Santa Cruz Fireman Causes Homelessness

Donna sent me the following letter about a month ago. I found it educational and worth sharing with others. I reprint it with her permission.

Sent : Wednesday, October 11, 2006 12:08 PM
To : rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com
Subject : a shower or bath for Shane

Robert: Haven't from you since my last email. We are already running out of
money this month -- I get paid on the 27th and am still waiting for a $300 check
from Willie's brother for taking the awning when he sold me the RV. Also got to
move my Bronco to 14th St. to sell -- will take $1100 for it now but it will be
$1400 when I find someone to help me move it by taking me back and forth from
Riverside to 14th.

Shane has been taking his HIV meds and antibiotics for five days and is out of
it but still does as much as he can in the morning after he drinks his
methadone. He needs a soak in a tub or shower as it helps his leg pain etc. By
the way his last name is Maxfield not Maxwell. You are either thinking of the
politician running for the School Board, a famous scientist or the coffee maker!
Your voice sounded a little doubtful concerning his story about Lulus but let me
guarantee you he was telling the truth. He was sitting in front of VU with the
rabbit and a sign. It is true when confronted by mean people he says things
like "Go ahead and give me a ticket." That in NO WAY justifies the behavior of
the aggressor by law or any type of morality or ethics.

I have not been able to see my family of origin since April so am going to have
to try to get a hotel voucher for Shane for a week. Jorge at SCAP says he
qualifies for a rent payment to me for living in a self-contained RV. They also
have a food pantry once a week for those that need it -- it includes fresh milk
which is something Shane uses a lot of. They can also help with the utilities
of the septic dumping and propane. We go to the Union 76 on Soquel and the
freeway.

Now if only we could get the Internet constantly and get the charging system for
the second battery to hold out. Batteries Plus and West Marine (by Staples)
sell "deep cycle" batteries that are really not yet charge over a hundred
dollars for them. Its like the "solid state" ripoff they did to consumers in
the fifties. He heard from a long term RVer that said he needs another type of
battery that starts with an "M" I can't remember. The library DOES have
plug-ins to use a laptop all day instead of for only an hour but our YFi card is
not working. Would really like to catch up on email and letter writing. Still
having nightmares about the lawyer, Christine and landlord. I cry and yell at
4:30 every morning Shane says. He taped me last night and I can understand some
of the words.

We parked on the Westside since Shane was approached by the
"owner" of the parking lot at the gym -- an old bald man while I was inside
doing a full workout. So we parked by the Nazarene church a couple of times and
last night off Pelton st. I really think that RV and van campers usually go
unnoticed in most family neighborhoods if you park after dark and are quiet.
Near a large apartment complex or business is good too, on a side street off the
main roads. Of course its a mixed blessing as if you DID get picked on by the
cops or other Nazis you would be alone but its normal to fight these tickets
alone. A congregation of RVs and vans scares some people especially if the
vehicles are loaded with stuff and they need a wash. I am trying to get to know
other car campers and RVers and want to know if one gets picked on more than the
other. Some say vans are disliked as people know they do not have a bathroom,
although of course many use a functionary chamber pot or pee bottle.

Twin Eagles has been harrassed a lot and is on his own, 60, working as a
handyman and is not on SSI. He gets real shakey when this happens like Monday
when a harbor guy was peering in his window to see if he was asleep.

We met a homeless couple, Michelle and Pupup at Harbor Beach when Tim played his
guitar and sang so beautifully. I'd like to see more homeless people in self
contained vehicles and each neighborhood adopting a homeless family or a couple
of singles. Organizing car campers and writing to politicians about the
homeless laws is another project I'd like to do. I finally met the mainstream
middle class of liberals when they did the spotlight thing on W. Cliff and there
were no homeless people around. These are the people we need to reach to help
people out locally instead of just dreaming of world peace.

My cell phone needs to be charged so hard to reach me by phone. We park at
public parking during the day usually downtown unless I can convince Shane to go
to the beach. You can get YFi Internet from Seabright and Harbor Beach but not
West Cliff. We met another very intellectual homeless guy Satori who spends his
days at the library. Now there's a class of homeless that should be helped
because they are able to read and use the computer. I can't see rentals getting
any better however with their rules and no pets and no homeless friends
policies so am leaning towards a more permanent mobile lifestyle. At least we
know it does not leak when it rains. Freedom and a Voice to be heard for ALL>

Thanks for all you do, Donna

You say that it was the firefighter who privately advised the apartment manager who took them aside and told the apartment manager to kick you guys out? If this was a private conversation, how do you know about it? If this is what the apartment manager told you, I'd be somewhat suspicious. I'd keep going after them if you can.

Good luck. You sound like a very compassionate woman.

that information was provided in a letter from tess that was put on our door as justification for her actions. . however i have pictures i am going to post that show the truth about the fire.