FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 29, 2018
SANTA ROSA CA
CONTACT: KATHLEEN FINIGAN, HOMELESS ACTION! (707)480-6201
HOMELESS RETAKING OF CAMPSITE IN ROSELAND FAILS
Threatened with Multiple Serious Charges, Sent into Storm; Belongings under 101 Overpasses Later Destroyed
The attempted retaking of Camp Remembrance in the Roseland neighborhood of Santa Rosa, CA by a group of about 30 homeless people ended after three days. On Tuesday afternoon, nine police, many park rangers, and other county and agency officials stood over campers for hours as they disassembled their shelters and hauled loads of their things away. Most moved to a nearby library and waited under the eaves, discussing where to go and hoping the weather would change. Some eventually made their way back to the 101 overpasses downtown, hoping to pass part of the winter there, like last year.
The Camp Remembrance property is owned by the county, who claims they cleared the camp to begin construction. Yet two nearby businesses that also have to be closed still operate as usual, and both plan to stay open an estimated six months longer. Steve Singleton, a leader of the effort, said, “They told us they would throw the book at us, that we’d get all kinds of charges if we stayed. We didn’t mind trespassing charges, but we can’t go to jail for a long time.” Others agreed.
Singleton has PTSD, and shouldn’t go into shelters; others have severe anxiety, bipolar disease, or refuse to go into Sam Jones shelter because of bad experiences. Homeless Action! estimates that about 40% of those on the streets should not be in warehouse-type shelters because of physical and/or mental disabilities. Police insist instead that everyone should go into a shelter– which is the tenuous legal position the city and county are taking in the federal lawsuit filed against them by local homeless people earlier this year. One police manager told a camper he could get “an upper bunk” at the shelter to take care of his mental condition, or he could ask for a “partition.”
Jennielynn Holmes of Catholic Charities said there was space at Sam Jones shelter for all the campers who wanted to go there, but some who went were rejected. Rose, a 72 year old Native American woman, got to the shelter, but was told she would have to go across town the next day to the Catholic Charities intake office to apply for admission. Rose, crying and angry, got help from her daughter to push and drag the bin containing her belongings to under Highway 101 at College Avenue for the night.
In public statements, county officials accused activists of fomenting the campers’ action, but activists found out about it after the move had already started. Some volunteers drove back from Paradise, CA, where Homeless Action! Members were helping with fire refuges, to help with the police and the support needed during sweeps. Homeless Action! co-founder Adrienne Lauby said, ”The county doesn’t want the public to know that desperate, angry homeless people planned and did this all by themselves, just like they’ve done in Oakland and San Jose. The truth doesn’t jive with their constant lie that all their homelessness problems are caused by a small group of crazy activists.”
The day after the sweep, Rose left her purse, camping gear, clothes, personal identification and papers, and jewelry in her bin, stored neatly off the walkway under the 101 overpass, while she ate and did chores. At about 1 PM, witnesses saw city police seize everything she owned and take it away in a truck. Steve Singleton lost all his possessions while he was gone in the same way, as did several others. Sergeant Jonathan Wolf of downtown homeless enforcement did not return calls as of the next morning asking for information. Police administration said later in the afternoon after the seizure that they had no record that the city seized and destroyed anyone’s belongings, and they didn’t know where anything was or if anything could be saved. Campers searched with little hope in nearby dumpsters, in the slim hope they might contain their things.
Contact: Kathleen Finigan (707)480-6201
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