Jam with the Freedom Sleepers--34th Week

Tuesday night will be the 34th Community Sleep Out with a web page at https://www.facebook.com/events/244215129245260/

Second-hand accounts suggest lead Freedom Sleeper Troubleshooter Toby Nixon has invited numerous street musicians and performers to join the Sleep-Out.

It begins Tuesday afternoon and runs through a modest coffee breakfast on Wednesday morning. Activists and participants are invited, as ever, to quaff a second (and third) cup of coffee at the Sub Rosa Cafe at 11 AM while discussing other actions fighting homeless discrimination in Santa Cruz.


ACTIVISTS INVITED TO WEIGH IN ON PROPOSED LAW CHANGES AS WELL AS PLAN FUTURE STRATEGY

A proposed revision of the Camping Ordinance, eliminating sleeping as a crime, but maintaining a ban against laying out bedding (i.e. covering up with blankets or in a bag), has aroused skepticism and controversy among activists.

Councilmember Don Lane's amendments are due to hit City Council on March 8th at the same time Freedom Sleepers celebrate their 35th week outside. Food Not Bombs activist Keith McHenry has promised to serve food at that event, braving a hostile City Council and city staff.

HUff old-timer Robert Norse has arranged with Councilmember
Posner to air concerns and suggest future actions 11 AM Thursday March 3 at City Hall (Councilmember's offices).

Norse interviewed Posner for Free Radio last Sunday. It's archived at https://www.facebook.com/events/244215129245260/ .

Steve Pleich has written a defense of the proposed ordinance and general survey of surrounding activism at https://www.facebook.com/groups/CFABSC2/ .


ANTI-HOMELESS BIGOTRY RAGES UNABATED
County Supervipers will join the City Council homeless hate gang March 8 in a final reading of a County-wide anti-homeless RV measures: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/government-and-politics/20160223/santa-cruz-county-supervisors-ticket-rvs-parked-overnight

The City Council passed its own "no RV parking at night law without a permit" (and homeless folks are not permitted to get permits even if Santa Cruz is their long-term home) last fall. Please pass on reports of harassment and ticketing to HUFF at 423-4833.

ELSEWHERE

San Francisco homeless continue to resist bigotry-based sweeps on their only housing--tents and bags. See http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/0226/Tent-city-evictions-highlight-San-Francisco-s-homelessness-problem-video .

There is no indication that Vancouver, WA, in spite of heavy negative criticism from the Oregonian has stepped back from its decision to allow nighttime camping, given the shelter emergency. (see http://www.oregonlive.com/homeless/2015/11/vancouver_tries_legal_camping.html#incart_2box )