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SEQUENCE:18913875
CREATED:20160426T064000Z
DESCRIPTION:BEACH FLATS GARDEN FIGHT-BACK?\nThe 7 PM Session of the City Council will 
 “consider” a Beach Flats Garden Update and Recommendations with a 
 motion to accept the staff’s sell-out of 1/3rd of the Garden and direct 
 them to continue to “work on” a long-term plan—as they’ve colluded 
 in bulldozing 1/3rd of the garden in collusion with the Seaside Company.  
 \n           \nAn earlier meeting at 1:30 at closed session involving 
 negotiating the lease for the Garden with the Seaside Company 
 smooth-and-slippery City Manager Martin Bernal is a more likely plae where 
 the real action will happen.  The main part of the session is closed to the 
 public (go figure!).  However, there is an “open interval” at 1:30 for 
 public comment which can be attended, though it’s not clear whether 
 advocates for the garden will be there in any numbers.\n          \nAt 
 prior meetings Beach Flats supporters have rolled in in record numbers and 
 then rolled out—letting Council and the slimy staff proceed along its 
 sell-out path.\nCouncilmember Posner has circulated a constituent letter 
 [relevant parts of which are attached below] noting he plans an eminent 
 domain motion with the City forcing the Seaside Company to sell the Garden 
 (over the recommendation of the City’s staff, of course).\n            
 \nThose interested in Metro cutbacks and hiway widening giveaways might 
 also be interested in checking out item #21 on the afternoon 
 agenda.\n\nIGNORING HOMELESS ISSUES BY “STUDYING” THEM\nUnmentioned by 
 Posner is item #20 the “Homeless Coordinated Non-Response”  (actually 
 titled “Response”—but that’s false advertising).   \n            
 \nThis is a phony face-saving proposal to “study” a Homeless Task Force 
 proposal and to shift responsibility for the City’s punitive laws to the 
 County. It’s the latest non-action taken in response to the crisis faced 
 by the unhoused community (and so to the trembling NIMBY and merchant 
 communities fearful of their visible presence).  \n            \nThe 
 crisis: the Winter Armory Shelter closed earlier this month and with it the 
 end of all walk-up emergency shelter for the spring, summer, and fall for 
 the City’s 1000-2000 folks outside.  Instead of putting on the agenda 
 proposals for safe places to sleep proposed by Phil Posner and Steve Pleich 
 (a very limited proposal), the staff is doing cosmetic cover by proposing 
 more “direction” and consideration of a joint City-County Task Force to 
 restudy the obvious.   \n\nEARLIER RELEVANT PROPOSALS IGNORED\nSee the 
 clear proposals of the former Homeless Issues Task Force at 
 http://sccounty01.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bds/Govstream/BDSvData/non_legacy/agendas/2000/20000502/PDF/020.pdf 
 which include, of course, ending the Camping Ban.\n         \nHUFF 
 described that Task Force as a “farce” 16 years ago because its intent 
 and effect was to divert then-powerful activist energy.  Its ultimate 
 proposals, though, were good ones—largely ignored by City Councils since 
 in favor of punitive police funding. Such diverting is actually unnecessary 
 now that Don Lane's "troops" have all disappeared over the hills or into 
 focus groups and Posner has remained silent.  \n           \nStill the 2000 
 Homeless Issues Task Force report contains many relevant and powerful 
 suggestions which need to be actively advanced, not ignored with the same 
 ground being “studied” again.\n\nDEFENDING THE ARTISTS AND RECLAIMING 
 PUBLIC SPACE ON PACIFIC\nMeanwhile downtown HUFF set up its protest table 
 right next to artists Alex Skelton and Joff Jones—who continue to refuse 
 to be “blue boxed” on Pacific Avenue and refuse to “move along”.  
 Their court cases come up in May.  See “Pacific Avenue Santa Cruz: The 
 Joff Jones and Alex Skelton Report on Freedom in the USA” at 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785582.php \n          
 \nCity Council’s “Vaporize the Vendors” law will not be coming up 
 until the first meeting in May.  Will the courageous action of Alex and 
 Joff and others like them make the Council’s threats a laughing stock?  
 \n\nESTABLISHING SLEEP SPACE ON THE SIDEWALK AND THE BRICKS\nFreedom 
 Sleepers #42 will continue to have Troublemaker Toby livestreaming any 
 untoward police and security thug behavior Tuesday night.  Limited 
 quantities of food and drink are likely.  \n\nToby will meet with 
 interested activists at 10 AM Wednesday morning at the Sub Rosa to review 
 the night's events and strategize for the night ahead.  The regular HUFF 
 meeting will be at 11 AM there as usual.\n            \nThough citations 
 have reportedly been given in the last week around the library building, 
 Freedom Sleepers on Tuesday have been pointedly ignored by the armed 
 Ticketeers.\n             \nContact HUFF at 831-423-4833 if you wish to 
 join, organize, or support protests.\n\nFor more info on the Freedom 
 Sleepers, go to:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/freedomsleepers/ and/or 
 https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=AAA%20Freedom%20Sleepers\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785621.php
SUMMARY:Support Beach Flats Garden Defenders Then Defend the Right to Sleep-- Freedom SleepOut #42
LOCATION:Outside, Inside, and Outside City Council at Church and Center across from 
 the Main Library in Downtown Santa Cruz
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/04/25/18785621.php
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DTEND:20160427T120000Z
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