{"id":9977,"date":"2018-10-18T10:12:35","date_gmt":"2018-10-18T17:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=9977"},"modified":"2018-10-18T10:22:53","modified_gmt":"2018-10-18T17:22:53","slug":"berkeley-city-council-to-discuss-sidewalk-regulations-homelessness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2018\/10\/18\/berkeley-city-council-to-discuss-sidewalk-regulations-homelessness\/","title":{"rendered":"Berkeley City Council to discuss sidewalk regulations, homelessness"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-subtitle\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"attachment-featured_horizontal size-featured_horizontal wp-post-image\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sidewalk_VivianRoan_file-698x450.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sidewalk_VivianRoan_file-698x450.jpg?resize=698%2C450 698w, http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sidewalk_VivianRoan_file-698x450.jpg?resize=400%2C258 400w, http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2018\/10\/sidewalk_VivianRoan_file-698x450.jpg?resize=450%2C290 450w\" alt=\"sidewalk_vivianroan_file-698x450\" width=\"698\" height=\"450\" \/><\/h3>\n<div class=\"entry-feature\">\n<div class=\"entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal\">\n<div class=\"photo-credit-wrap\">\n<div class=\"photo-credit\">VIVIAN ROAN\/FILE<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n<p class=\"entry-authors author vcard\">BY\u00a0<a class=\"author url fn\" title=\"Posts by Sabina Mahavni\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/author\/smahavni\/\" rel=\"author\">SABINA MAHAVNI<\/a>\u00a0| STAFF<\/p>\n<p><time class=\"entry-updated\" datetime=\"2018-10-16T08:49:14-07:00\">October 15, 2018 (dailycal.org)<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"entry-related\">\n<div class=\"sharing\"><\/div>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Berkeley City Council will focus on issues surrounding housing and the homeless, discussing particular policies concerning the homelessness crisis, sidewalk regulation enforcement and home sharing during its regular Tuesday meeting.<\/p>\n<p>The council will focus in particular on a city ordinance long in the making, which regulates \u201csitting, lying, dogs, and objects\u201d on sidewalks in Berkeley. The policy was initially proposed April\u00a026 but was\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2018\/09\/15\/city-council-delays-discussion-on-sidewalk-regulations-at-downtown-berkeley-bart-station\/\">withdrawn<\/a>\u00a0by Mayor Jesse Arregu\u00edn over its potential unconstitutionality. Given the recent Martin v. City of Boise ruling Sept. 4 \u2014 which prohibits the criminalization of homeless people for sleeping outside when no alternative shelter options are available \u2014 the council will decide whether to take steps to amend or draft new sidewalk policies.<\/p>\n<p>The council will also discuss noncriminal penalties to address violations against sidewalk regulations. According to the meeting agenda, penalty options should reflect \u201cpositive actions,\u201d such as education or mandated community service.<\/p>\n<p>Co-founder of the homeless advocacy group First They Came for the Homeless Mike Zint said in an email that the city has been trying to \u201cregulate poor people\u201d for the last couple of years, using the \u201cmandated and verified community service\u201d clause as an example.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c \u2018Mandated\u2019 is a very nasty word when you are the target,\u201d Zint said in an email. \u201cIt also regulates homeless into services which are a dismal failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>City Councilmember Kate Harrison said she does not want to issue criminal penalties to enforce laws concerning the use of public space and that ignoring homeless people or issuing them tickets is not the solution to the homelessness crisis. The council will also discuss what Harrison calls \u201ccommon sense restrictions\u201d on how many objects people can keep on the sidewalk. Harrison said there are currently some \u2014 but not enough \u2014 storage lockers available for people\u2019s possessions.<\/p>\n<p>Zint\u2019s group\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2018\/01\/24\/city-berkeley-can-sued-homeless-rights-activist-group-judge-rules\/\">filed<\/a>\u00a0a class-action lawsuit against the city for allegedly removing property of homeless residents. He said that if they win, every homeless person who has had items confiscated can sue the city of Berkeley.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe city is offering just enough to show the residents they are trying without really trying,\u201d Zint said in an email.<\/p>\n<p>According to Zint, the solution to homelessness is not new laws and regulations but housing and services.<\/p>\n<p>The city has addressed housing for the homeless with programs such as the Pathways Project, which\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/12\/06\/429226\/\">received<\/a>\u00a0$1.9 million of initial funding in December 2017.\u00a0Through this program, the city has been able to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2018\/10\/10\/pathways-stair-navigation-center-secures-housing-for-homeless-couple\/\">house<\/a>\u00a0about 20 people.<\/p>\n<p>Another key item on the agenda addresses home sharing. Harrison said the Housing Advisory Commission has asked the city manager to look into a two-year Home Share Pilot Program, in which two or more people, such as a student and a senior, can share a living space.<\/p>\n<p id=\"tagline\" class=\" IL_IC_MIN\"><em>Contact Sabina Mahavni at\u00a0<a href=\"malito:smahavni@dailycal.org\">smahavni@dailycal.org<\/a>\u00a0and follow her on Twitter at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sabina_mahavni\">@sabina_mahavni<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Notes from Mike Zint of First They Came for the Homeless:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>October 15, 2018:<\/p>\n<p>Mandated\u2019 is a very nasty word when you are the target,\u201d Zint said in an email. \u201cIt also regulates homeless into services which are a dismal failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>October 16, 2018:<\/p>\n<p>It would seem some occupiers have shown up at The HUB. (Berkeley&#8217;s non functioning homeless service center) This is being done right now. The occupiers leading the way are James Cartmill and\u00a0<a class=\"profileLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/michellelot714?__tn__=KH-R&amp;eid=ARC5kzDn4WTVLW-kw75mP6ahtYEZoT95B-l6Wnu5993lHZT3os_vhLMfSVgU66UqRjWEia0LBIMQs6Ru&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAAvSDKaCaJn4lSzExOuXxC_c2LsocWnj_-s9OIrLCsITHHmzt6i5ryFiv2IBSaTLkoKEa8GoDhitt8_DqtPFqkpYaI07Ixk5GRtC9oZqCgvXVd82OWn6b5CMMiSzByxYENin36W8iyxuO3s_7nwgm_gqtch7kEo2JnK5_Rl7POeokEStX3jmq4Fi0KYQBxTF7UzhVmorE\" data-hovercard=\"\/ajax\/hovercard\/user.php?id=100009849905608&amp;extragetparams=%7B%22__tn__%22%3A%22%2CdKH-R-R%22%2C%22eid%22%3A%22ARC5kzDn4WTVLW-kw75mP6ahtYEZoT95B-l6Wnu5993lHZT3os_vhLMfSVgU66UqRjWEia0LBIMQs6Ru%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22mentions%22%7D\" data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show=\"1\">Michelle Lot<\/a>. Both are experienced, with James being a founding member of FTCFTH. Michelle was extremely helpful with BPOD (Post Office Occupation) and Liberty City (the city hall occupation that started the resistance to sidewalk regulation in 2014) Spread the word. We need more people willing to come out and take a stand.<\/p>\n<p>Tonight, city council will try to limit the homeless to a 3&#215;3, five feet tall living situation.<\/p>\n<p>Photos will be posted when I get them.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211;Mike Zint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VIVIAN ROAN\/FILE BY\u00a0SABINA MAHAVNI\u00a0| STAFF October 15, 2018 (dailycal.org) Berkeley City Council will focus on issues surrounding housing and the homeless, discussing particular policies concerning the homelessness crisis, sidewalk regulation enforcement and home sharing during its regular Tuesday meeting. The council will focus in particular on a city ordinance long&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2018\/10\/18\/berkeley-city-council-to-discuss-sidewalk-regulations-homelessness\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9977"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9977"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9977\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9980,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9977\/revisions\/9980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}