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UID:Indybay-18781690
SEQUENCE:18907727
CREATED:20160111T095100Z
DESCRIPTION:HOMELESS-HOSTILE CITY COUNCIL RETURNS\nCity Council chairwarmers return 
 well-rested from a Xmas vacation while the homeless community continues to 
 face rain, wind, cold, vigilante and police harassment, and the loss of 
 property that comes with being vulnerable outside.\n\nFREEDOM SLEEPER 
 GOALS\nThe Freedom Sleeper objective: to support fundamental changes in how 
 homeless people are treated in Santa Cruz, beginning with the abolition of 
 the Sleeping Ban sections of the Camping Ordinance.\n\nUnofficial accounts 
 suggest that former Mayor Don Lane will be following up on his October 
 facebook intention to move that City Council strike all mention of 
 "sleeping" from the City's Camping Ordinance.  While still providing no 
 legal places on public property for the 1500-2000 City homeless to sleep at 
 night.\n\nThis preliminary change has long been sought by homeless 
 activists--from HUFF and other organizations making up the Freedom Sleepers 
 including Food Not Bombs, Homeless Advocacy and Action Coalition, Homeless 
 Depot, and the Homeless Persons Health Project.\n\nGLOOMY AGENDA FOR THE 
 HOMELESS\nCity Council's open session begins at 2:30.  Item #14 finalizes a 
 law that gives total power to the city's traffic engineer to restripe any 
 city parking places s/he so chooses to ban "oversized" vehicles (i.e. homes 
 on wheels).  Item #15 sees the return of a hostile staff report around the 
 crying need for winter Warming Centers.  \n\nThe report proposes no support 
 for such survival centers (even to the extent of opening up unused vacant 
 buildings) unless the County and private sources move first.  The 
 reactionary staff reaction is no secret and no surprises.  It and its 
 captive City Council have refused to open vacant buildings throughout the 
 wet cold winter.   \n\nSECURITY THUGS HARASS HOMELESS IN STORM\nInstead 
 last Tuesday 1-5 in Freedom SleepOut #26 Tough-It-Out Toby Nixon set up a 
 Tent on the sidewalk adjacent to City Hall and braved the storm there.  
 First Alarm "Security" guards and police continue to drive homeless people 
 away from the eaves of nearby buildings.\n\nAround 4 AM Toby reports being 
 accosted and awakened by a sadistic First Alarm Security Guard, apparently 
 eager to assert his authority.   See "Sleepouts at Santa Cruz City Hall 
 Advance to 2016" at 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/01/08/18781626.php for the milder 
 version of this encounter.\n\n24-HOUR BATHROOM SHUT\nThe previously 24-hour 
 bathrooms in the Soquel St. garage bathroom were closed on December 23rd 
 because of a massive upsurge in "loitering", using the bathroom as 
 "shelter", and graffiti activity.   City Hall has kept its bathrooms closed 
 during the daytime period when Tuesday protests were held, even though 
 Council offices were open at that time.\n\nRED CHURCH PASTOR LEAVING TOP 
 POST\nRed Church pastor Joel Miller has announced his retirement from the 
 lead pastor position.  Miller has been responsible for supporting and 
 organizing the Monday night meals there as well as initiating the small but 
 real weekly shelter program with other churches serving 20 people.  He has 
 also offered to open his church as a Warming Center on a frequent 
 basis.\n\n https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/01/11/18781690.php
SUMMARY:Freedom SleepOut #27 To Follow First 2016 Council Meeting
LOCATION:With light rain predicted, Freedom Sleepers and their allies will 
 congregate and crash in front of City Hall,  on the adjacent sidewalks, and 
 under the eaves of nearby closed buildings (like the Civic Auditorium and 
 the Library) until dawn.\n
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/01/11/18781690.php
DTSTART:20160113T010000Z
DTEND:20160113T130000Z
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