Safe Ground Issues Urgent Call for Temporary Use of Empty Lots

Safe Ground Issues Urgent Call for Temporary Use of Empty Lots

by Dan Bacher

Safe Ground Sacramento, a local homeless advocacy group, today issued an urgent call for the temporary use of empty lots to provide shelter for homeless people.

"Homeless people in Sacramento for whom there are no shelters are living outside, as best they can," said lawyer Mark E. Merin. "Local ordinances prohibit camping on public property but permit homeless persons to camp on private property, with the consent of the owner of the property, for not more than one consecutive night."

Recently, a private property owner allowed homeless people to camp on his property. "The campers were not told by police that they had to leave until they had spent two nights on the property, then they were arrested. These homeless persons are now exposed to the elements and have been told by city police that they cannot even stay under the city’s bridges without being arrested," he stated.

Merin said they need safe places for the homeless folks to go. The need for places to stay overnight will become increasingly urgent as Sacramento enters the fall and winter rainy season. A strong Pacific storm dumped over 3 inches of rain on Sacramento on Monday.

"We are asking owners of empty lots, parking lots and any other unused space to permit homeless campers to pitch tents on their property for ONE NIGHT," stated Merin. "The 'campers' will clean up the property and leave it in better condition than they found it; a porta-potty will be provided. The 'campers' will then move to the next property owner’s property where they will pitch their tents, again, for ONE NIGHT.

We hope to establish a series of vacant lots and unused parking lots, where people will come and camp for one night at a time on a rotating basis," he emphasized. "Your generosity will highlight the plight of the homeless and help convince the city and county that special, temporary areas should be designated where homeless people can 'camp' or live until adequate housing can be arranged or alternatively to place a moratorium on enforcement of the 'no camping' ordinance. You will be doing a mitzvah if you step up and offer your lot for this very worthy effort."

The local ordinances prohibiting camping in local parks occur in the context of the adoption of anti-homeless ordinances by cities and counties throughout the country, often by so-called "progressive" cities such as Santa Cruz and San Francisco. These ordinances are unjust and unconstitutional, but until they are overturned, homeless advocates need to find places for the homeless to say.

Questions? Call or email Mark Merin Esq. 916-443-6911, mark [at] markmerin.com or Joan Burke, Director of Advocacy at Loaves & Fishes, 916-446-0874; advocate4loaves [at] yahoo.com

Please forward this request on to your friends. They might have a usable lot or know of someone who does.

http://www.safegroundsac.org or http://www.sacloaves.org/safeground