8/26 Homeless advocates held a Press Conference this morning & city moved ahead on evictions

[annm4peace]

Fresno Homeless Advocates Hold Press Conference

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/08/26/18742115.php


The Press Conference was held on Santa Clara street, shortly before the homeless encampment was destroyed by the City of Fresno. Bill Simon, who is with the local ACLU is seen here being interviewed by a reporter from radio station KMJ.


A homeless person moves her property to escape the bulldozers
by Mike Rhodes



A City of Fresno worker is telling this homeless woman to move on


This homeless shelter is about to be destroyed




In some parts of the homeless encampment, business went on as usual, as with this man who was fixing his bicycle.



One group of homeless people, trying to escape the destruction moved their property onto Caltrans land where they were met by a Highway Patrol officer who told them they had to move on.


Juan Hernandez says that he and his friends may be forced out of the encampment today, but they will be back. He says he has no other place to live.



Video, photos, and Press Release from a press conference held today (Monday, August 26, 2013) opposing the City of Fresno's demolition of homeless encampments. Photo below: Rev. Dr. Chris Breedlove College Community Congregational spoke at the Press Conference, organized by homeless advocates.



There are people speaking out but it isn't enough,, the group has grown but it takes a lot to change the establishment.

Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policy

Contacts: Reverend Chris Breedlove Pastor, College Community Congregational Church
5550 North Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93710
559.435.2690
pastor [at] communityucc.com

Georgia Williams
Member, Fresno Coalition for Humand and Affordable Housing Policies
559.439.5268 or 559.250.6956
georgiam [at] csufresno.edu

Mary Ellen Carter
Member, Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies
406.529.8979
maryellen [at] erclc.org

COALITION IN OPPOSITION TO RAZING OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS PLANS PRESS CONFERENCE AT SITE OF FIRST SCHEDULED DEMOLITION

For Immediate Release:

The Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies will hold a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2013 at 8:30 am on the corner of Santa Clara and G Streets to announce their opposition to the city’s planned demolition and to launch a petition drive asking the city to halt the razing of the camps and address the issue of homelessness in a humane and effective manner. Planned speakers include Chris Breedlove, pastor of the College Community Congregational Church.

The Coalition’s petition has been uploaded to a website created by the group at http://www.helpfresnoshomeless.org/

“Our group believes that demolishing homeless encampments is inhumane. The city’s plan to offer alternative housing to the people who live in the encampments is woefully inadequate,” says Mary Ellen Carter, member of the coalition. “Few people in the encampments will be able to receive housing vouchers before the scheduled demolitions. The city’s plan is not a long term plan at all - its lack of compassion is disturbing, and it is a public shame to our city. We can do better than this.”

####

To see more of the history of the abuse of the homeless by the City and by the State of CA
and groups who try to stop the abuse, the lawsuits, the suspicious death of homeless who speak out, the Judge who fines the city.
http://fresnoalliance.com/wordpress/?p=1313

[annm4peace]

1. Shame on the leaders of Fresno, CA

Shame on the City of Fresno. I'm sure there will be lawsuits due to previous rulings by the Judge.

What a shame the City would rather lose money to lawsuits then they would to finding real solutions for the homeless.

I see that there are several groups that could help guide the city by solutions rather than abuse but the City leaders seem to be guide by hate then they are by common sense. I wonder what type of Church these City officials go to.
It is suppose to be in the 100 degree weather again this week and now these people don't even have shelter.. how many will end up in the emergency rooms due to heat stroke? will some die? We will probably not know because the city broke up these communities of homeless.

Where is the money the Feds send to the City of Fresno to help with the homeless solution? Did it line some leaders pockets? did help line the Chief of Police's department? It sure isn't going to help the homeless.

[annm4peace]

2. Please sign the petition to help the homeless in Fresno

The Coalition’s petition has been uploaded to a website created by the group at http://www.helpfresnoshomeless.org/

[annm4peace]

3. Homeless lose all their positions

Coalition Organized in Opposition to Razing of Homeless Encampments
By Mike Rhodes

About 30 members and supporters of the Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2013 on the corner of Santa Clara and G Streets to announce their opposition to the city’s planned demolition and to launch a petition drive asking the city to halt the razing of the camps and address the issue of homelessness in a humane and effective manner. The Coalition’s petition has been uploaded to a website created by the group at http://www.helpfresnoshomeless.org/

“Our group believes that demolishing homeless encampments is inhumane. The city’s plan to offer alternative housing to the people who live in the encampments is woefully inadequate,” Mary Ellen Carter, a member of the coalition said at the Press Conference. “Few people in the encampments will be able to receive housing vouchers before the scheduled demolitions. The city’s plan is not a long term plan at all - its lack of compassion is disturbing, and it is a public shame to our city. We can do better than this.”

The city’s first day of the demolition went ahead as scheduled. Crews bagged and boxed homeless people’s property, taking it to a storage location where they say it will be available for retrieval for the next 90 days. Then the bulldozers moved in destroying couches, shelters, and anything else left behind. While the city workers store tents, they plowed through wooden shelters and put the remains into the back of waiting garbage trucks.

Later in the day, I talked to Yellow Feather a homeless woman who lived on F street near Ventura, who was upset because the receipt she received for her property did not tell her where it was stored and it was issued by the Solid Waste department of the City of Fresno. Yellow Feather objected to her property being taken by Solid Waste, saying “my belongings are not garbage. And why can’t they tell me where my property is located at?”

A group of homeless men who attempted to get away from the demolition of their shelters were stopped on the other side of the street by Caltrans workers who told them they could not bring their shopping carts onto Caltrans land. In a minute they were joined by a California Highway Patrol officer who provided additional urgency to the Caltrans workers demand to leave their vacant lot.

The homeless have no place to sleep that is safe and legal. While city representatives are telling them that they will not stop them from sleeping on the sidewalk at night, some women like Yellow Feather wonder out loud how this new city policy is supposed to help them.

[99th_Monkey]

4. Fresno needs a Dignity Village, like in Portlandia.

http://dignityvillage.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignity_Village
http://www.google.com/search?q=dignity+village&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4iIcUpHjGIbiigK2xYGoDA&sqi=2&ved=0CEsQsAQ&biw=1445&bih=893

Dignity Village was founded 12 years ago, by a bunch of
uppity homeless people and supporters from the community.
They were initially chased around town by police, until the
city got tired of that, and decided to grant the group some
land on outskirts of town, and the Village has been thriving
ever since, now with many "tiny homes" built, some with
gardens. There are also showers, phone, internet, common
kitchen, etc. Hundreds have stabilized there, then moved
on to get permanent housing & a job.

If a city just leases some land cheap, to an organized group
of homeless people, they can take care of themselves just
fine. Self-governance and a few simple rules is all they need.

They can provide their own security, trash detail, once organized
to do so. They can even get incorporated as their own 501c3
with a little help from their housed friends.

[annm4peace]

8. thank you thank you thank you

that is mentioned by one of those at the press conference.

[99th_Monkey]

10. You are most welcome ~nt

[annm4peace]

5. Video: Homeless Advocate Press Conference held at Fresno, CA Homeless Encampment

&feature=player_embedded#t=11

Homeless Advocate Press Conference held at the Santa Clara Homeless Encampment

The Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies held a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2013 at 8:30 am on the corner of Santa Clara and G Streets to announce their opposition to the city's planned demolition and to launch a petition drive asking the city to halt the razing of the camps and address the issue of homelessness in a humane and effective manner. Chris Breedlove, pastor of the College Community Congregational Church, was one of the speakers. The Coalition's petition has been uploaded to a website created by the group at http://www.helpfresnoshomeless.org/

"Our group believes that demolishing homeless encampments is inhumane. The city's plan to offer alternative housing to the people who live in the encampments is woefully inadequate," says Mary Ellen Carter, member of the coalition. "Few people in the encampments will be able to receive housing vouchers before the scheduled demolitions. The city's plan is not a long term plan at all - its lack of compassion is disturbing, and it is a public shame to our city. We can do better than this."

[Contrary1]

6. Indianapolis, too...

Must be National Kick The Homeless While They're Down Day...

The excuse about needing to examine the bridge is nothing but BS.

"INDIANAPOLIS - Homeless people living in a makeshift camp under a bridge in downtown Indianapolis were forced by police to pack up their belongings and move out Monday morning. Just before noon, four people were arrested after they refused orders to evacuate the area.

The camp has been the focus of complaints for years but now, city officials say CSX Transportation, which owns the bridge, hasn’t been able to inspect it for a year because of the maze of tents and potential biohazards sitting below..."


More: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/eve-of-eviction-homeless-prepare-to-take-a-stand-against-the-city

[annm4peace]

7. is there any group who is advocating for the homeless in Indianapolis?

I hope there is a group like in Fresno (which is totally controlled by fundamentalist neo-cons) that is video taping or taking pictures.

If you look at the time line in fresno on one of the links the advocate group did file a lawsuit several years ago. of course it doesn't stop the city but it did slow them down some.

[annm4peace]

9. Local TV news stations fails to mention Coalition to help the homeless

http://www.cbs47.tv/default.aspx

Please sign in and make some comments on the local news website. She fails to mention what local faith coalition is doing to help the homeless.