Hey People!

Press Release Contact: Justin Hufnagel, Sisters of the Road,
justin@sistersoftheroad.org 503-222-5694 x.115
Coral Feigin, Western Regional Advocacy Project
coral@wraphome.org 415-621-2533

For Immediate Release
February 3 , 2017

Representatives Piluso, Dembrow, Greenlick, Nosse, Power and Frederick Introduce Legislation Protecting the Civil Rights of Homeless and Poor People

Portland. Oregon Legislators Piluso, Dembrow, Greenlick, Nosse, Power and Frederick have joined forces to introduce a new bill designed to end discrimination against people experiencing homelessness. HB 2215 prohibits law enforcement from arresting or ticketing people for resting, sitting, eating, or engaging in other basic life-sustaining activities in public.

The growing rate at which cities are criminalizing homelessness is not unique to Oregon. Anti-homeless ordinances continue to grow across the country - policing who can and who cannot be in public space. It is exactly for this reason that the DOJ, HUD and the UN Human Rights Commission have all made statements criticizing these criminalization efforts - calling them, amongst other things, ''cruel and unusual punishment.''

"HB 2215 is consistent with all of the federal condemnations of criminalization practices. It is consistent with everything we are hearing from people experiencing homelessness. It is consistent with legal research done all across the country," said Coral Feigin, Director of Community Organizing at the Western Regional Advocacy Project. "This legislation, HB 2215, is crucial towards stopping the tidal wave of criminalization. If we can beat back these ordinances in Oregon, then we can continue to win in other states and actually build a future where we can all thrive."

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2017 Right 2 Rest Fest. Denver, Colorado.

Over 300 people showed up to the State Capitol on Friday to speak up for
the Right to Rest! Over 20 people spoke, all most all of whom are currently
or formerly homeless and directly affected by the criminalization of survival.
We also heard from our bill Sponsor Representative Joe Salazar who is
taking the charge again this year along with Representative Jovan Melton to
bring the Right to Rest through the House of Representatives. The Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, 9to5 Colorado, Denver Justice Project, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and the ACLU among other organizations who
have endorsed the bill also spoke.

We had rad music, amazing food (thanks to the donations of Sexy Pizza,
Jimmy Johns, Food Not Bombs, and others!), and good times all around!

Watch videos of the speeches at the Fest on the Out Loud you tube page here

One Sweep Leads to Another...

After sweep of Denagro street community many moved down river and facing sweep again Wednesday 2/1/17 8:30am

After folks were moved from the camp on Denargo between Delgany and Arkins, with no where else to go... some of the folks moved just down to the river below this area. This community has been resilient as can be sticking together in the midst of intense sweeps which are meant to split them apart and scatter them down the river out of sight. Police told folks on Friday when they came back to sweep again that they just needed to be "out of sight." But what that means is "move far away where you can't access resources" and "split apart from your community so you are less visible." These things are life threatening for many in this community due to personal heath issues. But in stead of caring about this reality the city prefers to continue to push folks "out of sight..."

People at this camp could use some resources and support!Here are some things that folks can do to help in these impending sweeps.1) Be a witness with a camera on site. If you do this be respectful of people who do not want to be on camera (it is always good to ask). But always video the cops.2) Bring needed stuff including...

-Hand warmers
-Socks
-Water
-Food
-Coffee
-Rope3) Drive people and things. Denver Homeless Out Loud Main Meeting
Join us for our weekly main DHOL meeting this Wednesday 2/1 4:45-7pm
at 2260 California St Denver CO 80205

Working Group Meeting TimesVillages:
Meets every Tuesday 5:30pm whole group at the DHOL office
Get Loud:
Meets Tuesdays and Fridays 1pm-3pm at the DHOL office
Homeless Bill of Rights:
Meets every Wednesday at 2:30pm at the DHOL office

Contact us at info@denverhomelessoutloud.org or 720-940-5291

#TheVillageinOakland
36th Street and MLK in Oakland.

On the morning of Saturday, January 21, 2017, a network of Oakland community members took over a neglected public plot of land known as Grove Shafter Park in West Oakland. They intend to move in small homes, a hot shower, a healing clinic, and other services—declaring it a people’s encampment for those who need housing and basic needs and services. The group which includes folks living on Oakland streets, activists from #FeedthePeople and #Asians4BlackLives, and various individuals from the community, said that the move-in demonstrates their ability to provide what the City of Oakland cannot to its most vulnerable residents.

The group aims to demonstrate through their visionary encampment that housing is a human right.

They began moving into the public land at MLK and 36th street in the middle of the night and set up the village of services. The center of the village, spokespeople said, will become a community space reserved for daily people’s assemblies, and will provide services to the residents. Volunteers have begun planning for, including a health & healing clinic, hot home cooked meals, a hot shower, raised gardens, a computer lab, adult education center, and a center for distributing donations to Oakland residents in need. The village is open to all who need services provided whether you live at the site or not. And no registration is needed.

The encampment is not meant to be a permanent solution, but addresses the immediate needs and harm reduction of some of the City of Oakland’s more than 3,050 homeless residents. Oakland’s homeless population makes up 49.2% of all of Alameda County’s houseless. Homeless numbers are growing, spokespeople said, as a direct outcome of the city’s housing affordability crisis. The housing market in Oakland has skyrocketed, and a vast majority of landlords no longer accept Section 8 vouchers. Many of Oakland’s homeless residents have vouchers for Section 8 housing, but cannot find a rental agency that will accept the public housing program. Currently there are only 386 beds available in Oakland shelters.

"And the sweeps roll on"

On February 02, dozens of Oakland police officers and public-works employees ousted an elaborate, unpermited settlement of small structures, tents, and hygienic facilities in North Okland's Grove Shafter Park while scores of supporters looked on in sadness and anger - East Bay Express reported