Advocates for a large, self-governed homeless encampment in Sacramento called “Camp Resolution” are trying to stop the city from closing it.
Camp residents and supporters marched through the streets of downtown Sacramento on Wednesday, eventually making their way to City Hall. They demanded that the city drop its plans to evict people from the tight-knit community.
“Camp Resolution is a beacon of struggle, a beacon of hope, a beacon of organization,” said Anthony Prince, a lawyer representing the Sacramento Homeless Union. “And if they think they’re going to shut down that light, that bright light of hope, struggle and organization, they got another thing coming.”
Anthony Prince, attorney for the California Homeless Union, filed a lawsuit against the city of Sacramento on Wednesday saying the city has no grounds to terminate the lease that allows a group of unhoused residents to run their own encampment.Chris Nichols/CapRadio
One year ago, the city formally recognized the camp. It signed a first-of-its-kind lease providing 33 city-owned trailers for residents and allowed the camp to become a self-governing site.
But in late March, the city sent a letter ordering the approximately 50 camp residents to leave the Colfax Street property by May 16 due to its contaminated soil. Then, earlier this month, the city said it would hold off on the eviction if certain conditions were met.
Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho has also threatened legal action against the city over the camp, and sent a letter in November saying the city could face criminal liability for allowing people to live on the contaminated soil.
Camp leader Sharon Jones said residents don’t want to leave the safety and community they’ve created.
“There is no fallback as far as I know,” she said. “I haven’t seen one or heard about anywhere to go.”
Jones added that an eviction would mean “51 people on the street.”
Camp Resolution leader Sharon Jones says there are no fallback plans if an eviction takes place at the tight-knit community.Chris Nichols/CapRadio
Prince, the homeless union attorney, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the camp this week, saying the city has no grounds to terminate the lease. He and Camp Resolution supporters point to a line in the lease saying the agreement would be renewed until all residents have permanent housing.
“What we need is housing,” said Camp Resolution resident Donald Cooper. “Fair housing. Affordable housing.”
City spokesperson Tim Swanson said Sacramento officials have “attempted to work with the organizers of Camp Resolution numerous times” in a written statement to CapRadio. He added that those efforts included offering a new location for the camp and discussing building affordable housing at the site — as long as residents move off of the soil.
“Unfortunately, the Sacramento Homeless Union has not been open to the City’s repeated offers to collaborate and find solutions for the campers,” Swanson said. “The City finds the Sacramento Homeless Union’s unwillingness to work together toward meaningful solutions to the issues at Camp Resolution both dispiriting and disappointing, and we will respond to their complaint once it has been received and reviewed.”
Prince said the city of Sacramento told him it no longer plans to evict camp residents on Thursday, May 16, which was the initial date city officials cited. But, Prince said, the city still maintains that everyone has to be out of the site by June 1, when the lease expires.
Swanson, the city spokesperson, did not respond to a question asking if and when the city still planned to evict residents.
Contact CapRadio news reporter Chris Nichols at [email protected]
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