Rainy Day Location!: HUFF meets at 11 AM 3-21-18 Wednesday at the Bagelry 320 Cedar St. (near Cedar and Maple)

HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] will meet Wednesday, 3-21-18 at The Bagelry (320 Cedar St.).  

Sub Rosa, our normal meeting place, will be closed, and the rainy weather makes meeting outside difficult.

On the agenda:

  • Reviewing Chief Andy Mills new “Community Policing” program, reviewed Tuesday night 3-20 7 PM at the City Council at City Hall.  The 184 page report–which makes little or no mention of the massive anti-homeless expenditures–is available along with other documents at http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1074&doctype=AGENDA
  • Latest reports on folks lodging at the River St. (barbed wire Boneyard “no walk-in’s”) campground with possible tabling to gather concerns, complaints, and compliments
  • Review of SCPD stats of citations and arrests for the last month 
  • Fencing around Laurel St. Park and other anti-homeless activities
  • Updates from Venice, Monterey County, Manteca, Marysville, Santa Ana, and elsewhere
Stories of interest:  

  •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
  •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either as in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
  •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future.

 

This e-mail is the opinion of HUFF and does not necessarily represent the views of Food Not Bombs or the Warming Center.

Special Meeting Today HUFF meets at 11 AM 3-14-18 Wednesday at the Sub Rosa Cafe (next to the Bike Church on Pacific Ave.)

HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] which has been meeting every other Wednesday, will hold a special meeting today to consider recent Sleeping Ban developments in Santa Cruz as well as ruminate on a memorial/protest for HUFF activist David Silva–who died overseas a few days ago of pneumonia.

The meeting will meet if necessary on the sidewalk outside the Sub Rosa (hopefully inside) because of uncertainty about the schedule

On the agenda:   Reviewing City Manager Bernal’s “Big Tent” report last night at City Council, the treatment of folks outside since the dispersal of the San Lorenzo Campground, conditions at the River St. “Boneyard” campground, reviewing police citations and arrests for February now available, reports of RV and carcamper harassment/seizure, and more…

Stories of interest:  

Despite the City of Santa Cruz opening in new homeless encampment, homeless men and women have spread out to other sites in the city

  •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
  •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either as in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
  •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future.

This e-mail is the opinion of HUFF and does not necessarily represent the views of Food Not Bombs or the Warming Center.

HUFF meets early: 10:30 AM 3-7-18 Wednesday at the Sub Rosa Cafe (next to the Bike Church on Pacific Ave.)

HUFF [Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom] will begin its meeting half an hour early if necessary on the sidewalk outside the Sub Rosa (hopefully inside), but definitely moving indoors by 11 AM.

On the agenda:   Reviewing the phony PACT expenditures “cleaning up the downtown”, spotlighting Chief Mills’s busts of refugees from the San Lorenzo Campground after its closing last Wednesday, the psuedo-census of the SCPD grilling “homeless-looking” folks around the downtown in the days that followed, strategies for advising those outside to resist blueshirt and greenshirt bullying, a hard look at the new Boneyard barbedwire River St. campground, and more…all, with coffee.

  •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
  •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either as in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
  •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future.

This e-mail is the opinion of HUFF and does not necessarily represent the views of Food Not Bombs or the Warming Center.

HUFF in the Wilds: Special meeting 10:15 AM Wednesday 2-28-18 at San Lorenzo Benchlands Look for the Protest Signs

We will be moving from our usual Sub Rosa location next to the Bike Church to the San Lorenzo Benchlands as the City forces campers to leave.

  PLEASE COME DOWN TO SAN LORENZO PARK TODAY TO ASSIST FOLKS:

    •   Help document the mass deportation to nowhere with audio and camera
    •   Assist, if you wish, in helping move homeless gear
    •   Support the Warming Center, Food Not Bombs,  HUFF and other activists in documenting, providing resources, & publicizing the situation.
    •   Back up homeless efforts to organize either as in protest or to demand adequate and accessible facilities.
    •   Exchange information with other supporters there to generate more communication and better solutions in the future


    UP FOR DISCUSSION AS WE EYEBALL THE BENCHLAND EVICTIONS:

  • More Reports from Santa Ana Riverbed Encampment,
  • Communicating with Other Encampments to the North and South
  • Stories from the Street Around Us

 

NO HUFF TODAY! Next HUFF meet is Wednesday February 21- 11 AM Sub Rosa Cafe

Since we’re meeting bi-weekly now, there’s no meeting today.

But in the wake of the surprising victory with Council passing an emergency rent freeze and a just eviction protection law last night, check out
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/lifestyle/20180213/santa-cruz-institutes-rent-hike-freeze-eviction-rules
Mountain View chatterings:

Mountain View Forum explores ongoing issue of vehicle dwellers.

https://www.losaltosonline.com/news/sections/news/201-traffic-development/57159-

Campers and RVs in Mountain View

https://www.lwvlamv.org/league-news/report-on-league-forum-campers-and-rvs-in-our-city/

Victories on the horizon in southern California:

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/california-fight-over-homeless-camp-faces-key-day-in-court/

An  older story suggesting the value of state passage of local Homeless Bill of Rights laws:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-homeless-harassment-suit-20180205-story.html


On the down side, the Terrazas City Council unanimously passed a February 28th eviction date for the San Lorenzo Campground.  The mass eviction is being sanitized with sweet talk about the River Street Camp, the renamed “boneyard” at 1220 River St.– a much smaller area surrounded with barbed wire which bars walk-in’s and will oust people during the day.

First They Came for the Homeless activist Mike Zint suggests core campers stay together and try the Berkeley solution (See First They Came for the Homeless facebook page).  Organize or get pulverized.

More discussion of this on my Thursday Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides show 6-8 PM at 101.3 FM and freakradio.org.  For archived shows, go to huffsantacruz.org and click on “Lost Shows”.

You can also contact HUFF central by phone for assignments, reports, and updates at 831-423-4833.   We need help reviewing the SCPD’s Citation record to see how accurate Chief Mills’ “No Sleeping Ban Citations at Night on Public Property” policy aligns with SCPD practice over the last 2-3 months.

For outside updates, check out Facebook pages for Santa CruzFood Not Bombs and Homeless Outside in Santa Cruz.      Interesting stuff.

To check earlier Public Records Act requests archived several years ago by Avanti-ista Avian, go to https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0By8mqYfeMfFEN1ZVVE9mdXA0YkE .

A tip of the hat to RV activist Julie Ann for forwarding me most of the stories mentioned above.  Her continuing work can be found on Facebook at RV Fulltimers.

Sunny Weather for HUFF meet is Wednesday February 7 -11 AM Sub Rosa Cafe

Likely Prospects for the HUFF agenda:

  • the rumored Rent Stabilization Ordinance perhaps on the February 13th City Council Agenda;
  • Cannabis Crackdown–the Board of Stupes rejects the “more liberal” draft environmental report
  • federal judge in Orange County demands authorities justify homeless sweeps or face ‘criminalization of the homeless” charges
  • supporting Venice homeless activists appealing a Bad Beach Curfew law
  • Updates from Lapis/Monty roads, the Poor People’s Campaign in Sacramento, Marysville, and Berkeley’s First They Came for the Homeless
  • News from the San Lorenzo campground and the San Jose homeless sweeps
  • leftover kitty cookies, almonds, raisins, and kettlecorn

NO HUFFing TOMORROW Next HUFF meet is Wednesday February 7 11 AM Sub Rosa Cafe

But to keep you busy reading, check out…

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/social-affairs/20180127/santa-cruzs-benchlands-homeless-camp-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly?source=most_viewed if the Scent-Anal webmaster will let you go there.  For those with strong stomachs, there’s always the Bigots Banquet Comments section.

For more Bigotbashing go to http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:C97dZ65F2rsJ:www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20180129/NEWS/180129679+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

To study state-sponsored vigilante-ism in action, follow the fun frolics of the NST (Neighborhood Safety Team) at http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub_PSCom/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1045&doctype=AGENDA (see the attachments to item #2).

San Lorenzo Campground was given a “be gone with your tent by 5 PM Tuesday” for yet another “clean-up”.  I’ll be reporting on that with a few interviews Thursday evening on the ever-fascinating Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides show at 6 – 8 PM.

You can also contact HUFF central by phone for assignments, reports, and updates at 831-423-4833.   We need help reviewing the SCPD’s Citation record to see how accurate Chief Mills’ “No Sleeping Ban Citations at Night on Public Property” policy aligns with SCPD practice over the last 2-3 months.

For outside updates, check out Facebook pages for Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs and Homeless Outside in Santa Cruz.  Don’t forget to check in on archived audio of Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides if didn’t catch the Sunday morning or Thursday evening broadcasts.   Go to huffsantacruz.org and click on “Lost Shows”.    Interesting stuff.

To check earlier Public Records Act requests archived several years ago by Avanti-ista Avian, go to https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0By8mqYfeMfFEN1ZVVE9mdXA0YkE .

HUFF meets tomorrow: Wednesday January 24th 11 AM Sub Rosa

After a puffy fluffy City Council meeting today, but with passage of certain place-holder measures that don’t actually disperse the San Lorenzo campground in the immediate future and promise “rent control discussion” at the next February meeting, HUFF continues on its weary way with its second January meeting at the Sub-Rosa at 11 AM Wednesday January 24th.  


Positive news: tenant advocates have turned in the wording for a Rent Control Initiative to be examined by the City Attorney; First They Came for the Homeless–a tough and tenacious homeless-run encampment in Berkeley has won a hearing in their lawsuit against the City of Berkeley for violating their First Amendment rights in 16 separate police raids; Sleeping Citations in October and November from Parks and Recreation are down–according to hardworking Citation Searchers Laura and Gloria.


On the Agenda:  City Council Report, Encampment Defense Discussion, Berkeley’s Feisty First They Came for the Homeless lawsuit advancement–its Santa Cruz implications, the Latest from the Lapis Road RV Struggle from Beggarbacker Becky (depending on weather conditions), and whatever comes out of the usual HUFF turmoil.


You can also contact HUFF central by phone for assignments, reports, and updates at 831-423-4833.   We need help reviewing the SCPD’s Citation record to see how accurate Chief Mills’ “No Sleeping Ban Citations at Night on Public Property” policy aligns with SCPD practice over the last 2-3 months.

For outside updates, check out Facebook pages for Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs and Santa Cruz Homeless Outside.  Don’t forget to check in on archived audio of Bathrobespierre’s Broadsides if didn’t catch the Sunday morning or Thursday evening broadcasts.   Go to huffsantacruz.org and click on “Lost Shows”.    Interesting stuff.
 

 

 

Another HUFF-less Wednesday Tomorrow; Next HUFF meeting is Wednesday January 24th 11 AM Sub Rosa

Continuing our twice-monthly schedule, HUFF-hungry folks will have to wait another week.  You can also contact HUFF central by phone for assignments, reports, and updates at 831-423-4833.   We need help reviewing the last half-year’s harassment of homeless by Parks and Rec Rangers.

Volunteer if you fancy.


In the meantime check out “Flyer Distributed in the MLK Police-Led “Peace and Justice” March in Santa Cruz” at https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2018/01/16/18805901.php for one HUFFster’s sour view of the Monday downtown parade.

HUFF Back Again at the Sub Rosa Tomorrow (Wednesday 1-10-18) with the usual gnashing and snarling

Continuing our twice-monthly schedule, HUFFsters will review the wreckage the first City Council meeting of the year, check out the well-damped San Lorenzo Camp Ground, and and check-in tomorrow(Wednesday morning),  at the Sub Rosa Cafe at 703 Pacific Ave.  Hopefully we’ll be meeting indoors and warming out hands around coffee, tea, or whatever.

On the informal agenda is the recent Next Door harassment of folks in vehicles, winter seizure of homeless property, establishing communication with other encampments in other cities, the Loomis Road Residents (in Vehicles) Association), the proposed City gravel campground at 1220 River St., and more….