Press Conference: Monday, 8/26, at 8:30 am 1st Demolition of Homeless camps. Fresno, CA We need you

[annm4peace]

Press Conference: Monday, 8/26, at 8:30 am on the corner of Santa Clara and G Streets, Fresno
If you can, please join us, and share info with others.

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.”

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
[e-mail]

Georgia Williams
Member, Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies
559.439.5268 or 559.250.6956
[e-mail]

Mary Ellen Carter
Member, Fresno Coalition for Humane and Affordable Housing Policies
406.529.8979
[e-mail]

[annm4peace]

1. read the ongoing attacks on the Homeless by the City of Fresno

see the long list. I hope at some time, the Feds step in and stop the abuse. until then people have to step up and speak out against the attacks on the homeless.

http://fresnoalliance.com/wordpress/?p=1313

[TheMastersNemesis]

2. Government Entities Who Attack The Vulnerable Lose Their Legitimacy.

[Cleita]

3. Please keep us informed.

I wish I could have gone but I couldn't afford the gas to drive that far. I do care about what is going on against these people in my state.

[pinto]

4. Just want you to know I've appreciated your posts re: the situations in Fresno.

(aside) I'd encourage the Coalition to add one more committee to those already established - "Vulnerability Survey Assistance Team", to assist homeless with the voucher process.

The City maintains that housing vouchers will be available, but the process for obtaining vouchers is long and arduous. The first step is completion of a Vulnerability Survey, and processing it is time-consuming. If, as had been the criteria in the past, one isn’t already on the list of applicants, with a processed Vulnerability Survey and a certified disability, it is unlikely that the voucher process will come to fruition in a timely manner for more than a handful of people.

Advocates for the homeless realize that it is in the best interest of both homeless people and surrounding neighbors and businesses to develop a plan to meet everyone’s needs, and the group is willing to work together with all involved to do so.

By the end of the emergency meeting, the homeless advocates had set up seven committees to work on urgent needs: 1) Organized resistance, 2) Press Conference, 3) Tech Committee to set up a website, a Facebook account, and a Twitter account, 4) Plans to help people move, 5) Witnessing and documenting the demolitions, 6) Attending City Council meetings, and 7) Legal strategies and advocacy.

[annm4peace]

5. thanks but I don't think enough are involved

Even with posting on DU there were only 237 people who signed the petition.

only 30 who showed up to the press conference. It is a small group in Fresno that are active progressives.

That is why i post on DU so others can get involved even if it is just signing a petition.

[annm4peace]

6. please check this link for the update and some actions we can do to help

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023540157#post9

we can sign the petition and post on local news website.