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Francis House

Safe Ground Sacramento's 

Community Bulletin  

Ninth Issue, February 2012 

Hello and Welcome to Safe Ground's monthly newsletter,

Steve Watters, Executive Director

In late December of 2011 the Sacramento Police, following the wishes of city officials, dismantled a tent encampment along the American River levee near 10th Street. The encampment was a community of approximately 200 unsheltered homeless adults who have nowhere else to go. As the police dismantled the community they passed out flyers listing shelters. Safe Ground volunteers  immediately called all on the list and found them to be full, as was the winter sanctuary program, with some maintaining long waiting lists. The dismantling of tent encampment that was termed "unsustainable" by the city, dispersed over 150+ campers into hiding in the depths of the forests along the American River or into the streets.

Before the dismantling, Safe Ground with the support of private donations had proposed to the city that we be allowed to pay for porta-potty service and trash dumpsters at the site and that it be allowed to continue until the bad winter weather passes - usually April 1st.  This would address human right to sanitation, privacy and dignity, while helping to protect the ecology along the American River. The offer was ignored. We have been told when we offer this that placement of porta-pottys would create a "homeless infrastructure" supporting homelessness. Safe Ground maintains that it would provide basic and appropriate sanitation, privacy and dignity to those forced to live outdoors. Instead, the actions by the city (and the county has done the same repeatedly) force people to disperse into the deep forests and causes both unsafe and unsanitary conditions that easily turn into a biohazard when the rains flood the former campgrounds. We can - and must - do better of providing basic human rights!

In early 2011 a United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, visited Sacramento and interviewed a panel of unsheltered homeless adults struggling with access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities. The local policy has been to lock and exclude access to public restrooms and decommission many public drinking fountains citing budget constraints. Safe Ground urgently questions if restricting public access to safe drinking water and restrooms is an appropriate item to assign a low priority?

We view this access as a human right and agree with the report published by the UN Special Rapporteur. On January 23, 2012 the Special Rapporteur wrote a letter directly to Sacramento's Mayor Kevin Johnson informing him of this human rights violation in our City and asking that he remedy the situation. To date no reply has been received.  

I am attaching a press release sent out announcing a 10:00am press conference next Tuesday, February 7th in the courtyard outside City Hall. We urge supporter s to come and join a demonstration at the press conference of our collective outrage at the unwillingness of the city leaders to provide this most basic of human rights to citizens in Sacramento, California.

We need your support, I hope to see you there...

Steve Watters

Executive Director 

Amani

 My name is Amani, I have been with Safe Ground for 1yr 8mo. It has been nothing but opportunity after opportunity. Safe Ground for me was a place that offered a real shot at life a second time around for me. Being released from CDCR on to the streets of Sacramento, It was a new world for me. I showed up on the front steps outside the Safe Ground office in Loaves & Fishes Friendship Park, I walked in and here I stand  today, a full-time student at Consumnes River College. I'm majoring in Architecture Drafting & Design and minor in Political Philosophy. Being active with Safe Ground allowed me to venture off and explore a life beyond Prison. Clean Sober and a Long Life ahead of me means the world to me.  

Participating in events knowing that I'm making a difference not just for me but for others as well. I believe if I can do it anyone can. Being the Longest active homeless person I know Life isn't about worldly possessions. I work the office and manage it, when I have people come in and ask can you help me and I can say "YES" I can see most of the stress be relieved. That's why I do what I do. Life gave me a choice a plan and I know working along side Safe Ground is where I stand for the Long haul, The Fight for Land the Fight for a SAFE PLACE with out fear of arrest. How ever long it takes I know I'll be along for the ride.

It all began in tent city, Sacramento.

Forced out by politics and police, a small group of homeless people banded together - called "safeground" - to fight for the right to have a place to sleep. Thirty months later, they still have no place to go.

Award-winning filmmaker Costa Mantis tells the stories of their struggles in a compelling miniseries, Searching For Safe Ground.

        OCT 8 - Episode 1 "Third World America"                                 NOV 12 - Episode 2 "Outside In"                                               DEC 10 - Episode 3 "Where Will I Stay Tonight?"                     JAN 14 - Episode 4 "It Is What It Is"  

         FEB 11 - Episode 5 "Now What?"

The film festival will be hosted by the First United Methodist Church at 21st & J Streets. Admittance and suggested donation is $5. Tickets will be for sale at the door. Seating is limited so come early. Q&A afterwards with the filmmaker and SafeGround leaders.

 

Film Festival