, are reportedly spinning straw into silk. They’re active reporting ADA (Americans Disability Act) violations in city park restrooms and reportedly getting the promise of action. The old HUFF “Give a Shit” Campaign demanded 24-hour bathrooms at City Hall.
But City workers even had those bathrooms locked tight during business hours on the afternoon of the last Freedom Sleeper protest. Makes it easier to complain about all the pee and poopoo. The new supposedly public Portapotty at Lincoln and Cedar is also still locked during the day. If authorities won’t give a shit, they’ll find others will have to. In inconvenient spots. Tip of the hat to Pat and John for acting as a mobile monitoring squad–forcing the City to clean up its commodes.
TO MAKE AND READ COMMENTS GO TO: https://www.indybay.org/
Agenda prospects: Review and Response of Homeless (Lack of) Service Center (Non-) Response to a letter to Executive Director Phil Kramer asking for letter asking dismissal of camping tickets when his shelter(s) are full; Andy Carcello’s critique of HLOSC; recent election antics at the Monday night Election forum; the attack on MHCAN and its crackdown–direct responses; Freedom SleepOut 60 Update, and whatever else unfolds…
Coffee will be supplied as necessary.
Location Details Occupying with sleeping bag, car, and tent, the sidewalk and curbsides next to Santa Cruz City Hall from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning around 8 AM
Event Type Protest
Organizer/Author Keith McHenry (story by Norse)
Email keith@foodnotbombs.net
Phone 575-770–3377
The 60th Tuesday night Freedom SleepOut continues a year-old weekly protest against the City’s attack on unhoused and poor people who sleep outside or in vehicles.
MC 6.36.010a continues to make the very act of sleeping after 11 PM a crime.
MC 6.36.055 does provide exemptions for those who sign up for the River St. Shelter Waiting List (call in at 459-6644, and then keep calling back every three days). There is no walk-in shelter currently available for the City’s 1000-2000 unhoused. There is no Winter Shelter at all on the radar. Homeless folks have to find their own community, safety, and sleeping spots where they can. On Tuesday nights, the Freedom Sleepers have apparently created a “safe” area.
Limited food and occasional coffee is available at different points during the afternoon, evening, and morning. Support human rights at home with your support and your presence!
MIXED MESSAGES AT THE LOUDEN NELSON CANDIDATE FORUM MONDAY NIGHT
An overflow crowd listened to nearly a dozen candidates give soundbyte answers to a flock of questions, some of which touched on (but none squarely focused on) criminalization of the homeless through the Camping Ban and other laws.
At the forum, the usual promises about “more affordable housing” and “safe (shelter) spaces” were tossed about. Drew Glover raised the issue of Deputy Chief Steve Clark, a notorious anti-homeless cop, and there was talk about a Review Board for Police–though none of the candidates have been active in Copwatch or other regular attempts to hold police accountable.
Some activists are suggesting the candidates come out squarely to support Campaign Zero–the Black Lives Matter proposals of a year ago demanding radical changes in policing: http://www.vox.com/2015/8/21/
HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] has repeatedly called for specific officer accountability and radical policy changes in the SCPD: https://www.indybay.org/
The most outspoken advocate and sometime Freedom Sleeper Steve Pleich (rhymes with “h”) lost in a bid for endorsement by the 80+ “Burnt by Bernie” activists who caucused after the forum. They voted to support Drew Glover, Steve Schnaar, Chris Krohn, and Sandy Brown. Brown and Krohn are old-time politicos. Glover and Schnaar are more active but not specifically in civil rights activities. Pleich was the only regular Freedom Sleeper supporter–who regularly visits the Sleepers and provides photo coverage and commentary.
There was no criticism of local liberal groups like the NAACP, RCNV, SCCCCR, or the ACLU who have avoided demanding police accountability for specific brutal incidents. Candidate Schnaar did raise Officer Vasquez’s slamdown of Richard Hardy on April 22, 2013. See Schnaar’s story at https://www.indybay.org/
Wes White, a “Flagpole Community” activist from Salinas, where nightly protest at City Hall has been continuous since mid-March, videoed the Santa Cruz forum. He announced there’d be a 6-Month anniversary weekend occupation in late September at the Salinas City Hall.
DENVER LAWSUIT…and in Santa Cruz?
A lawsuit was filed last week against the police theft of homeless gear, rights, and persons. Story at http://denver.cbslocal.com/
Talk of a proposed long-delayed lawsuit in Santa Cruz, announced late last year and supposedly involving the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty’s Tristia Bauman, is again making the rounds with a local attorney supposedly taking an interest.
MALL CRACKDOWN ON STREET HANDICRAFT ARTISTS AND PAINTERS
James the Jeweler reports he’s gotten five tickets on Pacific Avenue in the last few weeks while trying to display his wrapped stones for sale. Several for not moving every hour, another for coming back to the same spot within 24 hours, and–most ominously–two for Commercial Vending where City Council and their police set themselves up as art critics, ruling that handicrafts, hand-made t-shirts, and other items are “not art”. MC 5.81.002, MC 5.81.006. These are the first citations I’ve heard for this “crime”.
Alex Skelton and Joff Jones go to trial 1:30 PM in Dept. 10 today Wednesday August 30th for being “outside the blue box” in their display of paintings. They don’t seem particularly enthusiastic for the public to attend, but I think censorship of art in public places is an important issue. See “City directed police shutdown of artists” at https://www.indybay.org/
Meanwhile some homeless folks report portapotty and sink facility closures at Depot Park, San Lorenzo, and on Cedar and Lincoln.
HUFF Agenda Suggestions: How to Address the City Council Elections This Year, Coastal Commission Update and Strategy on Stopping the County RV Ban, Disability as a Club to Crush the Sleeping Ban, Connecting Up with Santa Barbara and Venice activists, Salinas Flagpole Community Updates, and a swig of coffee or whatever you’re drinking…
An 11 PM to 8:30 AM ban on the act of sleeping outside or in a vehicle on public property has created a nonsensical, costly, and cruel conflict forcing unhoused vulnerable people to hide in unsafe areas, avoid well-lighted spots, and disperse from larger (safer) groups.
Without formal organization, unhoused folks have gathered every Tuesday scrunched on the sidewalk in front of City Hall (as the City has made it illegal to be in the Council “park” after 10 PM). They share company, security, and food compliments of “Jumbogumbo” Joe Schultz of India Joze. Join them to share your blankets, watching eyes, documenting cellphone recordings, and support.
COUNCIL DELAYS CITY RV BAN APPEAL
After the Coastal Commission’s defeat of Councilwoman Richelle Niroyan’s anti-homeless midnight-to-5 AM ban on RV’s in the city, the City Council last Thursday placed the item on its agenda for today’s 12:30 PM Closed Session. By Monday (perhaps earlier) it had been struck out. When asked why, Councilmember Posner neither offered a reason, nor expressed any interest in finding out.
Assistant City Manager Scott Collins has been e-mailed with the same questions. Collins is the same staffer who declined to verify the Freedom Sleepers’ claims that they were regularly cleaning up the protest area after use last fall. Instead, McHenry reports, Collins leveled criminal charges against Freedom Sleeper and Food Not Bombs co-founder after McHenry yelled at him as Collins fled the scene. In a deal to protect another Freedom Sleeper, McHenry pled to a lesser charge in the Shouting Incident as City officials went after him last winter for restoring and expanding the “blue boxes” on Pacific Avenue with do-it-yourself paint and stencils. Collins and his associate Julie Hendee are regular presenters of anti-homeless measures to City Council.
COUNTY RV BAN STRUGGLE CONTINUES
The new crackdown on poor folks in RV’s in the broader County area was reviewed last week in “Freedom Sleep #58 In the Midst of Struggle Over RV Rights: COUNTY RV BAN ENFORCEMENT IN PROGRESS? ” at https://www.indybay.org/
On August 12 the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office wrote on this thread: “No Overnight Parking zones will remain No Overnight Parking Zones with or without a permit. As for obtaining the permit, you must have permission from your friend or family who lives directly adjacent from your RV.” A rather straightforward interpretation here is that ALL overnight parking on ALL County roads are currently technically “illegal” under the County’s Ordinance Section 9.70.620 passed in March. There has been no discussion on this thread dated later than August 12.
However, Santa Cruz Fulltimers founder Julie Schaul–an activist concerned with the rights of poor families living in RV’s in the City–reports no citations have been given out since the Sheriff’s Department announced it began enforcing the ban on August 1st. Schaul has a facebook page that covers the RV struggle.
County staff and Coastal Commission staff, though questioned about the legality of the County’s ordinance and the Sheriff’s enforcement announcement, have declined to apply the Commission’s August 10th ruling against the City ban. They have also declined to clarify an appropriate appeal procedure on the issue. E-mail and phone exchanges continue. If you wish to express your concern, contact Sharif Traylor, staffer at the Coastal Commission, at 427-4863 or sharif.traylor [at] coastal.ca.gov or Paia Levine, planner, at County Planning at paia.levine [at] santacruzcounty.us 454-5317.
Though Sharif has noted he reply by e-mail, it’s still useful to create a paper trail. The issue is whether the County March law violates the Coastal Commission’s clear statements on August 10th that there must be real public access for folks of all incomes. Neither Santa Cruz County nor the City provides places for poor people to park their RV’s, nor have they shown a real “crime” problem.
Please cc all such inquiries and responses to rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com .
DEMAND THE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES SPEAK UP AGAINST THE SLEEPING BAN AND ANTI-HOMELESS LAWS
Contact the 9 Council candidates running by e-mail or phone to insist they raise the issues of Sleeping Ban Repeal, Access to public spaces at night, security for homeless persons and property, as well as restore the meager social services. These were some of the original demands of the Freedom Sleep-Out. The protests began as a Community Sleep-Out under the “Homeless Lives Matter” slogan last summer as services closed down at the Homeless Lack-of Services Center.
The candidates are J.M. Brown, Steven Pleich, Nathanael A. Kennedy, Drew “Dru” S. Glover, Martine Watkins, Cynthia Mathews, Steve Schnaar, James (Jim) P. Davis, Robert Singleton, Sandra (Sandy) L. Brown, and Chris Krohn. Their contact information is available at http://www.cityofsantacruz.
Only Steve Pleich has spent an overnight with the Freedom Sleepers and not recently.
To discuss RV pushback and electoral antics, check out the HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) meeting at 11 AM at the Sub Rosa Cafe Wednesday August 24.
HUFF assembles in dwindling numbers at the Sub Rosa Cafe (703 Pacific) 11 AM Wednesday 8-17-16
On the agenda: the RV Ban issue–in the City and in the County. County sherriffs have announced they’ve begun enforcing the “no RV parking overnight in the County without a permit–which can only be obtained in connection with a county resident near their house. This is apparently oblivious to the Coastal Commission’s clear rejection of the current Niroyan “RV’s get out!” city RV Ban law at the August 10th hearing. We’ll be looking at ways to fight the County ban. Also we’ll discuss creative ways of raising real issues during the fall elections “outside the box”, a possible coalition of renters, workers, students, unhoused folks, elders, and ageing activists around the issue of rent control and restoration of civil rights for those forced outside. Be there and drink the coffee before it gets cold!
Regarding the recent Coastal Commission decision requiring a full-scale hearing at a future Commission meeting before they’ll issue a permit to allow enforcement of the nighttime RV ban in the coastal areas of Santa Cruz City.
Note that the County had already announced its own enforcement of a similar if not identical law impacting even a wider audience. The issue will be discussed on Free Radio Santa Cruz Sunday morning 8-21 at 10 AM at 101.3 FM (streams at www.freakradio.org).
Coastal Commission Archive Link Correction
Tue Aug 16 09:18:45 2016
Again, that link is http://www.cal-span.org/media.
TO COMMENT OR READ COMMENTS GO TO: https://www.indybay.org/
Date Tuesday August 16
Time 5:00 PM Tuesday – 9:00 AM Wednesday
Location Details Bring bags, blankets, and bellies to the sidewalk and brick area in front of Santa Cruz City Hall.
Event Type Protest
Organizer/Author Keith McHenry (article written by Norse)
Email keith@foodnotbombs.net
Phone 575-770–3377
ANOTHER TUESDAY NIGHT, ANOTHER NIGHT ON THE SIDEWALK
City Council returned from its summer recess last week, unrepentant as ever, with nothing on the agenda that would increase shelter or homeless services or restore the homeless right to be free from police persecution for life-sustaining behaviors. Mercifully, there will be no Council meeting this Tuesday night.
ACTIVIST UPDATES
Salinas activists have sustained a more recent, but more intense (nightly) protest at their City Hall. See “Following the Chinatown Homeless Sweeps, A New Tent Community Thrives at Salinas City Hall” at https://www.indybay.org/
Some local activists noted that the entire City Council candidate roguepack was present at the Association of Faith Communities Election Forum last Thursday night–though there was little if any talk about the Freedom Sleepers protest, the Sleeping Ban, or the criminalization of the poor.
Andy Carcello was evicted from the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center and reported getting pneumonia sleeping on the street in front of the HLOSC. Shortly thereafter he required heart surgery and reports being “dumped’ in Salinas. Lucero Luna, a fiery Freedom Sleeper, has been in and out of jail for repeated defiance of the “stay in your blue box” Downtown Ordinances.
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Though they had plenty of time to research, both staffs failed to include the particulars. For instance, the (lack of) availability of RV parking in the City. Or the miniscule number of churches that actually allow an RV to park (where they have to compete with vehicles). In essence, Collins’ failed to come up with specific parking alternatives for unhoused people using RV’s as housing.
He had no specific statistics clarifying what “crimes” required passing such a Draconian city-wide ban. But claimed he had. A few simple questions from the Commission itself exposed the how unsubstantiated these claims were.
We brought up these issues repeatedly before City Council but were ostentatiously ignored. Arrogant politicians in an echo chamber suddenly run up against outside observers who, whatever their political preferences, have to consider real facts. Like denying coastal access to a whole class of people to please NIMBY neighborhoods.
