{"id":4533,"date":"2020-04-29T17:17:30","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T17:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/?p=4533"},"modified":"2020-04-29T17:17:30","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T17:17:30","slug":"brief-huff-minimeet-a-huffster-or-two-will-be-lingering-at-the-food-not-bombs-meal-today-4-29-at-1-pm-at-laurel-and-front-st-to-gathering-reports-distribute-some-supplies-wear-masks-keep-distanc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/brief-huff-minimeet-a-huffster-or-two-will-be-lingering-at-the-food-not-bombs-meal-today-4-29-at-1-pm-at-laurel-and-front-st-to-gathering-reports-distribute-some-supplies-wear-masks-keep-distanc\/","title":{"rendered":"Brief HUFF minimeet A HUFFster or two will be lingering at the Food Not Bombs meal today (4-29) at 1 PM at Laurel and Front St. to gathering reports, distribute some supplies, wear masks, keep distance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<table class=\"wp-block-table\"><tbody><tr><td><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HUFF Huddle:&nbsp;<\/strong> Today at 1 PM at the Food Not Bombs meal at Laurel and Front Sts.&nbsp; Coffee unlikely. No\n<em>Street Spirits<\/em> yet.\n\nMeeting will be small, brief, distanced, and masked to deter police interference.&nbsp;\n<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Report on the &#8220;Services Not Sweeps&#8221; Protest in Sacramento Yesterday:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wraphome.org\/2020\/03\/26\/sacramento-services-not-sweeps-coalition-ssnsc-demands\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/wraphome.org\/2020\/03\/26\/sacramento-services-not-sweeps-coalition-ssnsc-demands\/<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Santa Cruz City Council report from 4-28:&nbsp;<\/strong>\n Our response to the refusal to rein in the City Manager; Mayor \nCummings, City Mangler Bernal, and COVID Enabler O&#8217;Hara justify past and\n future attacks on<em> Food Not Bombs.&nbsp;\n<\/em>General Council report.<br>\n<br>\n<\/li><li><strong>Raising Our Voices Higher!\n<\/strong>Expand and Extend: \n<strong>the &#8220;Motel Rooms Now!&#8221;<\/strong> demands.&nbsp; See &#8220;Shame on Santa Cruz&#8211;Hotels Not Hospitals&#8221; at\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.indybay.org\/newsitems\/2020\/04\/21\/18832547.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.indybay.org\/newsitems\/2020\/04\/21\/18832547.php<\/a>\n<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>A Second Tour of Shame? <\/strong>\nto demand and expose unspent moneys,\n vacant hotel rooms, encampments without portapotties or washstations, \nCOVID-19 vulnerable shelters, etc.\n<br>\n<br>\n<\/li><li><strong>Tracking Those in Power:&nbsp; Who are our Key Powerbrokers to Petition and Protest for Opening Motel Rooms under Project Roomkey?<\/strong>&nbsp;\n &#8220;California could house its entire population in empty hotel rooms right now&#8221; \nat&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2020\/4\/22\/21215319\/empty-hotels-homeless-housing-california-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/2020\/4\/22\/21215319\/empty-hotels-homeless-housing-california-coronavirus<\/a>&nbsp;\n<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Progress Reports <\/strong><strong>on the 99%:<\/strong> on Encampments outside including San Lorenzo Park, Coral St., the Pogonip: What they need, how they&#8217;re faring,\n new contacts<br>\n<br>\n<\/li><li><strong>Coronavirus Copwatch:<\/strong>\n How are police\/rangers\/security thugs respecting the rights and \nproviding fair service to those with backpacks and ragged clothing \ndowntown and around the County?<\/li><li><strong>Shelter Casualty Report<\/strong>:&nbsp;\n Are those inside the Vet&#8217;s Hall, Laurel St., Armory, and Coral St. \nbeing offered COVID-19 testing if they want it?&nbsp;\n How many have been offered rooms as &#8220;vulnerable&#8221;?&nbsp;&nbsp; How many classified\n as &#8220;vulnerable&#8221;?&nbsp;&nbsp; How many want them?&nbsp; How many are sick?&nbsp;&nbsp; How many \nhave been sick?&nbsp; How many have been evicted&#8211;and what protections do \nthey have?&nbsp;\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2020\/04\/20\/coronavirus-testing-for-all-sf-supervisor-demands-universal-testing-in-homeless-shelters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\nhttps:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2020\/04\/20\/coronavirus-testing-for-all-sf-supervisor-demands-universal-testing-in-homeless-shelters\/<\/a>&nbsp; Few answers were provided or requested at yesterday&#8217;s City Council meeting.<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Still Relevant and Telling<\/strong>:\n<em>SF Coalition on Homelessness<\/em>\n panel of medical experts demands testing now, and immediate movement of\n crowded shelter residents into individual motel rooms. Still relevant \nis the press conference\n &amp; discussion at <a href=\"https:\/\/eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCoalitionOnHomelessness%2Fvideos%2F2954977444559143%2F%3F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C4de7ccd3dca64a8aa1dd08d7e1631ecf%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637225688137228156&amp;sdata=MgnZuq9PeDgENFZOtlwVfnLWdOvyfTM%2BVnjOdv7ytqY%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/CoalitionOnHomelessness\/videos\/2954977444559143\/?<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<br>\n<br>\n<\/li><li><strong>SC Homeless Union Looking:<\/strong>&nbsp; &#8230;for blankets, tents, and other survival gear.&nbsp; Leave them at the\n<em>Food Not Bombs<\/em> meal (see below) or call Alicia at 431-7766.&nbsp;&nbsp; \n&#8230;for medical professionals working in respiratory therapy, nursing, \nother life-saving professions willing to write, e-mail, or call city, \ncounty, and state officials to open up the motel\n rooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><em><strong>Food Not Bombs [FNB]\n<\/strong><\/em>meal and clothes distribution is still&nbsp; daily 1-6 PM at the \nparking lot next to the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union at Laurel \n&amp; Front.&nbsp; Weekends the meal will be 4-6 PM.&nbsp;&nbsp; Food preppers wanted at Vet&#8217;s Hall weekends noon.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Still unanswered questions:<\/strong><br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>How many of those \ncrammed into unhealthy shelters have been offered the option of motel \nrooms rather than the dangerous conditions in the Vet\u2019s Hall, the \nArmory, the Laurel St. shelter, Page Smith Community House,\n and the Paul Lee Loft?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>Why are no City Council members demanding these figures from the City Managers Bernal &amp; O&#8217;Hara?<\/li><li>Of those in the unhealthy shelters, how many have been tested for COVID-19?&nbsp;\nHow many are sick?&nbsp;&nbsp; How many have recovered?&nbsp;<\/li><li>Where\u2019s the FEMA and Governor\u2019s funding specifically for those motel rooms?&nbsp;\nHow much is left?&nbsp; How was it spent?<br>\n<\/li><li>Why \nisn&#8217;t Santa Cruz doing what San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other \nCounties are doing: Immediately Housing Vulnerable Folks Now!<br>\n<\/li><li>What are the \npriorities&#8211;are the most vulnerable but not yet ill or COVID-19 \ninfected&#8211;to be last while waiting for the sickness to hit?<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Still fenced off and vacant:\n<\/strong>the Town Clock and nearby areas.&nbsp;\n Why?&nbsp; To deter homeless people from setting up survival tents as was \nthe case around the Town Clock and next to the Post Office?&nbsp; To \ndramatize the power of the police\n chief and city manager?<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Metro and Park Bathrooms Still Closed<\/strong>?:&nbsp;\n Even during the day?&nbsp;&nbsp; With so many people sleeping in San Lorenzo\n Park?&nbsp;&nbsp; Some portapotties and washing stations are reportedly \ninsufficiently cleaned and often lack water, toilet paper, and paper \ntowels&nbsp; HUFF IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO .DO A DAILY CHECK AND REPORT IN ON\n THE VARIOUS PORTAPOTTIES AND PRIMITIVE GARAGE BATHROOMS\n (often lacking privacy) throughout the City.. We checked a few during \nthe Tour of Shame last Sunday, but need to do so more thoroughly and \nregularly.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Rent strike reports?<\/strong>: FNB \nreports folks reporting illegal evictions continue.&nbsp; And vacant \nbuildings remain vacant as the virus spreads.&nbsp;&nbsp; Contact Tenant Sanctuary\n with reports of illegal evictions\n at&nbsp;(831)200-0740 . <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>HUFF<\/strong> <strong>MAY BE ORGANIZING<\/strong> BY\n PHONE to support the demand for Motel rooms before the only option&nbsp; is \nquarantine areas.&nbsp; CONTACT US AT 831-423-4833 OR RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL \nIF YOU&#8217;D LIKE TO HELP\n OR WANT TO PROVIDE REPORTS. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong><em>Street Spirit <\/em><\/strong><strong>newspaper distribution operations<\/strong> are currently suspended, but the Berkeley vendor center is still reportedly&nbsp; looking\n for ways to provide some interim support for vendors whose sales lifeline has been cut off.&nbsp; No word yet.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Frequent local updates<\/strong>\n can still be found on Facebook under Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs, Santa \nCruz County Homeless\n Advocates, Homeless Outside in Santa Cruz, SCCCP (Santa Cruz and \nCentral Coast Politics), Monterey County Homeless Advocates, The Santa \nCruz Community, (SF) Coalition on Homelessness.&nbsp; More distant updates:&nbsp; <a href=\"http:\/\/homelesstimes.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">homelesstimes.com<\/a>,\n<a href=\"http:\/\/homelessperspective.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">http:\/\/homelessperspective.com<\/a>,\n<a href=\"https:\/\/wraphome.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/wraphome.org\/<\/a>,\n<br>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HISTORICAL REMINDERS from a HUFFster&#8217;s perspective<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Check at\n<a href=\"https:\/\/eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffsantacruz.org%2FLostshows.html&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C4de7ccd3dca64a8aa1dd08d7e1631ecf%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637225688137248173&amp;sdata=oEKbuTdBKuFfW5hFDD%2FS1nZS7jQ6KDUTLSeF%2Blo11lo%3D&amp;reserved=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">http:\/\/www.huffsantacruz.org\/Lostshows.html<\/a>\n to hear a series of phoned-in reports from different activists and \nworkers&#8211;which should be posted shortly and may be updated more \nfrequently.<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>&nbsp;City Manager Martin\n Bernal provided a handful of portapotties&nbsp; City-wide and cold water \nwashstands after refusing to do so for months, but maintained nighttime \nclosure of bathrooms in parks in spite of the emergency situation\n and repeated calls and e-mails. &nbsp; Nor has the County acted to provide \nbasic sanitary facilities for the poorest outside, though it has \nfinancial and organization resources to do so.<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>City agencies have opposed <em>Food Not Bombs, the Depot Project, Bagels on Bikes, HUFF,\n<\/em>and other organizations their attempts to establish such vital resources.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Recent shutdowns at the Library, Louden Nelson, the Metro, the publicly sponsored\n<em>Bookshop Santa Cruz, <\/em>closed restaurants and businesses make this situation ever more dangerous both for folks outside and the broader community.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Very\n very few motel or hotel rooms are yet available for the 1000-2000 \nhomeless outside who want and may need them to shelter more safely and \nsecurely in spite of government directives and financial grants.&nbsp;\n<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>The inadequate \n&#8220;normal&#8221; charitable activities of those working with churches, social \nservices, etc. have been cut back or closed&#8211;many of the staff of these \norganizations are over 60 and particularly vulnerable to the corona\n virus.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Normal \ndonations to those directly seeking survival money through &#8220;panhandling&#8221;\n have been discouraged or criminalized under the new emergency regs, \nenacted without public discussion or vote.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Public\n transportation options have been restricted or shut down, making access\n to what limited resources there are even more problematic.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Mayor\n Cummings has issued no calls for an emergency Council meeting to pass \nelementary measures already done in other cities like a moratorium on \nevictions and rents.&nbsp;\n<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>City Manager Martin \nBernal &amp; the City Council majority have a long history of resisting \nthe expansion of basic services for the less privileged in town.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Supervisor Coonerty and the Board of Supervisors have declined to provide county-wide resources in an equitable and sensible fashion.\n<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>The health of the community depends on our community action through a direct and united response.<br>\n<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Up to now we have \nseen how &#8220;concerned&#8221; and &#8220;effective&#8221; local authorities have been in \nmeeting the needs of renters and those outside.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Meekly\n following the dictates of authority in this crisis has not in the past,\n nor likely in the future, to be a wise, health-providing, and \nproductive course.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>We\n must confront directly, clearly, persistently, loudly and immediately \nto secure the basic survival needs of the community in the current \ncrisis.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>With\n washed hands and care to keep physical distance, bring food and \nyourselves to the noon food serving to sustain the survival effort and \ntake the necessary future steps.<\/strong><\/li><li>Contact\n<em>Food Not Bombs (575-770-3377), HUFF (831-423-4833), or the Santa Cruz Homeless Union (831-431-7766)\n<\/em>if unable to come for health or other reasons. (454-2200) and you wish to help.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HUFF Huddle:&nbsp; Today at 1 PM at the Food Not Bombs meal at Laurel and Front Sts.&nbsp; Coffee unlikely. No Street Spirits yet. Meeting will be small, brief, distanced, and masked to deter police interference.&nbsp; Report on the &#8220;Services Not &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/brief-huff-minimeet-a-huffster-or-two-will-be-lingering-at-the-food-not-bombs-meal-today-4-29-at-1-pm-at-laurel-and-front-st-to-gathering-reports-distribute-some-supplies-wear-masks-keep-distanc\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[128],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4533"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4534,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4533\/revisions\/4534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/huffsantacruz.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}