Feds Revoke Permit From Homeless Groups

On January 20, people who are homeless, their supporters, and service providers planned to rally for an event entitled “Homelessness Ends With a Home” at the plaza in the new federal building at Mission and 7th. The rally is timed to correspond with the one-year anniversary of the inauguration of Barrack Obama, in a plea to make affordable housing for poor people the top priority of his administration.

The General Services Administration (GSA) suddenly revoked a previously approved permit to Western Regional Advocacy Project for homeless organizations from throughout the western United States to assemble in the public square on the corner of Mission and 7th Street. According to the denial letter from the GSA, the largest assembly approved to date was for less then 200 people.

Adding insult to injury, the GSA told organizers they could not appeal because their notice of intent to appeal was received within six instead of five days following the unorthodox denial.

An expected crowd of 1,500 people now find themselves without a home for the January 20th rally. Notwithstanding the GSA’s statement that it is untimely, advocates plan to continue to appeal this denial.

“We outlined exactly what we planned to do and how many people would be attending, now the fed’s shut us down. The federal government’s message is that they don’t want to hear from homeless people if there are too many of them”, said Paul Boden, Executive Director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project.

According to free speech advocate boona cheema, “the message is dreadful. The federal government is refusing assemblies over 200 people. Traditionally, areas around public buildings are the most important for the exercise of Free Speech and the Right to Assemble. Restrictions placed on assemblies in this area are highly suspect, must be content neutral, and should receive the highest-level scrutiny. The denial of “Homelessness ends with a Home”, threatens free speech for all and we plan to fight this denial.

Western Regional Advocacy Project exists to expose and eliminate the root causes of civil and human rights abuse of people experiencing poverty and homelessness in our communities. For more information visit our website at http://www.wraphome.org