100 have press conference demanding City of Fresno, Stop abusing the Homeless (Firebrigade)

[annm4peace]

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/12/21/18703199.php

(Please watch the video. you will be alarmed at how a City can do this to other citizens.. It would seem against all laws on civil and human rights. )


Over 100 people attended a Press Conference today in front of Fresno City Hall to call on the city to stop the police and City Sanitation departments ongoing attacks against the homeless. Spokesperson Bill Simon, chairperson of the Bishop John Steinbock Homeless Advocacy Committee said the city has destroyed homeless peoples shelter and is now taking and destroying their blankets, winter coats, and even taking firewood that they use to keep themselves warm at night.

This was the announcement about the Press Conference sent out to the media:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2011

Contact: Bill Simon, Bishop John Steinbock Homeless Advocacy Committee, 227-6565

PRESS CONFERENCE: HOMELESSNESS IN FRESNO

Wednesday, 12-21-11
10:30 am
City Hall, 2600 N Fresno St.

The City of Fresno, since October 27, 2011, has illegally, immorally, and meanly attacked the homeless community in Fresno. As members of the Faith Community in Fresno, members of many different Houses of Worship, we are deeply disturbed by the City's flagrant disregard of law and its failure to serve the common good, especially as the common good effects the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society.

In violation of the 2008 Federal Court Order, the City is destroying homeless people's property, including sleeping bags, blankets, urns with the ashes of relatives, and even winter coats. At 3:00 am the police department is extinguishing warming fires and confiscating firewood and making people move away from the sidewalks near Poverello House.

We will hold an interfaith press conference on Wednesday, December 21, and call on the City to stop violating the law and to stop making the difficult lives of the homeless even more difficult. We must love our neighbor and practice the ancient "Golden Rule".

[annm4peace]

1. this morning I received this email. If you haven't seen the video above it might not make sense

Dear Friends of the Center:



For some of you, this email be a double posting so I apologize. For some though you may not have heard of the HOMELESS invisible FIREWOOD BRIGADE or know just a little about it.



Every day, the city tightens its vise on the homeless, to the point where they are now endangered physically, and harassed at every turn. Late Oct. - early Nov. - City razed all homeless camps, trashing all shelter and most clothing and personal belongings of the homeless.

Last week - in front of Poverello House, while homeless were away, or inside showering, getting a meal or performing required chores, the police came with sanitation dept. workers, and took what they had left – shopping carts and all belongings - all went to the dump. Also their firewood. People returned with only the clothes on their backs - all sleeping bags, coats and blankets - and everything else they had, gone.

So….several people organized the “Firewood Brigade” of the Diocesan homeless committee. They have a very good system but there is not enough of them. I’m hoping that people on the Center’s list-serv and the other organizations that they are involved in can join them in this endeavor. Some of us can do this, other’s can’t and that is okay and they understand that.


This is how it is working – quite well so far I understand. Each night, specific volunteer(s) go down to F and Santa Clara between 5 and 6 p.m. to deliver firewood for 2 or 3 fires, bottled water and warm clothing. Judy Hess is my contact and she has been working with two women outside Poverello House. They compile a list of urgent needs – e.g. Joe needs a warm coat, Jane needs a blanket. The firewood brigade volunteer for that night drops off the firewood and needed items, picks up the new list and emails it to ”everyone else” in the string.



The more people that can help, the easier it will be for everyone and the homeless will certainly appreciate it very much. It is so cold out there right now. If you cannot help as a volunteer, please look for some warm clothing, blankets that you may have to donate.

[T S Justly]

2. K&R (nt)

[annm4peace]

3. what a shame, a nameless group of people go down to homeless to give them firewood and other needs.

(I received the email when I got home, and I think my God,, is this really America ? )


For some though you may not have heard of the HOMELESS invisible FIREWOOD BRIGADE or know just a little about it.

Every day, the city tightens its vise on the homeless, to the point where they are now endangered physically, and harassed at every turn. Late Oct. - early Nov. - City razed all homeless camps, trashing all shelter and most clothing and personal belongings of the homeless.

Last week - in front of Poverello House, while homeless were away, or inside showering, getting a meal or performing required chores, the police came with sanitation dept. workers, and took what they had left – shopping carts and all belongings - all went to the dump. Also their firewood. People returned with only the clothes on their backs - all sleeping bags, coats and blankets - and everything else they had, gone.

So….several people organized the “Firewood Brigade” of They have a very good system but there is not enough of them. I’m hoping that people can join them in this endeavor. Some of us can do this, other’s can’t and that is okay and they understand that.


This is how it is working – quite well so far I understand. Each night, specific volunteer(s) go down to F and Santa Clara between 5 and 6 p.m. to deliver firewood for 2 or 3 fires, bottled water and warm clothing. They compile a list of urgent needs – e.g. Joe needs a warm coat, Jane needs a blanket. The firewood brigade volunteer for that night drops off the firewood and needed items, picks up the new list and emails it to ”everyone else” in the string.







The more people that can help, the easier it will be for everyone and the homeless will certainly appreciate it very much. It is so cold out there right now. If you cannot help as a volunteer, please look for some warm clothing, blankets that you may have to donate.

[annm4peace]

5. City of Fresno website

http://www.fresno.gov/default.htm

incase you feel inclined to email or call Fresno city officials.


Ashley Swearengin, Mayor
2600 Fresno Street
Room 2075
[phone]
http://www.fresno.gov/Government/MayorsOffice/ContacttheMayor/EMailMayor.htm

Mark Scott, City Manager
2600 Fresno Street
Room 2064
[phone]
http://www.fresno.gov/Government/CityManager/default.htm

Maybe ask our Senators why the don't care what is happening to the Homeless

U.S. senators Barbara Boxer, Democrat, 112 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; phone [phone]. Local office: 2500 Tulare St., Suite 5290, Fresno, CA 93721; phone [phone]. Website: boxer.senate.gov

Dianne Feinstein, Democrat, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; phone [phone]. Local office: 2500 Tulare St., Suite 4290, Fresno, CA 93721; phone: [phone]. Website: feinstein.senate.gov

[annm4peace]

6. City of Fresno 's pseudo homeless program

http://www.fresno.gov/Government/CityManager/HomelessServices/default.htm


for 20 years the City of Fresno, with the Mayors outfront, talking of how they are going to end Homelessness in Fresno.

and they put up these websites, and do a little here and a little there and say, see we are helping the homeless.

There is money in Fresno. Billions have been made by Developers, Big Farms, and other business.
The Mayor and some of the Council members and many County supervisors have worked for the 1% instead of the people.

I do feel sorry for the Homeless Czar, Gregory.. he probably would try to help the homeless if he was give a decent budget and help.

But the word and actions from the City are hollow so until Fresno gets a new government that isn't part of the old boy network and representing the 1% of Fresno (and those in LA and SF), i hope a nonprofit group actually is the one that can help end homelessness and gets the resources to do so.

[Starry Messenger]

4. k&r

[annm4peace]

7. Article in Fresno Bee about the Press Conference by the Homeless Advocates

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/12/21/2657665/fresnos-latest-moves-of-homeless.html

( I wish the Bee would show the Video of the Advocates and what they had to say)

About 100 homeless advocates gathered outside City Hall on Wednesday morning to demand the city stop destroying the property and dousing the campfires of the homeless.Inside City Hall, officials said homeless advocates are misrepresenting the truth."My frustration is with the intentional distortion of facts for political gain," said Fresno City Council Member Oliver Baines, who represents the city's downtown where many homeless people live. "They omit almost all [that] the city's doing" to help the homeless.At Wednesday's news conference, two homeless women said city workers took their shopping cart, sleeping bags, coats and firewood from Santa Clara and F streets on Dec. 15 while they were in Poverello House eating breakfast and warming up."They put all my stuff in a truck," said Brenda Jackson, 50. "Everything was gone," said Bobbie Gray, 50. "I saw them putting other people's stuff in a garbage truck."If true, that would be a violation of a 2007 court order that prevents the city from destroying the belongings of homeless people. The order resulted from a lawsuit filed after the city and Caltrans destroyed their property -- including medications and personal documents -- in a series of raids on encampments.But assistant city manager Bruce Rudd said the city is storing, not trashing, the property of homeless people."We go to great lengths to make sure we comply with the court order," Rudd said. "That's why we videotape everything we do."On Dec. 15, city crews and workers from a firm hired to reclaim shopping carts went to Santa Clara and F streets where homeless people were living.The Housing Authorities of the City and County of Fresno want to begin construction of a 70-unit housing complex for the homeless at the corner across from Poverello House, and "the city is asking people who are trespassing on private property to relocate," Rudd said.Some have refused to leave, he said, so city workers went there to move people out and clean up trash. Company employees placed belongings from the carts on the ground. Items such as sleeping bags, clothing and books will be stored by the city for 90 days.No notice was posted in advance because the number of people and the length of time they had lived there did not constitute an encampment, according to the 2007 court order."It has to be 10 people or more, for a week or more," Rudd said.During the news conference, spokesman Bill Simon, who chairs the Bishop John Steinbock Homeless Advocacy Committee, said Fresno police are waking people in the middle of the night, extinguishing their fires and taking their firewood.Police are doing that, Rudd said, because open fires are illegal in the city, except in designated fire pits or barbecues such as in city parks.Simon also called for the city and Fresno County not to pass anti-camping ordinances so the homeless can continue to sleep outside, and to work with advocates to find interim housing solutions for the homeless.Simon said the city's housing plans are not moving fast enough.A man in the advocates' group shouted, "Give them space to live in peace."But Rudd said allowing outdoor camping will derail the city's efforts to solve the problem of homelessness. "Our ultimate goal is to get people off the streets."

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/12/21/2657665/fresnos-latest-moves-of-homeless.html#storylink=cpy

[EFerrari]

9. Is the video up on YouTube?

I haven't been on Twitter much this week but if it's up somewhere, will be happy to flog it.

[Tsiyu]

8. Does the City of Fresno believe the homeless will just disappear?

Do they think homeless people can wave magic wands and just dematerialize?

Do the officials in Fresno think it helps those without homes to vanish into thin air more quickly if the City of Fresno takes what few precious belongings these poor souls have in this wicked life?

How ignorant the City Of Fresno is to take away all of their warmth and clothing and to expect people to just walk away to the next town, with only the clothes on their backs.

How cruel that is. No answer or solution to the problem, just "pass it on down the line, and do as much damage as we can to these pour souls as we're passing the problem down."