S.C. County Issues Shelter-in-Place with No Shelter or Facilities for Those Outside
by Robert Norse (rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com)
Monday Mar 16th, 2020 8:22 PM
Several hours ago the County of Santa
Cruz Health Services Agency followed up on actions by San Francisco,
Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties
declaring much public assembly a misdemeanor. Meanwhile
acting City czar Martin Bernal has declined to provide portapotties,
open bathrooms, provide vacant hotel and motel rooms, or declare an
eviction moratorium for folks outside and hard-pressed renters inside.
EMERGENCY ORDER WITH NO PUBLIC INPUT OR HEARING
The March 16 six-page ordered by County
Health Officer Gail Newel & Assistant County Counsel S. Kelley goes
into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday March 17th.
It can be read in full at https://www.santacruzhealth.org/Portals/7/Pdfs/Coronavirus/Shelter
in Place Order March 16 2020.pdf?
The order requiring people to
“self-isolate” in their residences does “exempt” homeless people
(Section 2). “Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this
Section but are strongly urged to obtain shelter, and governmental
and other entities are strongly urged to make such shelter available as
soon as possible and to the maximum extent practicable.”
IN THE WAKE OF CITY NEGLIGENCE AND OBSTRUCTION
County, City, University, State, and
Federal authorities have done nothing to expand concrete on-the-ground
facilities (such as vacant buildings, unused motel and hotel rooms, even
campground space). Nor have they provided the
most basic sanitation services near the larger encampments, instead
maintaining the closing of even some of the limited bathrooms available
part-time (the Library, Louden Nelson, the city-funded Bookshop Santa
Cruz’s bathroom).
Attempts by Food Not Bombs, the Depot
Project, and others to secure permits to provide portapotties and hand
washing stations have been actively obstructed by city authorities.
THE ORDER MAY THREATEN FOOD NOT BOMBS
The current Food Not Bombs/Union of the
Homeless presence at the Town Clock is also implicitly threatened by
various provisions of the “Emergency Declaration”.
For instance on p.4 under Section 10,
subsection f, further subsection xiii, we read “…Food services under
this exemption shall not permit the food to be eaten at the site where
it is provided or at any other gathering spot.” which
sounds like a perfect pretext to shut down Food Not Bombs food
servings.
SUSPENSION OF THE CONSTITUTION?
On p. 2, Section 2 provides provides “All
public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a
household or living unit are prohibited except as expressly permitted
in Section 10.”
Section 10 does not permit, for instance,
public gatherings to petition the government for redress of grievances
(say, the lack of bathroom facilities and decent shelter for the
hundreds outside).
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
I suppose if you show up with your chef’s
hat and gloves as a food provider, you may be able to argue an exemption
to the First Amendment suspension if the sheriffs or cops show up to
escort you “home”.
I encourage members of the community to
demand loudly and clearly for the protection of the broader community
that such facilities and shelter be made available immediately as an
option for those outside.
This can be done on-line, by facebook, and through twitter, of course, and should be, but there’s
no substitute for physical presence. I personally have recent
health problems at an age where I’m particularly vulnerable, so I’m
struggling with my own responsibility and response. At this time I’m
trying to avoid contact to slow the virus spread
and protect myself and those in my household.
Apparently endless e-mails, notes, and
Council meeting pleas have no impact on Bernal, Cummings, and the other
worthies who sit on piles of money (and now emergency provisions).
It falls on the community to take peaceful
but forceful Direct Action to protect the health not just of those
outside, but of the entire community before it’s too late.
http://www.huffsantacruz.org.
COMMENTS AND UPDATES CAN BE MADE AT
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/03/16/18831598.php
OR TO ME DIRECTLY AT RNORSE3@HOTMAIL.COM .