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Homeless Advocates in Santa Cruz Launch “Camp of Last Resort” Campaign
Campaign Needs Community Support
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness have long lobbied for the right of the unsheltered to a peaceful night’s sleep in a safe environment. As local attorney and activist Ed Frey says, “the right to sleep is not only a human right and a constitutional right, it is essential to the physical and psychological well being of every person, housed or not”. The recent effort to establish a safe sleeping space for the homeless in Santa Cruz is being led by Rabbi Phil Posner, whose son Micah sits of the Santa Cruz City Council.
The “Camp of Last Resort” is founded on Rabbi Phil’s belief that the right of every citizen to have a place to sleep is fundamental to our nation’s concept of “Life, Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness.” He says, “we know that there’s probably close to 3,500 men, women and children unsheltered in our community at any given time without a secure place to sleep at night. The Camp of Last Resort is an opportunity to address this situation in a substantive, community wide way. Rabbi Phil also adds “in proposing this partial solution to homelessness in Santa Cruz, we appreciate that there are community programs that are successfully providing other forms of housing and shelter and see the idea of a public camp site as augmenting those important programs.”
The camp proposal was created in response to the lack of more permanent housing for the homeless and supporters believe that a camp (or camps) of last resort will at least provide shelter for some of the thousands who are presently found illegally hunkering down on streets, trails or along the river. Although Rabbi Phil freely admits that such a camp of last resort would not be perfectly safe or orderly, he is confident that it will provide a far healthier environment with less crime and violence then the unregulated and chaotic situation that presently exists.
Supporters of the program are seeking approval for a six-month pilot camp calling for the City and County of Santa Cruz to designate one or more of the City parks, possibly a part of San Lorenzo Park, as a place where individuals may bed down for the night. The proposal further calls for the City and County to join together to support and fund this park project by providing large tarps or some other form of public shelter along with access to bathroom facilities. At the end of the trial period, representatives of the homeless community, the city, county and camp organizers would review the program and decide whether to terminate the camp or continue the project for a longer period of time.
The program brings with it promise for people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz but also requires a degree of commitment and accountability on the part of the participants. Park sleepers would agree that the sleeping area would be limited to sleeping bags, blankets and personal belongings and camping would be permitted only within set overnight hours. No tents or cooking equipment would be permitted. This restriction aims to head off mainstream objections to a city or county approved “tent city” which has long been an unresolved bone of contention between neighborhood groups, government officials and homeless advocates.
Rabbi Phil is realistic about how personal behavior will affect the success of failure of the proposed camp. He says, “each of our campers must understand that his or her personal behavior will impact the success of this “Camp of Last Resort” and it is essential that each person respect the rights of others who also use this park. The social interaction between park sleepers and other community members who use the parks will determine in large part the long term success or failure of our idea”.
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness believe that 2015 may finally bring some long awaited progress on the issue of homeless rights. With Warming Stations opening to provide warm, safe spaces on very cold nights, with Safe Spaces Recreational Vehicle and Sanctuary Village programs moving forward and with the continuing work of the 180/2020 and Smart Solutions on Homelessness initiatives, this coming year holds great promise. Sign the Petition and do your part to fulfill that promise.
Rabbi Phil and his supporters are currently gathering Petition signatures in advance of a full presentation to the city and county. An on line petition has also been created. You can contact Rabbi Phil at chatrabbi [at] aol.com and sign the on line Petition at:
https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/petition-to-establish-a-camp-of-last-resort
The “Camp of Last Resort” is founded on Rabbi Phil’s belief that the right of every citizen to have a place to sleep is fundamental to our nation’s concept of “Life, Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness.” He says, “we know that there’s probably close to 3,500 men, women and children unsheltered in our community at any given time without a secure place to sleep at night. The Camp of Last Resort is an opportunity to address this situation in a substantive, community wide way. Rabbi Phil also adds “in proposing this partial solution to homelessness in Santa Cruz, we appreciate that there are community programs that are successfully providing other forms of housing and shelter and see the idea of a public camp site as augmenting those important programs.”
The camp proposal was created in response to the lack of more permanent housing for the homeless and supporters believe that a camp (or camps) of last resort will at least provide shelter for some of the thousands who are presently found illegally hunkering down on streets, trails or along the river. Although Rabbi Phil freely admits that such a camp of last resort would not be perfectly safe or orderly, he is confident that it will provide a far healthier environment with less crime and violence then the unregulated and chaotic situation that presently exists.
Supporters of the program are seeking approval for a six-month pilot camp calling for the City and County of Santa Cruz to designate one or more of the City parks, possibly a part of San Lorenzo Park, as a place where individuals may bed down for the night. The proposal further calls for the City and County to join together to support and fund this park project by providing large tarps or some other form of public shelter along with access to bathroom facilities. At the end of the trial period, representatives of the homeless community, the city, county and camp organizers would review the program and decide whether to terminate the camp or continue the project for a longer period of time.
The program brings with it promise for people experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz but also requires a degree of commitment and accountability on the part of the participants. Park sleepers would agree that the sleeping area would be limited to sleeping bags, blankets and personal belongings and camping would be permitted only within set overnight hours. No tents or cooking equipment would be permitted. This restriction aims to head off mainstream objections to a city or county approved “tent city” which has long been an unresolved bone of contention between neighborhood groups, government officials and homeless advocates.
Rabbi Phil is realistic about how personal behavior will affect the success of failure of the proposed camp. He says, “each of our campers must understand that his or her personal behavior will impact the success of this “Camp of Last Resort” and it is essential that each person respect the rights of others who also use this park. The social interaction between park sleepers and other community members who use the parks will determine in large part the long term success or failure of our idea”.
Advocates for people experiencing homelessness believe that 2015 may finally bring some long awaited progress on the issue of homeless rights. With Warming Stations opening to provide warm, safe spaces on very cold nights, with Safe Spaces Recreational Vehicle and Sanctuary Village programs moving forward and with the continuing work of the 180/2020 and Smart Solutions on Homelessness initiatives, this coming year holds great promise. Sign the Petition and do your part to fulfill that promise.
Rabbi Phil and his supporters are currently gathering Petition signatures in advance of a full presentation to the city and county. An on line petition has also been created. You can contact Rabbi Phil at chatrabbi [at] aol.com and sign the on line Petition at:
https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/petition-to-establish-a-camp-of-last-resort
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The San Francisco Assistant Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) claimed to me that the ACLU believes all speech is free speech, even vile, violent hate speech. Will you answer this question Steve...is this true?
What about the Neo-Nazi's in Skokie, Illinois where many Holocaust survivors lived? How do you explain that position Steve?
What about the Neo-Nazi's in Skokie, Illinois where many Holocaust survivors lived? How do you explain that position Steve?
OM – Tiny Houses & More!
Occupy Madison, Inc. – Ending homelessness one tiny house at a time!
The light shines in the darkness, not only above the darkness!
Occupy Madison should be a model and light in every city!
to watch a 16-minute video on Occupy Madison, November 2014, click on
http://occupymadisoninc.com/
Move In Day!
On Friday, November 21, we got the Occupancy Permit for the Village. On Saturday, November 22, 2014, Betty and Chris who have been living in their house for nearly a year, on the street where they have to move it every 24 or 48 hours to comply with parking requirements and without running water or electricity, are moving to their new home! With running water, electricity, flush toilets, showers and a community. The move is a big change. They’ve been through a lot with Occupy, with no legal place to live for so long. They have also been the center of a lot of media attention being the “first” in our grand adventure. Join us in welcoming them home!
Occupy Madison, Inc. – Ending homelessness one tiny house at a time!
The light shines in the darkness, not only above the darkness!
Occupy Madison should be a model and light in every city!
to watch a 16-minute video on Occupy Madison, November 2014, click on
http://occupymadisoninc.com/
Move In Day!
On Friday, November 21, we got the Occupancy Permit for the Village. On Saturday, November 22, 2014, Betty and Chris who have been living in their house for nearly a year, on the street where they have to move it every 24 or 48 hours to comply with parking requirements and without running water or electricity, are moving to their new home! With running water, electricity, flush toilets, showers and a community. The move is a big change. They’ve been through a lot with Occupy, with no legal place to live for so long. They have also been the center of a lot of media attention being the “first” in our grand adventure. Join us in welcoming them home!
For more information:
http://www.opportunityvillageeugene.org
The Parks and Recreation Department has begun the process for developing the 2030 Parks, Recreation Facilities, and Open Space Master Plan (Plan). The Plan will guide improvements to the Parks System for the next 15 years.
The Parks and Recreation Department has hired the landscape architecture and planning firm Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey to assist with the project. They will help assess the parks system’s existing conditions and the city’s demographic and recreational trends. They will also assist staff conduct public outreach and collect feedback on what is working well or what can be improved regarding park amenities, maintenance and programming. From community input, actions will be identified and costs of implementation will be assessed. The City will be able to use the Plan to prioritize future park improvements, allocate funding, and solicit additional funding opportunities from government and private sources.
Whether an idea for your neighborhood park or the parks system as a whole, we look forward to hearing your thoughts. For more information, contact Noah Downing, Park Planner at 831-420-5362 orndowning [at] cityofsantacruz.com.
http://cityofsantacruz.com/departments/parks-recreation/parks-beaches-and-open-spaces/parks-master-plan
The Parks and Recreation Department has hired the landscape architecture and planning firm Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey to assist with the project. They will help assess the parks system’s existing conditions and the city’s demographic and recreational trends. They will also assist staff conduct public outreach and collect feedback on what is working well or what can be improved regarding park amenities, maintenance and programming. From community input, actions will be identified and costs of implementation will be assessed. The City will be able to use the Plan to prioritize future park improvements, allocate funding, and solicit additional funding opportunities from government and private sources.
Whether an idea for your neighborhood park or the parks system as a whole, we look forward to hearing your thoughts. For more information, contact Noah Downing, Park Planner at 831-420-5362 orndowning [at] cityofsantacruz.com.
http://cityofsantacruz.com/departments/parks-recreation/parks-beaches-and-open-spaces/parks-master-plan
So Parks and Recreation is FINALLY going to abide by the law about three decades TOO LATE...but what will be missing from this picture? (Disabled) HOMELESS PEEPS!!!
Remember the unconstitutional stay–away orders to be given out by park rangers? What a disgraceful slap in the face to (disabled) HOMELESS PEEPS...you've chased them all away, so now you'll spend the compassionate taxpayer $$$ to improve the parks for anti-homeless bigots and their kids to picnic in. This is rank hypocrisy of the FIRST DEGREE: the City Council and the City staff are FILLED with ANTI-HOMELESS HATE!!!
Remember the unconstitutional stay–away orders to be given out by park rangers? What a disgraceful slap in the face to (disabled) HOMELESS PEEPS...you've chased them all away, so now you'll spend the compassionate taxpayer $$$ to improve the parks for anti-homeless bigots and their kids to picnic in. This is rank hypocrisy of the FIRST DEGREE: the City Council and the City staff are FILLED with ANTI-HOMELESS HATE!!!
Camp of Last Resort – Santa Cruz Parks and the Homeless
12/24
Proposed by Rabbi Philip M Posner
Sign petition: https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/petition-to-establish-a-camp-of-last-resort
Believing that the right of every citizen to have a place to sleep is fundamental to our nation’s concept
of “Life, Justice and the pursuit of happiness,” and knowing that “there’s probably close to 3,000
(homeless) that are unsheltered at any given time” in Santa Cruz* with no secure place to sleep at
night, we propose the following and encourage others to support this proposal.
While we wish there would be a more permanent housing environment for the homeless of our
community we believe that a camp (or camps) of last resort will at least provide shelter for some of
the thousands who are presently found illegally hankering down on streets, trails or along the river.
While we acknowledge that such camp/camps of last resort will not be perfectly safe or orderly, we
are confident that it/they will provide a far healthier environment with less crime and violence then
the unregulated and chaotic situation that presently exists. A place for homeless people to go would
also support “stayaway orders”as the idea of asking them not to go to other places become both more
pragmatic and realistic.
In proposing this partial solution to homelessness in Santa Cruz we appreciate that there are
community programs that are successfully providing other form of housing, and see this idea of a
public camp site as augmenting those important programs.
Proposal for a Camp of Last Resort:
That the City and County of Santa Cruz designate one or more of the City parks, (possibly a part of San
Lorenzo) as a place where individuals may bed down for the night. That the City and County of Santa
Cruz, join together to support and fund this park project with large tarps or some other form of public
shelter, and bath room facilities. In addition we believe there should be at least one police officer and
a social worker who will be present from the hours of … to … each night of the week.
At the discretion of the city and the county and the organizers of this proposal, this project may go
into effect on a trial basis of no less than 6 months, beginning in ….
After the trial period, representatives of the homeless community, the city, county and the original
organizers may decide to terminate or continue the project for a longer period of time.
Individuals who use the park will be required to sign an “I agree to abide by the following rules,”
statement:
In keeping with the city and county providing me a public place to sleep, I agree that:
1. I Understand and agree that my sleeping area will be limited to a sleeping bag, blankets (no tent or
cooking equipment) and my personal belongings.
2. That I will abstain from use of any drugs, including marijuana, or alcohol.
3. When using the public bathrooms, I will be responsible for leaving the facility clean and tidy for
others.
4. I will abstain from any anti social behavior, meaning behavior, activities or actions, that would do
harm to others or myself.
5. I understand that the camp hours are from … pm to …. am and that no later than … I shall leave the
area where I slept free of trash, liter and depart with my personal belongings so that the public at
large will be able to enjoy the park during the day.
6. I Understand that a officer of the law will be present at the park to enforce these rules, together
with a Social Worker who will be present to monitor the park premises and be of help to those who
may chose to seek his/her help with suggestions for improving my economic, health or housing
situation.
7. Because I understand that my personal behavior will impact on the success of this “camp of last
resort,” and because I know I must respect the rights of others who are also use this park, I
understand and agree that should the social worker or police officer believe that I am not abiding by
the above rules, I may be asked to leave the camp subject to the City of Santa Cruz Ordinance titled
Orders to Vacate Park Property (11/18/2014) excluding the order against “camping” for a period of
twenty four hours to a year; or for other serious illegal activity I may be booked into jail.
8. Finally, as I would not want others to treat me in a way that would hurt or jeopardize my welfare, I
agree to treat others similarly, including respecting the privacy and rights of those who share the park
with me
Signed ------------------------------ Date -------------------
*“At any given time, there are between 3,500-3,600 homeless persons in Santa Cruz County,
according to Peter Connery VP of Applied Survey Research.” (Santa Cruz GT Weekly, 11/1925/14)
Published at:
New homeless overnight shelter concept pitched for Santa Cruz
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20150129/new-homeless-overnight-shelter-concept-pitched-for-santa-cruz
12/24
Proposed by Rabbi Philip M Posner
Sign petition: https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/petition-to-establish-a-camp-of-last-resort
Believing that the right of every citizen to have a place to sleep is fundamental to our nation’s concept
of “Life, Justice and the pursuit of happiness,” and knowing that “there’s probably close to 3,000
(homeless) that are unsheltered at any given time” in Santa Cruz* with no secure place to sleep at
night, we propose the following and encourage others to support this proposal.
While we wish there would be a more permanent housing environment for the homeless of our
community we believe that a camp (or camps) of last resort will at least provide shelter for some of
the thousands who are presently found illegally hankering down on streets, trails or along the river.
While we acknowledge that such camp/camps of last resort will not be perfectly safe or orderly, we
are confident that it/they will provide a far healthier environment with less crime and violence then
the unregulated and chaotic situation that presently exists. A place for homeless people to go would
also support “stayaway orders”as the idea of asking them not to go to other places become both more
pragmatic and realistic.
In proposing this partial solution to homelessness in Santa Cruz we appreciate that there are
community programs that are successfully providing other form of housing, and see this idea of a
public camp site as augmenting those important programs.
Proposal for a Camp of Last Resort:
That the City and County of Santa Cruz designate one or more of the City parks, (possibly a part of San
Lorenzo) as a place where individuals may bed down for the night. That the City and County of Santa
Cruz, join together to support and fund this park project with large tarps or some other form of public
shelter, and bath room facilities. In addition we believe there should be at least one police officer and
a social worker who will be present from the hours of … to … each night of the week.
At the discretion of the city and the county and the organizers of this proposal, this project may go
into effect on a trial basis of no less than 6 months, beginning in ….
After the trial period, representatives of the homeless community, the city, county and the original
organizers may decide to terminate or continue the project for a longer period of time.
Individuals who use the park will be required to sign an “I agree to abide by the following rules,”
statement:
In keeping with the city and county providing me a public place to sleep, I agree that:
1. I Understand and agree that my sleeping area will be limited to a sleeping bag, blankets (no tent or
cooking equipment) and my personal belongings.
2. That I will abstain from use of any drugs, including marijuana, or alcohol.
3. When using the public bathrooms, I will be responsible for leaving the facility clean and tidy for
others.
4. I will abstain from any anti social behavior, meaning behavior, activities or actions, that would do
harm to others or myself.
5. I understand that the camp hours are from … pm to …. am and that no later than … I shall leave the
area where I slept free of trash, liter and depart with my personal belongings so that the public at
large will be able to enjoy the park during the day.
6. I Understand that a officer of the law will be present at the park to enforce these rules, together
with a Social Worker who will be present to monitor the park premises and be of help to those who
may chose to seek his/her help with suggestions for improving my economic, health or housing
situation.
7. Because I understand that my personal behavior will impact on the success of this “camp of last
resort,” and because I know I must respect the rights of others who are also use this park, I
understand and agree that should the social worker or police officer believe that I am not abiding by
the above rules, I may be asked to leave the camp subject to the City of Santa Cruz Ordinance titled
Orders to Vacate Park Property (11/18/2014) excluding the order against “camping” for a period of
twenty four hours to a year; or for other serious illegal activity I may be booked into jail.
8. Finally, as I would not want others to treat me in a way that would hurt or jeopardize my welfare, I
agree to treat others similarly, including respecting the privacy and rights of those who share the park
with me
Signed ------------------------------ Date -------------------
*“At any given time, there are between 3,500-3,600 homeless persons in Santa Cruz County,
according to Peter Connery VP of Applied Survey Research.” (Santa Cruz GT Weekly, 11/1925/14)
Published at:
New homeless overnight shelter concept pitched for Santa Cruz
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/general-news/20150129/new-homeless-overnight-shelter-concept-pitched-for-santa-cruz
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