Stop the SCPD Sweeps! Stop Lying About Available Shelter! Services Not Threats!

Police have begun incremental removal of tent-homes in and around the Benchlands. This seems in line with City Manager Matt Huffaker's threat/promise to "demobilize" (i.e. remove) the Benchlands by summer's end. See City Manager's Report at https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showpublisheddocument/90079/637927271298530000

Trash pick-up's, and porta-potty cleaning, providing water for drinking and keeping clean, addressing the rodent problem, and dealing with overcrowding have been pointedly ignored.

HUFF has received repeated complaints.

Hear one resident describe the destruction of his tent and property on July 28th at https://www1.huffsantacruz.org/lost/1%20FRSC%207-28-22.mp3 (1 hour and 5 minutes into the file)

Continued description:
https://www1.huffsantacruz.org/lost/1%20FRSC%207-31-22.mp3 (15 minutes and 40 second into the audio file)

The SCPD is celebrating National Night Out with a free community open house from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday August 2nd at 155 Center St.

Police are reportedly offering: Tours of the station, police dog and motorcycle "demonstrations", how to volunteer, preventing "crime", and refreshments and giveaways.

HUFF (Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom) will be proposing: (1) Shifting funding from police sweeps to assisting unhoused folks with tents, fresh water, shower facilities, decent bathrooms, more space, and other essential amenities to support Benchlands residents and other encampments.
(2) Adhering to the Martin v. Boise decision and the COVID shelter-in-place guidelines--so that no one will be threatened with removal from the Benchlands unless more suitable places are actually available--clearly not the case at the present time.
(3) Oversight and action to end racial, economic, and class profiling in police enforcement--particularly as it applies to disadvantaged minorities and unhoused folks.
(4) Other real reforms demanded of other police departments, but ignored by the City Council involving transparency, accountability, and less lethal and violent ways of dealing with community problems.