Elected Officials Stand Up for Homeless as OC Prepares to Evict Them
(VIDEO)
Orange County, CA. On May 31, 2016, as the County and City of Orange prepared to evict their homeless population along the Santa Ana River, Patrick Kelly, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 952 put together a press conference and town hall of top elected officials who have been fighting hard to protect the homeless. These leaders included Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Congressman Alan Lowenthal, union leaders and officials from various cities, including City Councilman Billy O'Connell of Huntington Beach.
The problem was not just the eviction of the homeless from their makeshift homes along the dry riverbed but the cutting out of temporary housing funds for the homeless by Barack Obama's and Jerry Brown's Administrations. . Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders and other elected officials, including Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, have pointed out that, while there was a bailout for Wall Street, there has been no bailout for the homeowners. Both Sanchez and Sanders voted against the Wall Street bailout.
The problem was not just the eviction of the homeless from their makeshift homes along the dry riverbed but the cutting out of temporary housing funds for the homeless by Barack Obama's and Jerry Brown's Administrations. . Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders and other elected officials, including Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, have pointed out that, while there was a bailout for Wall Street, there has been no bailout for the homeowners. Both Sanchez and Sanders voted against the Wall Street bailout.
Dedicated to the cause, Patrick Kelly began calling elected officials around 5 A.M. on the morning of the 31st to remind them of the events planned on behalf of the homeless that day. Kelly walked the leaders who were able to make it to Orange in the morning through the homeless encampment of tents along the Santa Ana River. This was followed by a press conference and a Town Hall. Kelly included both Democratic and Republican officials, noting that the only way we can solve the problem is on a bi-partisan or non-partisan basis.
After being moved by Sheriff’s deputies from their houses or apartments in foreclosures and evictions, middle class Americans next find themselves revictimized again by the police, who regularly confiscate their cars and belongings as they do not have a house or apartment in which to sleep or store their belongings. In the Orange County Government’s Civic Center, the homeless regularly lose everything they have left to the confiscations. Tents are not allowed in the Civic Center and raids take place every morning. Elitists doing business in the Santa Ana Civic Center don't want the "eyesore" of homeless residents in the County seat. There have actually been meetings of Santa Ana residents who think they are better than the homeless for the purpose of strategizing how to make them disappear.
Some city governments hand out illegal unconstitutional tickets for vagrancy to the homeless. Along the river, some of the tent people have moved from Anaheim to the Orange City section of the river due to harassment from the Anaheim police.
The county has been attempting to evict the homeless from the Santa Ana River encampment in Orange as well. With HUD funding to temporary housing funds for the homeless and with no money coming from Jerry Brown's state government, where are the homeless to go? Authorities trying to evict the homeless have provided no suggestions for re-location. They just want them gone.
After being moved by Sheriff’s deputies from their houses or apartments in foreclosures and evictions, middle class Americans next find themselves revictimized again by the police, who regularly confiscate their cars and belongings as they do not have a house or apartment in which to sleep or store their belongings. In the Orange County Government’s Civic Center, the homeless regularly lose everything they have left to the confiscations. Tents are not allowed in the Civic Center and raids take place every morning. Elitists doing business in the Santa Ana Civic Center don't want the "eyesore" of homeless residents in the County seat. There have actually been meetings of Santa Ana residents who think they are better than the homeless for the purpose of strategizing how to make them disappear.
Some city governments hand out illegal unconstitutional tickets for vagrancy to the homeless. Along the river, some of the tent people have moved from Anaheim to the Orange City section of the river due to harassment from the Anaheim police.
The county has been attempting to evict the homeless from the Santa Ana River encampment in Orange as well. With HUD funding to temporary housing funds for the homeless and with no money coming from Jerry Brown's state government, where are the homeless to go? Authorities trying to evict the homeless have provided no suggestions for re-location. They just want them gone.
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who spoke at both the press conference and town hall, pointed out that most of the homeless women are domestic violence victims, often with children. These women have been thrown by courts out of their homes for daring to avoid further beatings. Now they have nowhere to go. Often the county confiscates their children, making federal funds off the children as if the kids are a lucrative commodity, while breaking up families. Almost all of the homeless women who have spoken with the Justice Gazette reporters are victims of violence. In the river community, one of the women facing eviction is an epileptic rape victim who is ten weeks pregnant. The county confiscated her other children and now she is at risk of losing her unborn child to the very county that is seeking her removal.
Congresswoman Sanchez has become a strong advocate for women and the under-privileged in contrast to her Senate-race primary opponent California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Kamala was protested at the 2015 California Democratic Convention by former homeowners who were thrown out of their homes when Kamala sided with Wall Street and the banks against her constituents. Kamala also has a problem with her refusal to assist domestic violence victims and groups fighting child sex trafficking. Many women and children's advocates feel Kamala has, "thrown women and children under the bus."
Congresswoman Sanchez has become a strong advocate for women and the under-privileged in contrast to her Senate-race primary opponent California Attorney General Kamala Harris. Kamala was protested at the 2015 California Democratic Convention by former homeowners who were thrown out of their homes when Kamala sided with Wall Street and the banks against her constituents. Kamala also has a problem with her refusal to assist domestic violence victims and groups fighting child sex trafficking. Many women and children's advocates feel Kamala has, "thrown women and children under the bus."
Permanent housing is not available to most homeless people. Loretta told the audience that women going from domestic violence to homelessness ordinarily cannot get permanent housing as there is a two to four year waiting list for those women who have the good credit rating required to qualify for permanent housing. She noted that credit is usually in the husband’s name, that women with children who escape violence don’t generally have a good credit rating and that children don’t normally have any credit rating. She also noted that women with children cannot wait two to four years for a place to live. They are dependent on the temporary housing funds that have been eliminated. Loretta, added that Orange County has one of the biggest affordability gaps.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who is the ranking Democrat on the Congressional Housing Committee, has introduced legislation to restore the homeless funding. This legislation is supported by both Congressman Alan Lowenthal and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Maxine has been one of the strongest advocates for economic justice in the U. S. Congress and this is an subject that is near and dear to her heart.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who is the ranking Democrat on the Congressional Housing Committee, has introduced legislation to restore the homeless funding. This legislation is supported by both Congressman Alan Lowenthal and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez. Maxine has been one of the strongest advocates for economic justice in the U. S. Congress and this is an subject that is near and dear to her heart.
Congressman Alan Lowenthal spoke of how the transitional housing was needed to assist the homeless in finding direction and in getting back on their feet. He and others spoke of the importance of transitional programs like Collette's Children's Home, which had assisted several of the speakers at the events in getting off the streets and into homes and quality employment.
With respect to the U.S. Senate race Congressman Lowenthal said, "We are hoping for Loretta."
With respect to the U.S. Senate race Congressman Lowenthal said, "We are hoping for Loretta."
Among those who attended the press conference with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Congressman Alan Lowenthal and Patrick Kelley were Huntington Beach City Councilman Billy O’Connell, Santa Ana City Councilwoman Michele Martinez, Anaheim City Councilman Jordan Brandman, Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Sandy Genis and other public officials. Frank Mottek from CBS moderated the Town Hall.
Huntington Beach City Councilman Billy O'Connell (pictured to the right) pointed out that, there being over 12,000 homeless women and children in Orange County on any given day. There are close to 50,000 homeless persons in Los Angeles. Several officials provided testimonials regarding Billy's long time work to find homes for the homeless.
Huntington Beach City Councilman Billy O'Connell (pictured to the right) pointed out that, there being over 12,000 homeless women and children in Orange County on any given day. There are close to 50,000 homeless persons in Los Angeles. Several officials provided testimonials regarding Billy's long time work to find homes for the homeless.
A notice posted near the river let the residents know they were evicted as of June 2. On eviction day, when Orange County and Orange City workers showed up in large numbers with trash trucks and county vehicles, they were greeted by the press and homeless advocates. Patrick Kelly also sent over representatives from the Teamsters to assist.
The county workers and supervisor Bob Barillo, who came to seemingly take charge of the property, said they couldn't say what they were doing there but referred reporters to PIO's who were not at the scene. There were a lot of "no comments."
One person who was willing to speak was Orange Police Officer D. Hall. Hall stated that his job was to protect the workers tending to the trees from the homeless. The trees looked pretty healthy and the workers were not seen doing anything with the trees. Workers from OCEA (Orange County Employees Association) and contract workers from Pomona were present in mass numbers. The workers included prison labor. (Note{ part of the reason America has the highest mass incarceration rate in history is that prisoners provide a good slave labor force.) Some trash was picked up and some residents claimed that some of items put into the trash truck were belongings of some of the tent people, but this could not be confirmed. The homeless people seemed to have no gripe with Officer Hall, who stated he would not move the tent people if they did not move themselves. Most of the homeless and activists felt that the county was afraid to act in front of witnesses. Though many in the homeless community felt pressured to move down into the riverbed or further down the river, nobody from the government physically moved them out while the Justice Gazette reporters and community activists were present. The homeless have been given a new eviction date of June 6th. Activists intend to return that morning.
The county workers and supervisor Bob Barillo, who came to seemingly take charge of the property, said they couldn't say what they were doing there but referred reporters to PIO's who were not at the scene. There were a lot of "no comments."
One person who was willing to speak was Orange Police Officer D. Hall. Hall stated that his job was to protect the workers tending to the trees from the homeless. The trees looked pretty healthy and the workers were not seen doing anything with the trees. Workers from OCEA (Orange County Employees Association) and contract workers from Pomona were present in mass numbers. The workers included prison labor. (Note{ part of the reason America has the highest mass incarceration rate in history is that prisoners provide a good slave labor force.) Some trash was picked up and some residents claimed that some of items put into the trash truck were belongings of some of the tent people, but this could not be confirmed. The homeless people seemed to have no gripe with Officer Hall, who stated he would not move the tent people if they did not move themselves. Most of the homeless and activists felt that the county was afraid to act in front of witnesses. Though many in the homeless community felt pressured to move down into the riverbed or further down the river, nobody from the government physically moved them out while the Justice Gazette reporters and community activists were present. The homeless have been given a new eviction date of June 6th. Activists intend to return that morning.
Billy O'Connell said he and Patrick would like the opportunity to speak with Bernie Sanders, for whom a key issue is economic justice. Loretta Sanchez, who had an event for Sanders at her home two years ago, and Alan Lowenthal are both "Feeling the Bern" and are among the superdelegates planning to attend the 2016 Democratic convention. Sanders has been speaking at rallies, press conferences and town halls scheduled through June 6, the next date planned for the eviction of the riverside homeless. This is an important election issue. Orange County is ground zero in this crisis and Orange County residents would would enjoy being part of a town hall on this subject with Bernie if he could fit one into his busy schedule.
The Following videos were recorded by Einar Storm of the Justice Gazette.