Hey People!

WRAP's California newsletter focuses on events, rallies, and news by local organizing groups that are not always captured by mainstream media. We, at WRAP, believe that people need to be informed about what's really happening on the ground, in your cities, because a lot of messed-up things are usually hidden in localities and abuses spread statewide like wildfire!

What we're highlighting in this newsletter is that there are amazing local groups who are willing to fight back and connecting with each other to create POWER! and that's why you're receiving this newsletter!

Check- out the news and its links below!

Sacramento hit with federal lawsuit seeking to overturn city's panhandling ordinance

BY SAM STANTON AND RYAN LILLIS - The Sacramento Bee

Homeless advocates have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of Sacramento, alleging that a panhandling ordinance adopted in November violates the free speech rights of citizens asking for handouts.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court late Tuesday on behalf of well-known homeless activist James Lee "Faygo" Clark, seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions against enforcing the ordinance, which bans soliciting within 30 feet of ATMs or banks, at driveway entrances to businesses or near bus stops.

The suit was filed on behalf of Clark and the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and Legal Services of Northern California.

The 12-page complaint calls the ordinance a clear violation of the First
Amendment right to free speech and one that "is taking away one of the few legal and safe means for homeless individuals to obtain money for necessities."

"The ordinance effectively bans a wide range of protected speech in large swaths of the city," the suit says. "In addition, although it is styled as an aggressive and intrusive solicitation ordinance, the law criminalizes purely passive activity such as sitting peacefully on the sidewalk with a sign or a donation cup."

City officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit comes as the city and other regional governments find themselves casting about for solutions to the homeless crisis they face. At Sacramento City Hall, homeless people sleep nightly under the eaves of the building and have been the subject of efforts by city officials to extend services and housing to them, including a $108 million partnership with the county that has been led by Mayor Darrell Steinberg.

But efforts to deal with the region’s homeless population have included ordinances aimed at limiting where homeless people may panhandle or live.

Measures in Sutter County and Yuba City that prohibited camping in public spots such as in cars or along the Feather River prompted a civil rights suit filed in Sacramento federal court in March, and resulted in in a preliminary injunction last week that prohibits enforcement of the ordinance or seizure of homeless citizens property.

The Sacramento ordinance was adopted unanimously by the council following complaints from business and tourism groups about aggressive panhandling, and it has been controversial from the start. The night of its adoption on Nov. 14, 2017, four people were removed from the council chambers for raising their voices during the debate.

Under the ordinance, first-time offenders can be cited for an infraction and fined, and individuals who violate it more than twice can face up to six months in jail and a fine of $500 to $1,000.

The lawsuit describes Clark as a homeless man who routinely solicits handouts of food or money in Sacramento, sometimes along 21st Street, where he sits with his dog and two signs asking for money, with a cup for donations set between them.

He also stands on the sidewalk at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op at 28th and R streets, seeking donations of healthy food or cash, the suit says.

"Mr. Clark selects his locations based on his experience of where he is most successful obtaining donations," the suit says, noting that his chosen spot near the Co-op puts him within 30 feet of a Regional Transit bus stop and the co-op's driveways, both violations of the ordinance.

Read Full lawsuit SRCEH v. City of Sacramento Filed Complaint here >>>>

POLICE USING THEIR BADGES TO BE UGLY

by California Central Valley Journey For Justice

Well this story was told to me by me! I was there when this took place. Once again it took place in Applegate Park in the gazebo.

Some friends and I were sitting in the gazebo when into the park comes one of Merced's police. He drives real slow at first, then he comes to the gazebo, gets out of his car, comes over to us and says "everyone pack up and leave." There were four of us who didn't have anything to pack, so we all started to leave. By now the cop is walking on the outside of the gazebo. All of a sudden he tells this one guy to give him his name. The cop was very rude. Then he said "I want every ones name. One of my friends was able to go ahead and leave. The next thing we know there are 6 more police cars and one motorcycle cop.

They showed up one at a time. Everyone of them went over to the first guy that the cop had ask for his name. This guy never raised his voice and never spoke out of line. They had him standing in front of the first officer's car. Each cop had to get involved with this guy. He was doing what the officer told him and the rest of us to do. They searched his backpack and person, and talked to him like he was a harden criminal.

The officers took turns coming into the gazebo. They began to tell us that we were living in the gazebo as some people had their stuff there so someone could watch it while they went to the welfare office. That is what we homeless do for each other. We help out when we can. These cops were rude. They told this one elderly lady, "get your stuff and leave the park." he told her to go stand on the sidewalk and wait for a ride. One of my friends was real sick, but that didn't matter to them. They told him, "get your stuff and get out of the park. I got a ticket for a warrant I don't even have. So that ticket I'm going to fight. I urged all the other people who received a ticket that time to file a complaint on those officer for conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

I was told the next day that the police came to the gazebo later that same day and were very rude. They took one guy to jail and released him at 8 AM in the morning. The police were talking down to them, treating them as if they were the whole reason for the homeless situation. I urged them to file a complaint as well.

I am going to say this again, we all have to stand up for our rights. The police are not going to do it. They stomp on us on a daily basis.

March 2018 Homeless Newsletter (Issue 7)

Dear friends and members of the California Poor People's Campaign: Our first Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action Training was a major success! Thank you for participating!

This past Saturday, hundreds of people in California joined together in action and community in our statewide Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action trainings held in Santa Ana, Oakland and Sacramento. We shared in the history and principles of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival Campaign, learned and sang songs from our Theomusicologists, and heard stories and testimonies from folks around the state impacted by systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and ecological devastation.

We also read our Poor People's Campaign's Covenant of Nonviolence and learned why it is an essential and sacred commitment for all those wishing to join in the 40 days of moral action. We joined in a national roll call where we had the opportunity to connect with national leaders, as well as to see the other 40 states who were holding the same unified trainings. Forward together, not one step back!

If you were not able to attend, do not fret more trainings are on their way.

Saturday, April 21 & Saturday, April 28 - Sacramento Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action Training 9:30AM - 3:00PM - SEIU Local 2015, 681 W Capitol Ave, West Sacramento, CA Registration available soon.

Sunday, April 29 - Los Angeles Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action Training - More information and registration available soon.

California’s Poor People's Campaign has many exciting events happening that will lead up to the 40-days of Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action.

Monday, April 16 - Sacramento Moral Monday Mass -Trinity Episcopal Cathedral 6:30PM - 8:30PM Keynote Speaker - Yvette A Flunder For more information and to RSVP click here

Monday, April 16 - Moral Monday Los Angeles - Urban First Aid - Art as Medicine 6:00PM - 8:00PM For more information and to RSVP click here



Tuesday, April 17 - Los Angeles Community Art Build - More details coming soon!

Wednesday, April 18 - San Diego Mini Mass Meeting - University Christian Church 6:30PM- 9:00PM



Monday, April 21 - East Bay Mass Meeting - Taylor Memorial United Methodist 5:00PM - 7:00PM Keynote Speaker - Pastor Eddie Anderson For more information and to RSVP click here.

LA Mass Meeting/Teach In - https://youtu.be/OjdRHxNzOz4 This video is from the Mass Meeting/Teach In held in LA. Teach-Ins are a method to build community while educating on the campaign.

The Poor People's Campaign is a movement, not a moment. Take some time to read the Demands and the National Audit, which reveals how the evils of systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, and the war economy and militarism are persistent, pervasive, and perpetuated by a distorted moral narrative that must be challenged.

We must stop attention violence and see the human and economic costs of inequality. We believe that when decent people see the faces and facts that the Souls of Poor Folk Audit presents, they will be moved deeply in their conscience to change things. When confronted with the undeniable truth of unconscionable cruelty to our fellow human beings, we must join the ranks of those who are determined not to rest until justice and equality are a reality for all.

We hope you'll join us at our upcoming statewide events, and bring friends and community members to make sure we're co-creating a diverse and inclusive campaign. We all need to hold each other accountable as we build towards a Beloved Community, from the ground up, to ensure that all of our impacted communities across California are at the state capitol for the 40 days of Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action. Get active on your social media, invite friends into conversations about the Poor People's Campaign, bring them to an event, or even host your own TEACH IN ! Start marking your calendar for the 40 days, May 13 - June 21, 2018, to see when YOU will be able to join us in Sacramento to stand up and defeat the pillars of racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation, and our country's distorted moral narrative.

Forward together, not one step back!
The California Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Like our Facebook page to stay up to date with all upcoming events!
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @californiappc

San Francisco Coalition on Homeless Invites All

For more info contact Miguel Carrera - San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness: (415) 346-3740 ext 319

Federal judge proposes 3-week wait before Santa Rosa homeless camp eviction

by J.D. MORRIS THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

SAN FRANCISCO - Sonoma County's affordable housing agency was directed Thursday by a federal judge to consider delaying its planned closure of a large southwest Santa Rosa homeless encampment by another three weeks.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria floated the proposal after several hours of testimony regarding the roughly 100 people living in tents behind the Dollar Tree store in Roseland. Chhabria gave the county’s Community Development Commission, which owns the land where the tent village is located, until 10 a.m. Friday to respond to his proposal.
The commission still can't enforce its eviction notice at the Sebastopol Road homeless camp in the meantime, Chhabria ruled.

County officials wanted to start shutting down the tent village Tuesday, but attorneys representing encampment residents and their advocates sued last week to block the move, prompting Thursday's hearing in San Francisco.

Chhabria was sympathetic to the argument from homeless residents' attorneys that clearing the encampment could violate their constitutional rights because many of them don't have suitable housing, shelter placement or anywhere else to go.

"If the government does not have shelter available for people, I think it's very likely that the Constitution prevents the government from enforcing an anti-camping ordinance against homeless people," Chhabria said. "Even if there are shelter beds available, they may be inadequate... I think you raise serious constitutional questions here."

However, Chhabria also questioned whether the attorneys for homeless residents had sufficiently proven their case, noting that the county wants to shut down the encampment in order to make room for a new development that would include 175 apartments, 75 of which would be rented below market rate.

The plaintiffs legal team argued they were mainly looking for more time to get the tent village residents into housing or shelter, leading Chhabria to eventually introduce his proposal for a three-week delay in the camp's closure.
"It's not our intent to try to hold this up forever," said Santa Rosa attorney Jeffery Hoffman with California Rural Legal Assistance, representing the plaintiffs. "We just want to make sure that there’s a process that takes everyone into account."
Chhabria said he would issue a ruling "very quickly" but may give himself one more "short extension" before his latest decision to block the eviction expires at 5 p.m. Friday.

County officials and their lawyer tried to convince the judge they had already provided sufficient opportunities to house or shelter people living at the encampment, and that they had a bed or living unit available for everyone who wants one.
The county set up a housing navigation center near the encampment where outreach workers spent about a month trying to get residents of the tent village into a shelter bed or longer-term housing.

So far, 24 people who were living behind the Dollar Tree have been moved into shelter and five transitioned into the Palms Inn, a former motel on Santa Rosa Avenue that's been converted into 104 units of permanent supportive housing. Two of the five homeless plaintiffs are now living in the Palms Inn, and a third is expected to move there soon, according to county officials.

A total of 68 people from the encampment have now had their housing needs formally assessed. But Jenny Abramson, the county's homeless and community services manager, testified that some people living behind the Dollar Tree had failed to engage with workers from the housing navigation center.

"We can't force people to respond to an assessment if they sit in their tents and will not engage with an outreach worker who's there," Abramson said via video conference.
Still, the judge appeared sympathetic to concerns about the shelter options from homeless plaintiffs, including one who said she had been sexually assaulted at a shelter and needed an enclosed space of her own in order to feel secure.

Another plaintiff, Deborah Drake, said she suffers from ovarian cancer, congestive heart failure and emphysema and didn't want to be separated from her son, who also lives behind the Dollar Tree and cares for her. Drake testified she wouldn’t feel safe being in a traditional shelter in an open environment around others who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. She doesn't feel that way about the encampment.

"I just go in and close the door and it's like I'm hiding," Drake said. "I know it's just a flimsy little tent, but that's the best we got right now. I feel safer."
A room at the Palms Inn is expected to become available for Drake in the coming weeks, according to Abramson.

The commission needs to clean up soil contaminated by an old dry cleaner on the site and begin other work to get ready for the new development, none of which can happen as long as the encampment remains, said Benjamin Wickham, the commission's affordable housing manager. Wickham was concerned the tent village's continued presence could delay the project at a time when the fire-ravage county desperately needs more housing units.

Alegria De La Cruz, the chief deputy county counsel who represented the county commission in court, said she felt good about the hearing after its conclusion, but still needed to confer with county leaders to decide how to respond to Chhabria's proposal.
"I think the judge understood our efforts and acknowledged them," De La Cruz said.
Drake, however, remained skeptical about pushing the eviction off three weeks.
"It's better than having it done tomorrow," she said after the hearing. "I just don't think it's the answer - not the one we're looking for."

It's not clear how quickly the county would initiate the closure of the encampment if and when the judge allows that to happen. But Santa Rosa police have offered assurances that their process would unfold over a period of days as opposed to an "immediate clearance," Abramson said.