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UID:Indybay-18736055
SEQUENCE:18839805
CREATED:20130429T104400Z
DESCRIPTION:The Santa Cruz City Council has scheduled a Special "Study" Session on 
 Homelessness.  \n\nTHE  COUNCIL'S RECENT RECORD\nHey, April Fool's day came 
 and went nearly a month ago!\n\nThis is the Council that recently voted an 
 anti-homeless curfew on Cowell's Beach, killed Needle Exchange in the City, 
 and has backed more recruits for the sleepsnatcher SCPD, which regularly 
 rousts homeless people, steals and confiscates or destroys their 
 gear.\n\nSome Council members (Lynn Robinson, Pamela Comstock) are 
 suspected of planning a further fund reduction of the Homeless (Lack of) 
 Services Center in the near future, for which this session is 
 preparation.\n\nReports of recent vigilante and police violence against 
 homeless people have been on the rise. \n\nREAL FOOD AS THE COUNCIL 
 CHATTERS\nJumbogumbo Joe Schultz will be providing hot tasty vegan soup at 
 6:45 PM outside Council chambers for any  who show up.   Councilmember 
 Micah Posner stated on Free Radio yesterday he would insist on a full 
 public comment period. \n\nYou can look over the staff report at the City 
 Council website re: Study Session on Homelessness coming up tomorrow by 
 going on the City Council website.\n\nREAD THE REPORTS\nGo to 
 http://sire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=495&doctype=AGENDA 
  and then click  on the Homelessness Study Session (CM) link.  It's the 
 first of the six documents in the box to the right.  The other documents 
 will also be under consideration at Council  Plus public testimony. \n\nIt 
 also looks like the national figures are a severe undercount.\n\nThere are 
 five additional documents on the same site that will be "considered" by 
 City Council.\n\nBRING SOME REAL INFORMATION & CALL/E-MAIL COUNCIL\nPlease 
 come and bring your real on-the-ground accounts.  \n\nCall City Council at 
 420-5020 to demand\n\n(1) endorsement of AB5 (the state Homeless Bill of 
 Rights, \n(2) immediate funding of 24-hour sanitary facilities at different 
 areas where people sleep outside\n(3) trash pick-ups and sharps containers 
 in those areas\n(4) dismissal of harassment tickets of homeless people for 
 violation of curfew and "no sitting" laws\n(5) suspension of the 
 anti-homeless laws generally(e.g. the Sleeping Ban), particularly important 
 given the rise in vigilante violence, need for homeless to camps safely in 
 groups and well-lighted areas\n(6) immediate opening of legal places for 
 people to carcamp or sleep. \n(7) an emergency task force to quickly 
 implement a Sanctuary Camp\n\nCurrently there is legal shelter at the Paul 
 Lee loft for less than 50 people in a homeless population of 1500-2000.  
 The Winter Armory Shelter closed on April 15th. \n\nOr e-mail City Council 
 at citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com   Request that City Council staff 
 acknowledge your input with a reply and include it in the City Council 
 packet.\n\nInteresting and actually quite apropos is the telling sentence 
 on the first page of the Staff Report:\n\n"In order to keep the meeting to 
 a manageable scope, the report and presentation on April 30 will not delve 
 into possible solutions for Council action. Should the City Council wish to 
 engage in that discussion, future agenda items can be scheduled."\n\nIn 
 spite of this significant limitation, it is important that the realities of 
 the struggle for homeless survival be made visible and public.  Bringing 
 the issue to the community is our real task.\n\nPlease bring any accounts 
 you have of vigilante violence or police harassment.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/04/29/18736055.php
SUMMARY:Sip Soup as you Gag at City Council's Study Session on Homelessness
LOCATION:809 Center St. Santa Cruz  City Council Chambers
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/04/29/18736055.php
DTSTART:20130501T014500Z
DTEND:20130501T034500Z
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