Anarchistcook’s Weblog

The proposed Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance was intentionally designed to fail with the goal of encouraging an even more anti-homeless law which is set to be introduced at the May 11 Santa Cruz City Council meeting. The withdrawal of the ordinance was not a victory for the unhoused and their allies. It’s a clear win for the property speculators and their employees at City Hall.

It has been obvious from the beginning that “legalizing” camping on sidewalks outside business and in industrial areas of Seabright from eight to eight was intended to build opposition to any humane ordinance directed at the unhoused community.

Lookout reporter Isabella Cueto suggests, “Tuesday’s meeting was intended to be an opportunity for the Council to approve amendments to the law. But instead became a discussion about a complete overhaul — and a commitment by city leaders to be more transparent with the public when crafting future policies.”

City staff had over a year to reshape Police Chief Andy Mills pre-pandemic proposal to criminalize the unhoused. This “commitment by city leaders to be more transparent with the public” is an important part of the spin.

Santa Cruz Neighbors and members of Take Back Santa Cruz are seamlessly integrated into the police and city staff and participated in the formulation of this ordinance.

The January 16, 2020, Santa Cruz Sentinel article reported, “Prominent among the ideas that Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills plans to shop around the community, including the more than 50 people gathered Wednesday night at a Santa Cruz Neighbors meeting, is a revamped city no-camping ordinance.”

“Mills said he was seeking input on the rough-draft ordinance ideas before bringing formal proposals to the Santa Cruz City Council for consideration. He added that he planned to announce some four or five additional community input meeting dates for March.”

It goes on to say, “The city’s Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness also has been seeking public engagement on a revised ordinance recommendation, due for city consideration Feb. 25.” I attended nearly every one of their meetings and the ideas of those supporting the unhoused was ignored and often silenced.

The January 2020 article continues, “Let me emphasize it one more time: This is not going to solve any homeless problems,” Mills told an audience of housed residents and homelessness-issues advocates alike. “The purpose is to control behaviors that affect our businesses, that affect our community, that affect our citizens – both housed and unhoused.”

Kara Guzman of Santa Cruz Local reported on April 10, 2019, “The closure of the Ross homeless camp has been delayed yet again by the Santa Cruz City Council. At Tuesday night’s meeting, the council canceled the April 17 closure and declined to set a new date. The council also formally threw out the idea of creating a new homeless camp by Depot Park. And to the relief of many residents, the council paused its search for homeless camps in city neighborhoods or parks.” That May the City Council voted to sweep Ross Camp and formed the Community Advisory Committee on Homelessness.

In 2016, Santa Cruz City Council voted to continue the sleeping ban and formed the “Homelessness Coordinating Committee Santa Cruz City Council Subcommittee” who issued their “Final Report and Recommendations” on May 9, 2017. It was nearly the same report issued by the council on May 2, 2000.

Let’s not be fooled. The ordinance was not withdrawn because it was too cruel. It was delayed because it was not inhumane enough. This continues my contention that the plan is and has been to drive the unhoused from the city and provide cover for their effort to skirt the Ninth Circuit Court ruling against cruel and unusual punishment in Martin v Boise.

With the expected increase of people being forced to live outside the obvious solution is to provide real housing, filling vacant hotels and apartment units with the people already suffering under the campaign of city sponsored terror and prepare to house the 100 to 200 additional people made homeless each month as America suffers a tidal wave of evictions.

MEETING TO ORGANIZE FOR SOLUTIONS AND RESIST THE NEW TOLO 

Friday, April, 16, 2021

5:00 pm

Outside the Little Red Church at Cedar and Lincoln