Ross Camp Eviction Date Could be Extended, but City Support for Safe Sleep Options Wavers

Mathews, Meyers and Watkins wrote in their proposal that, "necessity should not catalyze a dramatic trajectory change in policy and land use that will indelibly affect the future of our community."

In response to the Mathews-Meyers-Watkins proposal, Keith McHenry of Food Not Bombs wrote the following:


"We are going backwards.

"It is clear to me that this proposal if passed will close the Ross Camp and force those living there into the doorways, yards, and parks and that there will not be any safe place for them to go. As the proposal states "at this time not consider any other sites for temporary homeless shelter programs."

"It is also clear that using existing shelters in buildings and "possibly" lodging vouchers will NOT comply with the Boise versus Martin legal requirements and Mayor Watkins and Councilmembers Meyers and Mathews know this and do not care. The few lodging vouchers that will be issued will be given to those people they believe have influence so they will be temporarily removed from supporting the continuation of the Ross Camp and will only provide a safe place at a hotel for a week at best.

"Watkins, Meyers, and Mathews also must know that hundreds of people will not vanish into thin air and that they just don't care that they will be causing the suffering of those at the Ross Camp and the hundreds of other people who live outside.

"The 2000 and 2017 reports by those "expert council on homelessness" made many proposals, none of which were implemented.

"This proposal by Watkins, Meyers, and Mathews is cruel and isn't even in the best interest of those who hate the homeless. This is madness."


Alicia Kuhl, who has been advocating for residents at the Ross Camp, has asked community members to contact the city council in support of the establishment of a low barrier transitional encampment. On April 2 Kuhl posted the following suggestion for the public to contact council members:


"Hello, ❤️❤️❤️???

"I'm asking community members to take the time to write a short/ or long email to City Council thanking them for all the recent hard work they have done, it's not always easy to be in that position making difficult decisions I'm sure. Please feel free to write something yourself, or use the following language if you like:"

Dear City Council,

I want to take the time to thank you for all of your recent hard work, I understand making difficult decisions is not easy. I appreciate the decision to consider the repeal of the depot park safe sleep location on April 9th. I don't think that location will best serve the needs of the homeless, instead I would like to see all efforts and funds directed immediately towards a transitional homeless encampment, a model with 5 basic rules (see Dignity Village, Portland) this encampment proposal has been previously sent to you by Alicia Kuhl.

I would like to see this plan put in place before you intend on a closure of the current Ross Encampment. I believe this is of the utmost importance in regards to the health and safety of this community as a whole.

Thank you,
Your name here

*City Council Emails:

mwatkins [at] cityofsantacruz.com
jcummings [at] cityofsantacruz.com
dmeyers [at] cityofsantacruz.com
sbrown [at] cityofsantacruz.com
dglover [at] cityofsantacruz.com
ckrohn [at] cityofsantacruz.com
cmatthews [at] cityofsantacruz.com
citycouncil [at] cityofsantacruz.com


The City Council will address these issues in their afternoon session on Tuesday, April 9, sometime after 12:30pm, and homeless advocates are planning a protest at City Hall at 4pm.


Photos of the Ross Camp are by Steve Pleich.