HUFF Contact for Reports:   There will be a rep to gather any street reports and check-in’s today at 1:30

UPDATES ON ONGOING ISSUES

• Retaining COVID-19 Campground Gains:  How to keep what the City/County have grudgingly given?  The City-acknowledged survival camps–both those across from Coral St. and at the Benchlands, plus homeless-run ones around the City.  Not to mention portapotties, wash stations, and trash cans appearing spottily here and there (but not much in the Pogonip).
  
• Expanded Police Powers:  Reining in “emergency” powers seized by Bernal, Mills, and City Department Heads.  Anticipating and preempting the return of the Mills/Condotti Police Powers 8-point Repression program as well as the “improved” Camping Ordinance slithering its way through the CACH committee. 
  
• City Council Doom Report: Yesterday’s City Council meeting saw reauthorization and possible expansion of the “Ambassadors” (the rebranded “Hosts” of olden days), rubberstamping of the Mills/Bernal removal of the Coral St. campground and their rules for the Benchlands encampment.  As well as no substantive support for tenants.  Beiers, Cummings, and Brown voted in a block on some issues and made a few comments, but took little strong action giving a “feel good” unanimous illusion to the Council’s actions.
  
• Report on Local Motel Room Stats for the Vulnerable:  Still no new word from Mayor “NoJustice” Justin Cummings (other than “tell it to the County workers”),  county worker Jessica Scheider, and other local Project Roomkey fund fondlers.
• New Indefinite Powers for Cops and the Deputized City Employees:  Passed last night without any stats showing the need for them.  These included the power (which the City already has) to reduce a misdemeanor to an infraction.  News that the City has given out more than 300 $400+ citations for COVID-19 violations with no stats on how many were to folks outside.
  
• Resuming Direct Action Protests: Corporate and conservative “Lift the Shelter in Place & Open the Public Beaches” protesters may be at Cowell’s Beach again 3-5 PM on Friday May 29th.   HUFFsters might consider a socially-distanced picket line or honk in outside the residences of City and County officials to demand immediate action to occupy and open Motel rooms for vulnerable folks outside. 
  
• Reports of Vehicle Tows Are on the Rise:  With rumored countersuits by the ACLU and Anthony Prince’s Santa Cruz Homeless Union not happening here (though some action reported in Sacramento).
  
• Support for Possible City Action Against Food Not Bombs  No new hostile actions have been clearly signaled, but the temptation for the City to use its “emergency powers” to further harass one of the few food providers in the City must be vigilantly monitored.
  
• Reports from Other Homeless Activists Elsewhere (Salinas, Berkeley, Marysville, Monterey)  Go to http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html for the latest shows.  Check http://huffsantacruz.org/wordpress/ for the content of the shows. 
  
• Researching During the Lockdown–Tracking Those in Power:  Who are our Key Powerbrokers in Santa Cruz:  Real estate interests, the Canfield Company, the University, Swenson, et. al.–let’s expose the facts and let them speak for themselves.  Any volunteers?
  
• Progress Reports on the 99%: on Encampments outside including San Lorenzo Park, Coral St., the Pogonip: What they need, how they’re faring, new contacts  I’m gathering contacts.  If you have ’em, phone me at 423-4833 or e-mail me at rnorse3@hotmail.com.
• Mills Still Breaking His “Word” on Vehicle Harassment:  Nothing new here, but recent reports of vehicle harassment and seizure, not to mention the officially-sanctioned vandalism of “tire chalking” continues in spite of court prohibition in other states (see https://www.npr.org/2019/04/23/716248823/court-says-using-chalk-on-tires-for-parking-enforcement-violates-constitution ).
  
• Coronavirus Copwatch: Reports on Police, Ranger, Security Thug, and Business Behavior Towards Those Outside   The Coral St. sweep, constriction of the San Lorenzo Benchlands camp, lack of available drinking water, absence of portapotties and washing stations in the Felker St. area, as well as Mills’ illegal “move along” of street musicians and others—call it in, call it out 

• Good Though Distant Source: SF Coalition on Homelessness panel of medical experts demands testing now, and immediate movement of crowded shelter residents into individual motel rooms. Still relevant is the press conference & discussion at https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionOnHomelessness/videos/2954977444559143/?  
  
• SC Homeless Union Looking:  …for blankets, tents, and other survival gear.  Leave them at the Food Not Bombs meal (see below) or call Alicia at 431-7766.   …for medical professionals working in respiratory therapy, nursing, other life-saving professions willing to write, e-mail, or call city, county, and state officials to open up the motel rooms.  
• Food Not Bombs [FNB] meal and clothes distribution is still  daily 1-6 PM at the parking lot next to the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union at Laurel & Front.  Weekends the meal will be 4-6 PM.   Food preppers wanted at Vet’s Hall weekends noon.

• Metro Bathrooms Still Closed?:  Yep.  As reportedly are the parking garage bathrooms.  Why?
  

• Rent strike reports?: FNB reports folks reporting illegal evictions continue.  And vacant buildings remain vacant as the virus spreads.   Distress grows while the banks and big boys get the bail-out’s with unemployment skyrocketing.  Contact Tenant Sanctuary with reports of illegal evictions at (831)200-0740 .  Go public by calling Free Radio at 423-4833.

• HUFF MAY BE ORGANIZING BY PHONE to support the demand for Motel rooms before the only option  is quarantine areas.  CONTACT US AT 831-423-4833 OR RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP OR WANT TO PROVIDE REPORTS.

• Frequent local updates can still be found on Facebook under Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs, Santa Cruz County Homeless Advocates, Homeless Outside in Santa Cruz, SCCCP (Santa Cruz and Central Coast Politics), Monterey County Homeless Advocates, The Santa Cruz Community, (SF) Coalition on Homelessness.  More distant updates:  homelesstimes.com, http://homelessperspective.com, https://wraphome.org/,
  

HISTORICAL REMINDERS from a HUFFster’s perspective

• Very very few motel or hotel rooms are yet available for the 1000-2000 homeless outside who want and may need them to shelter more safely and securely in spite of government directives and financial grants.  Funding exists, promises are made, promises are broken.
  
• The inadequate “normal” charitable activities of those working with churches, social services, etc. have been cut back or closed–many of the staff of these organizations are over 60 and particularly vulnerable to the corona virus.
• Normal donations to those directly seeking survival money through “panhandling” have been discouraged or criminalized under the new emergency regs, enacted without public discussion or vote.  Support those panhandling on the medians and elsewhere.
  
• Public transportation options have been restricted or shut down, making access to what limited resources there are even more problematic.
• Mayor Cummings has still not issued no calls for an emergency Council meeting to pass elementary measures already done in other cities like a moratorium on rents.  
• We must confront directly, clearly, persistently, loudly and immediately to secure the basic survival needs of the community in the current crisis.
  
• Contact Food Not Bombs (575-770-3377), HUFF (831-423-4833), or the Santa Cruz Homeless Union (831-431-7766) if you wish to help.

HUFF Contact for Reports:  There will be a rep to gather any street reports and check-in’s today at 1 PM at the Food Not Bombs meal at Laurel and Front Sts.  No coffee (sigh).  No paper Street Spirits yet nor financial assistance for vendors. If you can’t make it and at other times if you have reports, questions, or complaints, please contact me by phone at 831-423-4833.  I will continue netcast reports on Thursday and Sunday as long as information comes in.  Keep it coming!

UPDATES ON ONGOING ISSUES

• Retaining COVID-19 Campground Gains:  Glover and Krohn couldn’t even get real survival camps on the agenda; now there are two of them, partially city supported near Coral Street’s “Housing Mutters” and in the Benchlands.
• Expanded Police Powers:  Reining in “emergency” powers seized by Bernal, Mills, and City Department Heads.  Anticipating and preempting the return of the Mills/Condotti Police Powers 8-point Repression program as well as the “improved” Camping Ordinance slithering its way through the CACH committee.
  
• Report on Local Motel Room Stats for the Vulnerable:  No new word from Mayor “NoJustice” Justin Cummings (other than “tell it to the County workers”),  county worker Jessica Scheider, and other local Project Roomkey fund fondlers.
  
• Resuming Direct Action Protests: Corporate and conservative “Lift the Shelter in Place & Open the Public Beaches” protesters are slated to be at Cowell’s Beach 3-5 PM on Friday May 22nd.   HUFFsters might consider a socially-distanced picket line or honk in outside the residences of City and County officials to demand immediate action to occupy and open Motel rooms for vulnerable folks outside. 
  
• Prep for Any 5-26 Council Meeting “Action”   Who knows what wonders are likely to be lurking on the agenda (out by Friday the 22nd) and posted on-line?   Council and its City Staff bosses may not be listening, but some in the community may be.   If we speak out loudly, visibly, and persistently enough.
  
• Support for Possible City Action Against Food Not Bombs  No new hostile actions have been clearly signaled, but the temptation for the City to use its “emergency powers” to further harass one of the few food providers in the City must be vigilantly monitored.
  
• Reports from Other Homeless Activists Elsewhere (Salinas, Berkeley, Marysville, Monterey)  Go to http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html for the latest shows.  Check http://huffsantacruz.org/wordpress/ for the content of the shows. 
  
• Researching During the Lockdown–Tracking Those in Power:  Who are our Key Powerbrokers in Santa Cruz:  Real estate interests, the Canfield Company, the University, Swenson, et. al.–let’s expose the facts and let them speak for themselves.
  
• Progress Reports on the 99%: on Encampments outside including San Lorenzo Park, Coral St., the Pogonip: What they need, how they’re faring, new contacts  I’m gathering contacts.  If you have ’em, phone me at 423-4833 or e-mail me at rnorse3@hotmail.com.
• Lost Lawsuits: Remember the chatter about follow-up lawsuits after the City’s slamdown closure of Camp Ross and then the Desiree memorial campground?  The Santa Cruz Homeless Union, the local ACLU, and Disability Rights groups have made claims.  What’s up?
• Mills Breaking His “Word” on Vehicle Harassment:  Nothing new here, but recent reports of vehicle harassment and seizure, not to mention the officially-sanctioned vandalism of “tire chalking” continues in spite of court prohibition in other states (see https://www.npr.org/2019/04/23/716248823/court-says-using-chalk-on-tires-for-parking-enforcement-violates-constitution ).
  
• Coronavirus Copwatch: Reports on Police, Ranger, Security Thug, and Business Behavior Towards Those Outside   The Coral St. sweep, constriction of the San Lorenzo Benchlands camp, lack of available drinking water, absence of portapotties and washing stations in the Felker St. area, as well as Mills’ illegal “move along” of street musicians and others—call it in, call it out 

• Still Relevant and Telling: SF Coalition on Homelessness panel of medical experts demands testing now, and immediate movement of crowded shelter residents into individual motel rooms. Still relevant is the press conference & discussion at https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionOnHomelessness/videos/2954977444559143/?  
  
  
• SC Homeless Union Looking:  …for blankets, tents, and other survival gear.  Leave them at the Food Not Bombs meal (see below) or call Alicia at 431-7766.   …for medical professionals working in respiratory therapy, nursing, other life-saving professions willing to write, e-mail, or call city, county, and state officials to open up the motel rooms.  
• Food Not Bombs [FNB] meal and clothes distribution is still  daily 1-6 PM at the parking lot next to the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union at Laurel & Front.  Weekends the meal will be 4-6 PM.   Food preppers wanted at Vet’s Hall weekends noon.

HUFF Contact for Reports:   There may be a rep to gather any street reports and check-in’s today at 1 PM at the Food Not Bombs meal at Laurel and Front Sts.  No coffee (sigh).  Nopaper Street Spirits yet nor financial assistance for vendors. Otherwise and at other times if you have reports, questions, or complaints, please contact me by phone at 831-423-4833.  I will continue netcast reports on Thursday and Sunday as long as information comes in.  Keep it coming!

UPDATES ON ONGOING ISSUES

• Linking Up with “Motels Not Hospital Beds” Movement of the Bay Area & Other Local Groups 
• Report on Local Motel Room Accessibility:  Mayor “NoJustice” Justin Cummings deflected my questions yesterday at the City Council asking for the numbers of vulnerable and disabled folks in Motel rooms and how much money had been spent of Gov. Newsom’s Project Roomkey.  He and other authorities have not volunteered info on whether all who’d requested COVID-19 tests in the group shelters specifically not recommended by the CDC has gotten them, and how many have been given access to the safer Project Roomkey hotel rooms.  County worker Jessica Scheider has also not responded to follow-up questions.
  
• Possible Direct Action to Expose City Manager Dithering on Motel Room Access: Caravaning to Politician Lairs No direct action from HUFF, Food Not Bombs, SC Homeless Union, or any other organized groups that I know of.
  
• Prep for Any 5-12 Council Meeting “Action”  I barely nerved myself up to call in for Oral Communications.  Likely the 2nd reading of extended police powers to many city agencies passed and will become official law in a month.
  
• Support for Possible City Action Against Food Not Bombs  Keith reported a temporary move yesterday across the street as well as extended services to the Benchlands fenced-in group, but a plan to return to Laurel and Front St. today.
  
• Reports from Other Homeless Activists Elsewhere (Salinas, Berkeley, Marysville, Monterey)  Go to http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html for the latest shows.  Check http://huffsantacruz.org/wordpress/ for the content of the shows.  The 5-3-20 show has reports from other cities.
  
• Tracking Those in Power:  Who are our Key Powerbrokers to Petition and Protest for Opening Motel Rooms under Project Roomkey?  Any volunteers to research these issues so we can “lobby distantly” or maybe carpool for some “protected protest”?
  
• Progress Reports on the 99%: on Encampments outside including San Lorenzo Park, Coral St., the Pogonip: What they need, how they’re faring, new contacts  I’m gathering contacts.  If you have ’em, phone me at 423-4833 or e-mail me at rnorse3@hotmail.com
• Rumors of Legal Action to Fight Sweeps, Motel Room Denial, Police Abuse, and Fund Mismanagement  Nothing on the lawsuit front in spite of rumored promises, a vehicle dweller reported his home and business vehicle both stolen by police.  Call in reports.
  
• Coronavirus Copwatch: Reports on Police, Ranger, Security Thug, and Business Behavior Towards Those Outside   Food provider denied access to the new Tent Village across from Coral Street’s Housing Mutters
  
• Activists in Other Cities Under Fire:  Lucero Luna back!  And here!
  

• Still Relevant and Telling: SF Coalition on Homelessness panel of medical experts demands testing now, and immediate movement of crowded shelter residents into individual motel rooms. Still relevant is the press conference & discussion at https://www.facebook.com/CoalitionOnHomelessness/videos/2954977444559143/?  
  
  
• SC Homeless Union Looking:  …for blankets, tents, and other survival gear.  Leave them at the Food Not Bombs meal (see below) or call Alicia at 431-7766.   …for medical professionals working in respiratory therapy, nursing, other life-saving professions willing to write, e-mail, or call city, county, and state officials to open up the motel rooms.  
• Food Not Bombs [FNB] meal and clothes distribution is still  daily 1-6 PM at the parking lot next to the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union at Laurel & Front.  Weekends the meal will be 4-6 PM.   Food preppers wanted at Vet’s Hall weekends noon.

• Still unanswered questions:
  

• Why is Mayor Cummings allowing Police Chief Mills to Eliminate the Coral St. Encampment and Constrict the Benchlands without offering Motel Rooms to the Vulnerable?
  
• How many of those crammed into unhealthy shelters have been offered the option of motel rooms rather than the dangerous conditions in the Vet’s Hall, the Armory, the Laurel St. shelter, Page Smith Community House, and the Paul Lee Loft?  
• Why are no City Council members demanding these figures from the City Managers Bernal & O’Hara?
• Of those in the unhealthy shelters, how many have been tested for COVID-19?  How many are sick?   How many have recovered? 
• Where’s the FEMA and Governor’s funding specifically for those motel rooms?  How much is left?  How was it spent?
  
• Why isn’t Santa Cruz doing what San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other Counties are doing: Immediately Housing Vulnerable Folks Now!
  
• What are the priorities–are the most vulnerable but not yet ill or COVID-19 infected–to be last while waiting for the sickness to hit?
  

• Metro Bathrooms Still Closed?:  Haven’t heard different.  Even during the day?    While conditions are improving, some portapotties and washing stations are reportedly insufficiently cleaned and lack water, toilet paper, and paper towels  HUFF IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO DO A DAILY CHECK AND REPORT IN ON THE VARIOUS PORTAPOTTIES AND PRIMITIVE GARAGE BATHROOMS (often lacking privacy) throughout the City.. We checked a few during the Tour of Shame last Sunday, but need to do so more thoroughly and regularly.

• Rent strike reports?: FNB reports folks reporting illegal evictions continue.  And vacant buildings remain vacant as the virus spreads.   Distress grows while the banks and big boys get the bail-out’s with unemployment skyrocketing.  Contact Tenant Sanctuary with reports of illegal evictions at (831)200-0740 .

• HUFF MAY BE ORGANIZING BY PHONE to support the demand for Motel rooms before the only option  is quarantine areas.  CONTACT US AT 831-423-4833 OR RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP OR WANT TO PROVIDE REPORTS.

• Frequent local updates can still be found on Facebook under Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs, Santa Cruz County Homeless Advocates, Homeless Outside in Santa Cruz, SCCCP (Santa Cruz and Central Coast Politics), Monterey County Homeless Advocates, The Santa Cruz Community, (SF) Coalition on Homelessness.  More distant updates:  homelesstimes.com, http://homelessperspective.com, https://wraphome.org/,
  

HISTORICAL REMINDERS from a HUFFster’s perspective

• Check at http://www.huffsantacruz.org/Lostshows.html to hear a series of phoned-in reports from different activists and workers–which should be posted shortly and may be updated more frequently.
  
• Recent shutdowns at the Library, Louden Nelson, the Metro, the publicly sponsored Bookshop Santa Cruz, closed restaurants and businesses make this situation ever more dangerous both for folks outside and the broader community.
• Very very few motel or hotel rooms are yet available for the 1000-2000 homeless outside who want and may need them to shelter more safely and securely in spite of government directives and financial grants.  Funding exists, promises are made, promises are broken.
  
• The inadequate “normal” charitable activities of those working with churches, social services, etc. have been cut back or closed–many of the staff of these organizations are over 60 and particularly vulnerable to the corona virus.
• Normal donations to those directly seeking survival money through “panhandling” have been discouraged or criminalized under the new emergency regs, enacted without public discussion or vote.  Support those panhandling on the medians and elsewhere.
  
• Public transportation options have been restricted or shut down, making access to what limited resources there are even more problematic.
• Mayor Cummings has still not issued no calls for an emergency Council meeting to pass elementary measures already done in other cities like a moratorium on rents. 
  
• City Manager Martin Bernal & the City Council majority continue their long history of resisting the expansion of basic services for the less privileged in town.
• Supervisor Coonerty and the Board of Supervisors have declined to provide county-wide resources in an equitable and sensible fashion.
  
• The health of the community depends on our community action through a direct and united response.
  
• The current Corona Virus crisis has prompted City and County to grudgingly and partially expand the unhealthy indoor shelter services (in violation of CDC guidelines) and to provide some long overdue portapotties and wash stations, but not in key locations like the Levy and Felker St.
• Overcrowding is being encouraged in San Lorenzo Park by the police pressure.
  
• Meekly following the dictates of authority in this crisis has not in the past, nor likely in the future, to be a wise, health-providing, and productive course.
• We must confront directly, clearly, persistently, loudly and immediately to secure the basic survival needs of the community in the current crisis.
• With washed hands and care to keep physical distance, bring food and yourselves to the noon food serving to sustain the survival effort and take the necessary future steps.
• Contact Food Not Bombs (575-770-3377), HUFF (831-423-4833), or the Santa Cruz Homeless Union (831-431-7766) if unable to come for health or other reasons. (454-2200) and you wish to help.