The 32nd Time: Freedom Sleeper Activists Hit City Hall Sidewalk

NUMBER THIRTY-TWO
Santa Cruz's homeless population still faces tickets and stay-away orders from parks at night, harassment in public spaces and buildings during the day, and the Sleeping Ban everywhere in the City after 11 PM. In solidarity with hundreds who have no shelter, Freedom Sleepers will gather at 5 PM and through the night for the 32nd Tuesday night weekly sleep-out.

Last week's Freedom SleepOut (#31) reportedly included 20 folks throughout the night.

MEDIA BEGINS ON MAYOR LANE'S SLEEPING BAN REFORM
In today's Sunday Sentinel, David Grishaw Jones of the Peace United Church of Christ has published a strong defense of the right to sleep at night--specifically criminalized here since 1978.
See http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160213/the-rev-david-grishaw-jones-sleeping-should-not-be-against-the-law

Silver-tongued Steve Pleich has written an article for the on-line Street Spirit newspaper (soon to be available in hard copy in Santa Cruz at the Sub Rosa Cafe): http://www.thestreetspirit.org/santa-cruz-activists-join-together-to-defend-right-to-sleep/ on March 8 City Council meeting with move to strike "sleep"...

Lobbying the Sleep-toxic City Council continues from the more rarified regions of closed liberal and religious groups.

LOBBYING COMING UP
James Weller writes: "Don Lane says the most effective way to support his proposal (which he plans to introduce to the City Council on March 8), if you live in Santa Cruz, is to e-mail the City Council directly - citycouncil [at] cityofsantacruz.com. Say that Municipal Code Section 6.36 should be amended to remove from its text all references to “sleep,” “sleeping,” “sleeping bag,” “blanket,” and “bedding,” "in vehicles." "

The danger here--as with past such limited efforts--is that once Council nixes Lane's reform, "respectable" liberals will simply stay home or rely on loudly-touted but never-completed legal action when what's needed is intensified and focused protests.

OTHER AVENUES
Also a distant possibility--a lawsuit against the ban backed by the National Law Center for Homelessness and Poverty-- still in the organizing stage.

Former liberal governor Jerry Brown has reportedly also told a local establishment liberal that he may consider the creation of safe sleeping zones supported by the California Conservation Corp.

DIRECT ACTION PROSPECTS
More direct action by Toby Nixon and HUFF activists being done or under consideration includes free streaming police harassment of homeless sleepers, visible daytime homeless protests outside the relevant city hall offices, and ThugWatch on Pacific Avenue--housed activists monitoring the uniformed First Alarm Security "homeless watchers".

STILL MORE
Further postings on the 32nd Community SleepOut can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/1679782112277618/

Check out the great poster by Warming Center activist Brent Adams: https://www.facebook.com/santacruzsanctuary/photos/a.525272064184570.120239.525270847518025/1106964959348608/?type=3&theater


ATTACKS ON HOMELESS ELSEWHERE
Global Day of Action against the Arrest of Food Not Bombs in Moscow.
https://www.facebook.com/events/185674255131444/

New Salinas law attacks Chinatown homeless encampment:
http://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/my-safety/2016/02/10/salinas-amends-homeless-property-ordinance/80087978/

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1774021562832523&set=gm.1739915619572928&type=3&theater

HUFF activist Robert Norse composed and posted this announcement with input from Pat Colby and Steve Pleich.