Emergency Protest to Defend Those Without Housing

EMERGENCY PROTEST TO DEFEND THOSE WITHOUT HOUSING
Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at 12 noon
809 Center St, Santa Cruz, California.

Santa Cruz City Council to vote to violate Martin v. Boise ruling against Cruel and Unusual Treatment.

The City of Santa Cruz is required to offer at least 800 indoor shelter beds to be in compliance with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals order. This proposal will force hundreds to seek shelter in the doorways, yards, and parks of Santa Cruz.

Please email Justin Cummings and ask him to vote against item 13 at this Tuesday, April 23, 2019, City Council Meeting
jcummings [at] cityofsantacruz.com


CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: April 14, 2019
AGENDA OF: April 23, 2019
DEPARTMENT: City Council
SUBJECT: Gateway Encampment Closure (CN)

Submitted by: Martine Watkins Justin Cummings Mayor Vice Mayor

RECOMMENDATION:Motion to: (1) direct the City Manager to implement the City Council-approved Standard Operating Procedures for a permanent closure of the Gateway Encampment with a target closure date of April 30, 2019 and coinciding with the opening of the 1220 River Street Camp; and, (2) convert any temporary relocation of the Gateway Encampment under the existing Council-directed Site Management Plan to this permanent closure and alternate shelter sites.

BACKGROUND: The City Council has been deeply entrenched in homelessness-related policy since February 12, 2019 at which time the Council adopted the County and City of Santa Cruz Joint Action Plan for Emergency Shelter Provision and Encampment Management (Action Plan). The Action Plan served as a collaborative plan to ensure the City and the County moved in unison to address the immediate health and safety challenges at the Gateway Encampment, develop sheltering programs to bolster our community’s capacity, and close the unsanctioned encampment.

DISCUSSION: Since February, efforts have been made to advance several of the Action Plan objectives, and other ideas and considerations were explored to address the Gateway Encampment closure. At this time, we recommend proceeding with a full closure of the encampment. Closure is necessary to ensure better health and safety outcomes for the encampment residents and surrounding community, and to leverage to the maximum extent all shelter and safe storage resources that are available and secured including the 1220 River Street, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Laurel Street Salvation Army programs, to provide alternate sleeping locations. If shelter options become unavailable during and after the closure, as the Council directed on April 9, 2019, the City will not enforce Santa Cruz Municipal Code Chapter 6.36 “Camping” against these homeless individuals, per the Martin v. Boise decision. Acting now will ensure the greatest success and impact in transferring Gateway Encampment sleepers to existing, supported and funded shelter programs.

FISCAL IMPACT: All budgetary requirements to fulfill this item’s direction have been previously allocated by the Council.

Submitted by: Martine Watkins Justin Cummings Mayor Vice Mayor

http://scsire.cityofsantacruz.com/sirepub/cache/2/mclslhvm3zsovkxcblfbzba2/483031704182019095137631.PDF