Homeless Residents Name Take Back Santa Cruz in Lawsuit

Photo: Homeless advocates say this is a photo of Take Back Santa Cruz co-founder Heather Lesnowicz Babcock being served a copy of the lawsuit filed by Ross Camp residents in federal court.


The "conclusion" section of the lawsuit states:

"As we file this Complaint and Motion, we homeless residents of Ross Camp are faced with a tragic situation. The City of Santa Cruz, assisted by hostile elements in the community including some members of the "Take Santa Cruz Back", creating a climate of fear and violence, is simply ignoring the law at our expense. Any day we may face danger in the streets and beyond if we are locked out of Ross Camp with no safe place to go. Any day they can kick us out with the excuse of a camp clean up or no excuse at all, with no guarantee most or any of us can come back and no safe indoor place to go where we might escape the elements or a thrown bottle or worse. A dangerous climate of fear is in the City, every day anti-homeless tirades on social media and angry crowds mobbing City Council meetings. We ask that the City be stopped until homeless plaintiffs have a chance to put all the facts to the court."


The lawsuit provides the following context about their claims concerning Take Back Santa Cruz:

"In an effort to try and close the camp a safe sleep location was proposed on March 19th, it was to be located in a parking lot adjacent to depot park, and contain tent spaces for 50 people to sleep, at night forcing them to leave during the day. A week following it was proposed to be agendized for the safe sleep location to be recinded on April 9th in the face of massive, hostile public protest, organized by "Take Back Santa Cruz", an organization connected to Santa Cruz Police Chief Andrew Mills which includes members that have perpetrated acts of violence against the homeless in addition to using social media to spread myths and anti-homeless hate."


More information about the efforts of the Hero's Camp residents can be found at:

Santa Cruz County Homeless Advocates
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SantaCruzCountyHomelessAdvocates/