Why did I lock box myself?
When the houseless got off the streets and get in the streets, you will know truth.
On Wed Sept 5th, the 9th US Circuit Court had a ruling that may have an effect for the houseless population on this island. It states, basically, that no city is allowed to seize property, store it less than 90 days (right now the city stores it for 30 days), and may not destroy items without proper notification or due process. The city violates this every day across the island with a population with little or no ability to reclaim items or stand up for themselves.
We are not HOMEless, we are HOUSEless. There are many places outside of apartments or houses where we make homes, have families, and have communities. Home is where the heart is. There is a small portion of us who have chosen to live on the streets, such as myself in solidarity with the Occupy Movement. Some have addiction or mental health issues, some have physical health issues. But MOST adults have a problem that anyone can fall into at any given time: no jobs and high housing prices. Many live on the streets while going to school. Many live on the streets as they go to work. Many are children. And no matter the history, it is a day to day struggle to ensure food, protection from the elements, and to find things like bathrooms and hot showers.
Ordinance 11-029 (aka Bill 54), if nothing else, is immoral. Safety is the issue here. When it rains having shelter is essential. Before Bill 54 was introduced, people slept in parks to protect themselves with trees from the rain and brutal sun. As Bill 54 came into the public debate, the houseless population was shoved out onto sidewalks where we are exposed to air & noise pollution, people are struck by cars while sleeping on the side of the road, and there is limited natural shelter from the rain and winds. No better way to gain public support for this bill then to put the ugly truth in front of people’s eyes and make them uncomfortable with a harsh reality to the system we live in.
But instead of using this truth as a motivation to fund housing and services or to find ways to increase jobs, a living wage, and to lower housing costs, they have used this as a way to criminalize being houseless. I have been physically separated from by belongings, including medication, just to have them stolen from me or destroyed in front of my face. I have witnessed Vietnam Vets physically brutalized in order to rip their belongings from their hands. I have felt the terrorizing power of the city as the police stand there and allow them to victimize the houseless population. It is trauma inducing and even the potential of raids have caused me panic attacks. It puts people’s health and safety in danger by taking medication, clothing & toiletries, and literally taking the very small amount of protection we have from the weather elements that most people have no issue escaping.
The housing department has declared that they put people in a state of crisis in order to help them. It seems to me that if you are houseless are already in a state of crisis. The notion that you can take someone’s only shelter, their belongings, and even medication, than expect them to come to you for help is absurd. If someone came into your home with large shredder trucks and bulldozers, took everything you own, destroyed your shelter, and treated you like rats (as the mayor said of the population), would you go to them for anything?
On Sept 6th, 25th, and 26th the city continued to raid Thomas Square, where I live. On Sept 26th, myself along with 2 others, chained ourselves to a wood pallet and to each other in an effort to stop these violation of human rights. The city had 5 agencies present: HPD, DFM, Parks, EMS, and HFD. They did not have on site any housing representatives to help provide support. With credit, the EMS and HFP refused to cut us out citing that they were there to help people, not hurt them. The HPD violates their oath every day by not refusing to protect the public, as the HFD and EMS did. Money is wasted stealing from the population that needs the most support. The city still destroyed items that had not been tagged, however, having no way to remove us, they left. Hours later they arrested myself and one other with misdemeanor charges of Obstruction of Government Operations. I will continue to resist on order to protect the rights, dignity, and quality of life for the houseless population.
I am asking people to let your city council member know that Bill 54 needs to be repealed. If we want to eliminate the houseless population, we need proper funding of these departments. We need humane, just and reasonable procedures to get this population stable and to dissipate. If there is a focus on local jobs and affordable housing, then the whole island benefits. Houseless rights are human rights and they affect everyone.
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