Eureka Readies Homeless Removal as Santa Cruz Freedom Sleepers Gather for 43rd SleepOut

CITY HALL SIDEWALK THE USUAL FREEDOM SITE
Persistent activists with the Freedom Sleepers will return this Tuesday for another night on the bricks and the blacktop in front of City Hall.

Their numbers reportedly grew last week to include 15 or 20 at various times throughout the night. Jumbogumbo Joe Schultz provided coffee; Troublemaker Toby friend chicken; and a tripled "security force" of First Alarm costumed "guards" provided comic relief.

No City Council meeting slated for this week, but Keith McHenry of Food Not Bombs announced he'd be there during the afternoon cooking and leafleting to restore the survival rights of unhoused community versus the City's anti-homeless Sleeping Ban and Park Closing laws.

OTHER CITIES
Meanwhile up Eureka way, there was a mixed victory--temporarily securing the rights of 11 folks outside, while abandoning the majority to the threatened police sweeps.
See "Mixed ruling: Judge prevents Eureka from evicting 11 homeless; city says plan to proceed" at http://www.times-standard.com/article/NJ/20160429/NEWS/160429840

In Sacramento, in the wake of a lengthy day-and-night protest/encampment at City Hall, attorney Mark Merin said he was applying for permits for homeless sleeping spots. This was suggested by city officials after their recent trip to Seattle with its longstanding tent villages.

In Salinas, Wes White and the Monterey County Homeless Advocates have spent more than a month camping outside their City Hall at night, demanding abolition of the anti-homeless "leave your stuff on the sidewalk, face seizure". Wes gave a long update at http://radiolibre.org/brb/brb160424.mp3 (3 hours and 28 minutes into the audio file).

STREET ARTIST CRACKDOWN CONTINUES
In Santa Cruz, Keith McHenry reports that street artists Alex Skelton and Joff Jones were arrested and their artwork seized again---two weeks after their first arrest. Their "crime" was presumably being "outside the blue brackets/dots/boxes" or perhaps "declining to move-along every hour."

Assistant 2nd Class Scott Collins has continued to decline to meet with those wanting to make suggestions and ask questions regarding the "blue boxes" law—though he has responded to e-mail. The “Vanish the Vendors” laws are likely to be returning to Council on May 12th. A Public Records Act shows much communication between Collins, fellow bureaucrat Julie Hendee, and various merchants downtown intent on restricting if not eliminating street vendors downtown.

Councilmember Micah Posner will be at the May 4th HUFF meeting at 11 AM [Sub Rosa Café, 703 Pacific) to discuss the issue. He has been asked to bring a copy of the proposed law--created with much merchant, but little if any street performer input.

Freedom Sleepers will meet Wednesday morning at 10 AM at the Sub Rosa to lick wounds and plot strategems.