Stop the Pogonip Sweeps

Tell the Mayor and City Council to stop the sweeps. There is no place for the hundreds living in the Pogonip to move. Provide trash pick up and toilets but don't force these people to move back into the doorways and river banks only to face late night tickets, fines and jail.

Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley
fkeeley [at] cityofsantacruz.com

Santa Cruz City Council
citycouncil [at] cityofsantacruz.com

BACKGROUND (from city council meeting agenda): The Pogonip recreational area nearest Highway 9 and Golf Club Drive has become an extremely large homeless encampment over the last several months. Over time, the camp has significantly increased in size, growing into an environmental crisis that presents a significant threat to public safety, health and welfare. Closure of the encampment and restoring it to its natural habitat will begin in late May.

DISCUSSION: The encampment located in the Pogonip area presents a significant threat to public safety, health and welfare. Environmental degradation is occurring in the hillside, and
encampment-related pollution is directly impacting adjacent environmentally sensitive habitats.
In addition, the specific location is considered a high fire risk location requiring the Santa Cruz Fire Department to conduct hazard mitigation by conducting a vegetation management program this summer prior to fire season.

The challenge of the steep terrain makes it extremely unsafe for police to conduct enforcement activities, and for the Fire Department to respond to emergency calls for service, including fires.
Furthermore, City staff do not feel safe working in and around the Pogonip without a police escort.

To effectuate the clean-up, staff requested proposals from refuse disposal contractors. Staff received 3 bids, and is recommending authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with
Clean Team Associates in an amount not to exceed $250,000.