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From the Open-Publishing Calendar
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Indybay Feature

Standing Up to Police and Prejudice: Assembling Bill of Rights for the S.C. Homeless

Date:
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Event Type:
Conference
Organizer/Author:
Robert Norse
Email:
Phone:
831-423-4833
Address:
309 Cedar PMB #14B Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Location Details:
Between the Santa Cruz County Building at Ocean and Water Sts. and the Lawn Bowling Area at the edge of San Lorenzo Park

The state of Rhode Island passed a Homeless Bill of Rights last month.
Text of the bill: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText12/SenateText12/S2052B.pdf
Stories about the bill: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/rhode-island-homeless-bill-of-rights
&
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/13/us-usa-homeless-rhodeisland-idUSBRE85C1RY20120613_n_1632411.html

Santa Cruz Police announced they would be doing sweep-and-destroy missions for homeless campsites in Santa Cruz over the next month (even though Santa Cruz has no alternate shelter available for those folks):
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_21046303/santa-cruz-police-clear-out-homeless-camps-next
Indybay's story on this planned spoiling raid: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/07/10/18717222.php

Gary Johnson and Ed Frey face a return to jail to complete their 6 month jail sentences for peaceful protest (sleeping) outside the County Building in August 2010 in solidarity with homeless Santa Cruzans who have no shelter.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/06/26/18682916.php

A Superior Court panel upheld these sentences.
http://www.beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/2012/07/judges-affirm-that-sleeping-at-any-time.html

Several months ago, Judge John Gallagher, who gave Frey and Johnson these outrageous sentences, gave Gary Johnson a 2-year suspended sentence for sleeping outside the courthouse on a bench with a sign that read "Sleep is not a Crime"
Description of the trial at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/03/19/18709700.php?show_comments=1#18709805

Advocate John Colby reports that homeless disabled people were being mistreated (one man thrown into the street with a wheelchair; others denied services) by the Homeless (Lack of) Services Center without any rules regarding appeal, rights as disabled people, or consistent explanations.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/06/29/18716565.php?show_comments=1#18717545

Santa Cruz Council Members, Vice-Mayor Proposed Anti-Homeless Measures After Recent Murder
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/05/16/18713568.php

HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) will be serving some hot soup and taking accounts of what homeless people themselves would like to see in the Homeless Bill of Rights, particularly as regarding Santa Cruz.

We're also seeking to assess the amount of damage down by the SCPD, Parks and Recreation, and private vigilante groups like the Downtown Association, Take Back Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Neighbors in destroying homeless property and harassing homeless people.

The public (housed and unhoused) will be invited to speak both publicly and privately about the situation, as well as make suggestions regarding what rights are most in jeopardy and need to be asserted most strongly.

Everyone's invited.
Added to the calendar on Sun, Jul 15, 2012 9:43PM

Comments (Hide Comments)
by tgg
About the bill.. I'm too sleepy to find them.. mr bumpersticker bat mobil night watchman maybe want to reach out and touch us some more..id like to read it.. links broke.. I'm lazy.. help..
by Less is More
Um, you've got quite a big agenda there. Who were you planning to have facilitate this? What are you thinking?!
by RazerRay
The above statement was prescient.
by Robert Norse
Santa Cruz Patch in its puffpiece summary of the current candidates for City Council touches on this issue at http://santacruz.patch.com/articles/santa-cruz-expects-heated-local-elections-in-november?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001#comment_4022721 .

I'll be playing interviews from the Tuesday "Soup and Speak" event around a Santa Cruz Bill of Rights for the Homeless tonight on Free Radio Santa Cruz 6-8 PM. The show streams at http://tunein.com/radio/FRSC-s47254/ (and broadcasts at 101.3 FM--but not very far--we're a pirate station). Call-in numbers on air are 831-427-3772 and 831-469-3119. Shows archive at http://www.huffsantacruz.org under "Listen to..."

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