{"id":2263,"date":"2016-01-07T17:54:54","date_gmt":"2016-01-07T17:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/?p=2263"},"modified":"2016-01-07T17:54:54","modified_gmt":"2016-01-07T17:54:54","slug":"sacramento-nightly-protests-against-homeless-hating-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/sacramento-nightly-protests-against-homeless-hating-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacramento Nightly Protests Against Homeless-Hating Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NOTES BY NORSE: Santa Cruz’s Freedom Sleepers<\/i> haven’t been alone in challenging the Sleep Deprivation laws designed to make cities “unwelcome” to poor people forced to sleep outside.\u00a0 Recently in Sacramento activists have sustained a nightly campaign protesting anti-homeless laws there.\u00a0 Santa Cruz activists are talking about resuming protests against the anti-homeless Santa Cruz “Sleeping Ban” (MC 6.36.010a) which prohibits sleeping outside in a vehicle, and\/or in any non-residential structure when City Council returns from its Xmas vacation on Tuesday January 13th<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0 Plans are also afoot among HUFF<\/i> activists to picket the “First Alarm” (more accurately termed “False Alarm”) security thugs hired to scare away homeless folks from sleeping during the day in parks, at City Hall, or near the library.\u00a0 For more information, come to the Food Not Bombs<\/i> meal at 4 PM<\/span><\/span> Sunday January 11th<\/span><\/span> in front of the main Post Office downtown, or call HUFF<\/i> at 831-423-4833<\/a>.
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Homeless demand change in Sacramento’s no camping ordinance<\/h1>\n

Campers have been outside city hall for more than 20 days<\/h2>\n
UPDATED\u00a011:49 PM PST Dec 29, 2015<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) \u2014<\/span>Homeless campers have been outside city hall for more than 20 days, demanding the city reverse it\u2019s camping ban. They aren’t using tents but have similar camp paraphernalia, which is illegal.<\/span>
\n“It shouldn’t be illegal to be able to just find a safe spot to sleep,\u201d homeless camper Mohammed Abughannan said.<\/span>
\nOther than a few cigarette butts and chalk art on the sidewalk, the campers have been keeping the walkways clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We want to let them to know that we’re not here to trash their property,\u201d homeless camper David Sanchez said. \u201cWe’re not here to destroy it. <\/span>
\nWe’re just here to make a statement that in the future, hopefully, that this will all be resolved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sacramento police said they can stay as long as they’re peaceful and keep the walkways clear. The campers said they’re not leaving until the ordinance is changed.<\/span>
\nThe city issued a statement that reads in part:<\/span>
\n“\u2026The Sacramento city council is not inclined to repeal the city’s anti-camping ordinance.”<\/span>
\n“Well, then they better be ready for us to maintain our presence here for a lot longer and continue to grow,” organizer James Faygo Clark said.<\/span>
\n“It doesn’t look good, but it doesn’t bother me,\u201d Sacramento resident Ginger Greer said. \u201cI mean it’s the city, you have to expect it.”<\/span>
\nResident Joann Sprogis, who walks by city hall every day, disagrees.<\/span>
\n“You know, I have to live with the building codes. I don’t know why these people need to be exempt,” Sprogis said.<\/span>
\n“It’s good. They’re trying to change some stuff because it does violate their rights, you know, the right to sleep, the right to rest,\u201d Sacramento resident Tyler Cole said. \u201cSo, it’s good they’re trying to change that.\u201d<\/span>
\nViolating the ordinance is a misdemeanor. So far, there have been no arrests and no citations have been issued.<\/span>
\n<\/span>VIDEO AND COMMENTS AT <\/span>http:\/\/www.kcra.com\/news\/homeless-demand-change-in-sacramentos-no-camping-ordinance\/37187558<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n

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Homeless return to Sacramento City Hall under political, legal cloud<\/h1>\n

Attorney calls city ordinance prohibiting camping unconstitutional, vows lawsuit<\/h2>\n
UPDATED\u00a07:39 PM PST Jan 03, 2016<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) \u2014<\/span>More than a dozen homeless people are back at Sacramento City Hall on Sunday, continuing their camping protest despite weekend arrests.<\/span>
\nHomeless advocates told KCRA 3 at least four homeless campers were arrested by Sacramento police.<\/span>
\nMohammed Abughannam, who was among those arrested, said the city’s plan is get homeless advocates off the grounds <\/span>“because we’re an eyesore.”<\/a><\/span>
\nAbughannam claims he broke his arm while police enforced Sacramento’s anti-camping ordinance.<\/span>
\nIn a statement to KCRA 3, Sacramento city spokeswoman Linda Tucker said: “The Sacramento Police Department takes any complaints or allegations of injury very seriously and conducts thorough investigations following all allegations. As of today, we have not received any reports or observed serious injuries related to the protests at City Hall. All arrests were digitally recorded up until the arrestee was booked into the Sacramento County Jail.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mike Luery\/KCRA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The city offered shelter for the campers, but Abughannam said it was not an option for everyone.<\/span>
\n“Some people can’t get in because they are susceptible to getting sick. They have anxieties about being around other people,” Abughannam said.<\/span>
\nThe homeless are supported by civil rights attorney Mark Merin, who won a multimillion settlement from the city several years ago over the confiscation of homeless property.<\/span>
\nMerin said he plans to sue the city again for what he calls an unconstitutional anti-camping ordinance.<\/span>
\n“It doesn’t make any sense to treat homeless people that way,” Merin said. “We need wiser decisions. We need a more enlightened leadership. And we need the public to come forward and say this is idiotic.”<\/span>
\nThe homeless protest has now become a hot-button political issue for candidates running for mayor, including Tony Lopez.<\/span>
\nLopez said he supports the city’s enforcement of the no-camping ordinance.<\/span>
\n“What they’re doing is actually illegal,”<\/a><\/span> Lopez said. “So the cops have to be cops. Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean the laws don’t affect you.”<\/span>
\nLopez is not alone. Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby, who’s also in the mayoral race, supports the city’s ordinance, calling it an effective tool for outreach to the homeless.<\/span>
\n“What we’re really trying to do in Sacramento, I think, is not accept sleeping outside as an acceptable form of living,” Ashby said. “We really want to get people into housing and that requires that we’re able to talk to them.”<\/span>
\nFormer Senate President Darrell Steinberg, also a candidate, said he has no problem with law enforcement officials doing their job.<\/span>
\n“But this all misses the point,”<\/a><\/span>\u00a0Steinberg said. “The real point is we must have a policy in the city of Sacramento, and our greater region, that puts housing first.”<\/span>
\nA fourth candidate for mayor, Russell Rawlings, told KCRA 3 that the city ordinance must be repealed.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Monday, the state Legislature returns to the state Capitol with a new budget proposal designed to tackle the issue of homelessness statewide.<\/span>
\n<\/span>FOR VIDEO AND COMMENTS GO TO: <\/span>http:\/\/www.kcra.com\/news\/homeless-return-to-sacramento-city-hall-under-political-legal-cloud\/37248182<\/a>
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1 arrested as homeless remain outside Sacramento City Hall<\/span><\/h1>\n

Homeless group continues to protest no camping ordinance<\/span><\/h2>\n

UPDATED\u00a02:12 PM PST Jan 04, 2016SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) \u2014<\/span>One person was arrested Monday<\/span><\/span> morning as homeless protesters remain camped out at Sacramento City Hall after police removed some of them from the area over the weekend.<\/span>
\nLawmakers will introduce an initiative Monday<\/span><\/span> called “No Place Like Home” to tackle the homeless problem throughout the state. The proposed legislation would provide funding for homeless housing statewide.<\/span>
\nSome of those who have camped outside City Hall for the last 27 days said help can’t come soon enough.<\/span>
\nThe Sacramento Police Department told KCRA 3 that <\/span>more than 40 officers in riot gear removed protesters Saturday<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span>, and four people were arrested.<\/span>
\nSome homeless went to warming shelters, but most returned hours later.<\/span>
\nAccording to a representative for the homeless group, police were back out at 2:45 a.m.<\/span><\/span> Monday<\/span><\/span> telling protesters they can’t sleep in front of City Hall because it’s considered camping and in violation of a city ordinance.<\/span>
\nFormer Senate President Darrell Steinberg, who is running for Sacramento mayor, will be at Monday’s<\/span><\/span> planned events in both Sacramento and Los Angeles.<\/span>
\n“We must have a policy in the city of Sacramento and in our greater region that puts housing first as the main strategy to seriously reduce homelessness,” Steinberg said.<\/span>
\nBut not everyone agrees it is the best solution to the problem.<\/span>
\n“The fact is services are not existing in a way that take care of people. There are not enough, for one, and they don’t work for people,” said Niki Jones, who is camping out with the group. “They are not culturally competent for people who have experienced trauma. We need to provide <\/span>
\nservices in a way that can help support people.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Homeless protesters said they aren’t going anywhere until the no camping ordinance is changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

FOR VIDEO AND COMMENTS GO TO: http:\/\/www.kcra.com\/news\/1-arrested-as-homeless-remain-outside-sacramento-city-hall\/37253358<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

MORE STORIES AT http:\/\/www.capradio.org\/news\/insight\/2016\/01\/05\/insight-010516a\/<\/a> <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  NOTES BY NORSE: Santa Cruz’s Freedom Sleepers haven’t been alone in challenging the Sleep Deprivation laws designed to make cities “unwelcome” to poor people forced to sleep outside.\u00a0 Recently in Sacramento activists have sustained a nightly campaign protesting anti-homeless … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[4,14,107],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2263"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2264,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2263\/revisions\/2264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}