Housing Not Handcuffs Sunrise Vigil with First They Came for the Homeless

Please join us for a: Housing Not Handcuffs Sunrise Vigil with First They Came for the Homeless

Please come by and support the First They Came for the Homeless intentional tent collective on the steps of the city hall as they continue their ongoing protest amidst wind, rain, living challenges and violent militarized police raids.

The City Manager estimated in his recent report to the City Council that some $5.6M is spent yearly by the Berkeley Police on dealing with the homeless. Each of the ongoing raids on the First They Came for the Homeless protest encampments is estimated to cost between $30,000 and $50,000.  At the November 4th 5 AM raid, Barbara Brust, a disabled 65 year old woman and founder of "Consider The Homeless" who cooks and brings food to Berkeley's homeless, District 2 candidate Nanci Armstrong-Temple, and Michelle, a communications organizer, were violently arrested and injured.

Like Barbara, Nanci and Michelle, neighbors and many others donate time, food, cooking, and resources and work with members of the encampment for well being and sustainability in the face of dire economic, political, health, housing and environmental difficulty.

Community advocacy for housing justice, humane treatment of people living on the streets and opposition to misuse and privatization of public commons has fallen on deaf ears at city council meetings. Instead of helping the city has made the situation much worse - already resulting in deaths of homeless people.

A recent ordinance makes  it illegal to take up more than a  2 x 2 foot space for belongings on the street although council members promote big development projects that block off whole sections of sidewalks for high rent, high rise, high profit constructions. Does anybody want those? The city is failing to address the housing needs for the people here and there is a significant rise in the number of homeless students.   Please help us create an intentional tent encampment with water and sanitation access on a designated city property.

Please contact the city manager, city council members and the mayor and tell them to STOP THE RAIDS!

All phone numbers below begin with (510)

City Manager Administration 981-7000

Anderson, Maxwell, City Council District 3 981-7130   MAnderson@cityofberkeley.info

Arreguin, Jesse,  City Council District 4 981-7140   JArreguin@cityofberkeley.info

Capitelli, Lauri,  City Council District 5 981-7150  lcapitelli@cityofberkeley.info

Droste, Lori, City Council District 8 981-7180  LDroste@cityofberkeley.info

Maio, Linda  City Council District 1 981-7110  lmaio@cityofberkeley.info

Moore, Darryl  City Council District 2 981-7120  DAM1@cityofberkeley.info

Wengraf, Susan,  City Council District 6 981-7160  SWengraf@cityofberkeley.info

Worthington, Kriss,  City Council District 7 981-7170  KWorthington@cityofberkeley.info

Mayor Bates, Tom,  Mayor 981-7100  Mayor@cityofberkeley.info