๐๐ง๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐จ
Ever seen that joke office sign, "The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves?" It was amusing until we realized itโs the actual strategy the City of Chico is putting it into action against the homeless.
Photos and quotes from the North State Shelter Team (https://www.facebook.com/North-State-Shelter-Team-106751264754143), where they are working hard on getting the city to agree to a legal campground. They have the property, but the city council/administration won't agree to get it done. Why? Because the strategy is to increase suffering until they leave the area, not to actually help people who are struggling.
"Colleen is the local elder the City of Chico is brutalizing today with the incessant sweeps. Born and raised in Chico; a victim of domestic violence; sleeping homeless for four years; robbed repeatedly.โ
โThis is a bit of what we went through Tuesday. Chris and I thought Terry (60 yrs old) was going to die. He was on the brink of being number 22. We hauled out his gear."
There are around 30 beds at Torres, and 100+ people have already been evicted from camps in the ongoing sweeps. There were at 72 tents and at least 130 people camped at Comanche Creek when we were there last Sunday, and Chico PD says they will be evicted next. There were at least 12 people living there in their vehicles, and another half dozen living in their vehicles at Windchime.
The Jesus Center has moved and will no longer be offering food/drop-in services except for clients staying at their facility.
We collaborated with Hunger Trolley Helper's Group on a survey to find out where people have been getting their food last Sunday and we will share the results shortly, but many people are struggling to meet basic needs and it just keeps getting harder.
This is torture for people on Chico streets, without access to shelter and services.
Sean Morgan stated during an interview that the goal is to "keep moving them, and keep moving them...until they leave."
Is this who we are?
