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DESCRIPTION:TEAMING UP WITH THE OPPRESSOR \nWhile they officially call themselves the 
 "Homeless Services Center" [HSC], I have described the HSC as the "Homeless 
 (Lack of) Shelter Center -[HLOSC].   \n\nThe HLOSC provides shelter for 
 less than 5% of the homeless community, have fenced off the area creating a 
 jail-like atmosphere with ID cards, double layers of uniformed police and 
 security, prioritized office space over vital homeless locker storage 
 space, removed homeless parking on their property, harassed homeless people 
 for "loitering" on the sidewalk,  and displayed open hostility to activists 
 advocating for the rights of homeless people.    \n\nThe HLOSC has also 
 reportedly supported the current "no parking for the poor" program being 
 pushed by the Public Works Department--with the support of the SCPD and 
 some nearby Harvey West Businesses.\n\n\nTHE ANTI-HOMELESS PARKING 
 PLAN\nThe plan will eliminate ALL parking on Fern, Coral, and Limekiln 
 streets unless you have one of the relatively few permits granted.  These 
 few are apparently only available to property owners, businesses, and 
 renters.  \n\nThis is an unprecedented plan, apparently reserved for the 
 homeless community, nowhere present elsewhere in the City in any of the 
 other permit parking zones.\n\nIt is slated to go into effect on May 13th 
 in spite of the letters of objection and petitions filed.\n\n\nDEMAND 
 PUBLIC PROCESS\nPublic comment on the issue should send it to at least a 
 hearing for consideration at the Transportation and Public Works 
 Commission.  \n\nBut yesterday Public Works Parking Program director Marln 
 Granlund decided that such comment would be limited to property owners and 
 renters on the three streets.  \n\n\nCHANGING THE RULES\nInitially Granlund 
 advised me that a single letter of complaint would delay the process and at 
 least secure a hearing before the Commission (which recently okayed a more 
 limited anti-homeless Permit Parking program around the Circles Church at 
 Woodrow and California).  \n\nI sent him that letter, describing the 
 serious negative impact this would have on disabled folks and other clients 
 of the HSC, which I will attach to this post.  \n\nIn response, he advised 
 me that may have misspoken and was declining to hold off the deadline, 
 waiting for an opinion from the City Attorney.  \n\n\nSTONEWALLING ON 
 PUBLIC DOCUMENTS\nIn addition, he and City Attorney Bren Lehr have so far 
 declined to release the documents showing who is behind the current attack 
 on visible homeless presence and access to homeless services.  \n\nSuch 
 documents, though requested a week ago, and readily available in 
 Grandlund's office, will not be "available" until Monday, two days before 
 the deadline.\n\n\nISOLATING THE HOMELESS\nTwo days ago, HUFF (Homeless 
 United for Friendship & Freedom) set up a small table next to the sidewalk 
 at the HLOSC.  An armed and uniformed officer (Bill Azua) with a documented 
 reputation for harassment of homeless people downtown, immediately left his 
 squad car and stood in front of the HLOSC entrance.   \n\nHe demanded we 
 move off our petitioning table (where we were also serving coffee) onto the 
 narrow 4-6' wide sidewalk.  When I declined, he went in to complain to the 
 management, who sent out a woman to first demand we not pass the locked 
 gates and uniformed guard (there was one there in addition to Azua).   
 \n\nWhen we agreed to do this, she then insisted we move onto the sidewalk. 
  The unconstitutional "No Loitering" sign was a taste of how homeless 
 people may be treated on a daily basis.  \n\nThroughout the next hour and a 
 half, we gathered 30 signatures, in spite of threats and interruptions by 
 Azua, whose presence and verbal comments deterred a number of people who 
 would have signed (though it possibly upset and encouraged 
 others).\n\n\nRETURN VISIT 2:30 PM  TODAY MAY 7TH ! \nWe'll be back today 
 serving more coffee and gathering more signatures as well as taking 
 complaints and interviewing people for Free Radio (6-8 PM tonight at 101.3 
 FM and www.freakradio.org).\n\nWe invite everyone to come on down with 
 video cameras, vid-capable phones, sign-making materials, and 
 friends.\n\nThose concerned with militarization of the community should 
 stop it where it early (though the hour is late)--among the most vulnerable 
 communities.  Will we respond to the attempt to deepen the pariah status of 
 homeless people?\n\nDoes making disabled people walk several blocks to use 
 services seem anything other than needless cruelty to pander to the 
 prejudice and privilege of a few businesses?\n\nDownload the flier at 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/05/04/18771861.php .\n\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/05/07/18772009.php
SUMMARY:Homeless Lives Matter: Fighting the Parking Ban, Day 2
LOCATION:115 Coral Street--On the Sidewalk Outside the "Homeless Services Center" 
 [HSC]--near Hiway 9 and Hiway 1
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2015/05/07/18772009.php
DTSTART:20150507T213000Z
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