{"id":4072,"date":"2017-02-07T14:53:28","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T22:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=4072"},"modified":"2017-02-07T18:41:36","modified_gmt":"2017-02-08T02:41:36","slug":"first-came-homeless-threatens-lawsuit-alleges-city-violated-constitutional-rights-dailycal-org","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2017\/02\/07\/first-came-homeless-threatens-lawsuit-alleges-city-violated-constitutional-rights-dailycal-org\/","title":{"rendered":"First They Came for the Homeless threatens lawsuit, alleges city violated constitutional rights (DailyCal.org)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"photo-credit-wrap\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"attachment-featured_horizontal size-featured_horizontal wp-post-image\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file-900x580.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?w=900 900w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=400%2C258 400w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=768%2C495 768w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=698%2C450 698w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2017\/02\/letter_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=450%2C290 450w\" alt=\"letter_emiliabulfone_file\" width=\"900\" height=\"580\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"photo-credit\">EMILIA BULFONE\/FILE<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-meta\">\n<p class=\"entry-authors author vcard\">BY <a class=\"author url fn\" title=\"Posts by Jessica Lynn\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/author\/jlynn\/\" rel=\"author\">JESSICA LYNN<\/a> | SENIOR STAFF<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-related\">\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/01\/18\/homeless-berkeley-residents-face-health-concerns-in-wake-of-winter\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file-400x258.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=400%2C258 400w, http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=768%2C495 768w, http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=698%2C450 698w, http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?w=900 900w, http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/demands_emiliaBulfone_file.jpg?resize=450%2C290 450w\" alt=\"demands_emiliabulfone_file\" width=\"400\" height=\"258\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a class=\"text-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/01\/18\/homeless-berkeley-residents-face-health-concerns-in-wake-of-winter\/\">Homeless Berkeley residents face health concerns during winter<\/a><\/aside>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/01\/16\/fire-breaks-gilman-homeless-encampment-sunday\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Gilman-400x257.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Gilman.jpg?resize=400%2C257 400w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Gilman.jpg?resize=698%2C450 698w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Gilman.jpg?resize=450%2C290 450w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Gilman.jpg?w=900 900w\" alt=\"Gilman\" width=\"400\" height=\"257\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a class=\"text-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/01\/16\/fire-breaks-gilman-homeless-encampment-sunday\/\">Fire breaks out in Gilman homeless encampment Sunday<\/a><\/aside>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2016\/12\/21\/homeless-encampment-near-berkeley-bowl-disbanded-twice-wednesday-morning\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" src=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file-400x258.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file.jpg?resize=400%2C258 400w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file.jpg?resize=768%2C495 768w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file.jpg?resize=698%2C450 698w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file.jpg?w=900 900w, http:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.dailycal.org\/assets\/uploads\/2016\/11\/encampment_micahCarroll_file.jpg?resize=450%2C290 450w\" alt=\"encampment_micahcarroll_file\" width=\"400\" height=\"258\" \/><\/a><\/aside>\n<aside class=\"standard\"><a class=\"text-link\" href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2016\/12\/21\/homeless-encampment-near-berkeley-bowl-disbanded-twice-wednesday-morning\/\">Homeless encampment near Berkeley Bowl disbanded twice Wednesday morning<\/a><\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A lawyer representing the advocacy group First They Came for the Homeless sent an open letter to the Berkeley City Council Ad-Hoc Committee on Homeless Solutions on Friday, alleging that the city has consistently violated unhoused residents\u2019 legal protections and constitutional rights during homeless encampment disbandments.<\/p>\n<p>EmilyRose Johns, the lawyer representing\u00a0First They Came for the Homeless, said if the city does not change its policy surrounding homeless encampment disbandment, the group plans to file a class-action lawsuit. Since receiving the letter, First They Came for the Homeless has scheduled a Feb. 23 meeting with the mayor and City Council members where they will discuss the various allegations.<\/p>\n<p>Between October and December 2016, a traveling homeless encampment organized by First They Came for the Homeless was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/01\/18\/homeless-berkeley-residents-face-health-concerns-in-wake-of-winter\/\">disbanded<\/a> 17 times, the letter states. Among several complaints, Johns alleges that Berkeley Police Department and city officials discard or confiscate homeless residents\u2019 valuable belongings like wallets and cellphones during disbandments, violating citizens\u2019 constitutional protection from the seizure of property without due process.<\/p>\n<p>City spokesperson Matthai Chakko said in an email that before disbandments are initiated, homeless residents are generally given hours or days notice to collect their things and leave.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the time of an enforcement of illegal lodging on public property, City staff always ask people to move their belongings on their own,\u201d Chakko said. \u201cIf there are any items that no one appears to be claiming, staff give those who have been illegally lodging the chance to claim those items (from storage).\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Homeless activists alleged that once the disbandments begin, however, they are given 15 minutes to collect all of their belongings and have to leave the rest of their items behind.<\/p>\n<p>Items left behind are stored in the city\u2019s Transfer Station where homeless residents can arrange to pick them up. Johns stressed that it\u2019s difficult for homeless residents to coordinate the pick-up of their items or make it to the Transfer Station at all because they often lack access to phones and transportation.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, items at the city\u2019s Transfer Station are stored outside in an open container so they are often damaged by rain, Johns said.<\/p>\n<p>Homeless resident Mike Lee said his laptop, cellphone and tent, among other items, were all lost or damaged after being taken during disbandments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo the outside world this looks like a minor injustice, but these issues are huge to the people affected to them,\u201d Johns said, noting that after Lee\u2019s boots were taken during a disbandment he was forced to wear flip flops during inclement weather\u00a0for several weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Johns added that the residents of the homeless encampment are hoping that their meeting with the city will result in a weatherproof storage method for collected items,\u00a0more time for homeless residents to collect their belongings and, ideally, a city-sanctioned homeless encampment.<\/p>\n<p><em>Jessica Lynn is the city news editor. Contact her at <a href=\"mailto:jlynn@dailycal.org\">jlynn@dailycal.org<\/a> and follow her on Twitter at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/2017\/02\/06\/first-came-homeless-threatens-lawsuit-alleges-city-violated-constitutional-rights\/a%20href=\">@jessicailynn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Note from Mike Zint:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I owe Emily much vegan food. And if we win, the homeless of Berkeley and other cities have a chance for a much better existence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EMILIA BULFONE\/FILE BY JESSICA LYNN | SENIOR STAFF Homeless Berkeley residents face health concerns during winter Fire breaks out in Gilman homeless encampment Sunday Homeless encampment near Berkeley Bowl disbanded twice Wednesday morning A lawyer representing the advocacy group First They Came for the Homeless sent an open letter to&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2017\/02\/07\/first-came-homeless-threatens-lawsuit-alleges-city-violated-constitutional-rights-dailycal-org\/\"> 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":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4072"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4072"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4074,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4072\/revisions\/4074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}