#LeaveNoOneBehind Homelessness is NOT a Crime Rally and Protest

#LeaveNoOneBehind Homelessness is NOT a Crime Rally and Protest 10/10/2014

10/10/2014 is World Homeless Day. Human rights, housing first, and social justice advocacy groups will be holding a rally on 10/10/2014 at 8am at Oscar Grant Plaza (formerly known as Frank O’Gawa Plaza).

We will then march to Wiley W Manuel Court House, located at 661 Washington Street, Oakland CA. This march is to raise awareness to efforts across the bay area and the nation to criminalize homelessness with inhumane, uncompassionate, unconstitutional laws making it essentially illegal to exist. From “No Sit-Stand-Lie” ordinances to “No Camping” ordinances to the criminalization of sharing food, it is clear that there is war on the homeless and we promise to #LeaveNoOneBehind because Homelessness is NOT a Crime”.

Aaron Colyer, a formerly homeless, disabled, United States Marine Corps Veteran with PTSD was ticketed on July 24, 2014 for “Sleeping/Living in a Vehicle”. My Colyer was homeless at the time and was living in his van with his PTSD Service Dog Captain when Alameda Police violated his rights, threatened him with arrest, and essentially cited him with being homeless 500 yards away from the old Alameda Naval Station as seen in the following clip uploaded to YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1w3lZV91ak

The City Attorney has been asked to get the City Council to withdraw the ordinance in light of the June 19, 2014, United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, decision in Desertrain vs. City of Los Angeles, (No. 11-56957). In that case the Court overturned the City of Los Angeles’ ordinance banning use of vehicles as “living quarters”. The analysis set forth in Desertrain, applies to the City of Alameda’s ordinance as well. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-homeless-vehicles-20140620-story.html

With our current economic situation and the ever increasing cost of rent and living in the bay area, more and more people are becoming homeless and/or living in their vehicles. As more and more states ban sleeping, camping, sitting, walking, sharing food and existing, Utah has taken a different approach, a Housing First approach. http://www.nationofchange.org/utah-ending-homelessness-giving-people-homes-1390056183 Instead of criminalizing homelessness, they are providing case management and housing and they are saving big bucks by doing so.

Barbara Thomas, former Vice Mayor and City Council Woman of Alameda City is representing Mr. Colyer and has scheduled a hearing for 10/10/2014 at 9:00am in Department 102 at the Wiley W. Manuel Court House, 661 Washington Street, Oakland, CA this hearing was intentionally scheduled to coincide with World Homeless Day to raise awareness for the criminalization of the homeless and veteran homelessness. No one in America should be homeless, homelessness is NOT a crime and we will #LeaveNoOneBehind.

For more information go to; https://www.facebook.com/events/287846578071123

And/or contact Aaron Colyer @ 423-277-7204

Semper Fi; Never Stop Fighting for What is Right Because the Future is Only as Bright as We Make It