By Henry Sarria
The homeless residents in Isla Vista’s People’s Park have been served removal notices by the Isla Vista Recreational Parks District (IVRPD) to begin removing their camps starting June 1st and protesters are vowing to protest to keep the encampments in place.
The order comes 11 days after the last IVRPD Zoom meeting on Thursday, May 20, 2021 where the removal ordinance was approved by a 3 to 1 vote in favor of removal.
The protestors, 20 to 30 of them, have joined in to voice their concerns for the homeless individuals that have been served the removal notices.
The protestor’s position is that the homeless individuals should be allowed to stay permanently in People’s Park and that the homeless individuals have nowhere to go once the removal order is served.
The Daily Nexus ran a story on this topic, but the story fails to mention that this removal comes with a plan that involves placement of the homeless individuals into county shelters. As per SBC AmeriCorps, in a correction to comments made by a member of SBC AmeriCorps during the May 20, 2021 IVRPD Zoom meeting:
The county does have enough temporary shelter or housing to offer all occupants of People’s Park.
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Every individual will be offered a safe bed that is in line with the 9th Circuit Court Boise case ruling as the park closes.
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Most people in People’s Park have already been offered temporary shelter or housing, and by the time of the park’s closure, all occupants will be made an offer.
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Many people residing in encampments in Isla Vista in the last year have successfully been relocated to shelters and some have been relocated to permanent supportive housing, which is the goal of ending homelessness.
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Every individual in People’s Park will be offered a safe bed that is in line with the 9th Circuit Court Boise case ruling as the park closes.
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The removal will be a protracted process, it will not all happen at once, there will be accommodations for individuals.
The IVRPD staff maintained their position on the removals, even after last week’s 23 person march protesting the outcome of the IVRPD vote.
As of Wednesday morning, there were only 3 to 5 protesters present, there have been no incidents. More to come as this story unfolds.
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this is so true…and always has been true…..often, IV was the place that people “on the run” from various criminal or otherwise antisocial acts would go to hide out…. under the naive indulgence of young students [I say this as a formerly naive, clueless IV resident many moons ago]
LOLOLOL! From the “official” Food Not Bombs Isla Vista page, reserve your laughs until you finish reading it!
“ALERT: We need eyes on People’s Park!
Yesterday was a success but cops are out today sweeping items.
We’re pretty certain that due to our solid turnout yesterday the powers-that-be decided against making a move on the park. BUT that was just one day. This week we definitely need consistent eyes in the park looking out for RPD and IVPD movement – we’ve already seen cops out today removing items. So if you have free time in the mornings or afternoons, post up in the park and keep an eye on the situation. DM us if anything alarming starts up. Make more posters and attach em to those repulsive cyclone fences.
It’s your community! It’s our community! Defend it!”
The level of laughs I got from this: PRICELESS! Let’s tear this down by starting with their “solid turnout” for the protest. 30 people, that’s all they could muster. 30 PEOPLE! In a town of over 20,000, 30 PEOPLE! The even more hilarious side to that is they had to bring people up from skid row in Los Angeles to even get that 30 people! LOLOLOLOL!
Of course, then there’s the “IVPD” mentioned, you know, those scary cops they want to abolish. Whoever wrote this statement is DEFINITELY an OUT OF TOWNER! That is because ANYONE that knows ANYTHING about Isla Vista knows there’s NO POLICE DEPARTMENT! It is called “Isla Vista Foot Patrol” or “IVFP” for short. Shows you how these clowns give themselves away for having ZERO vested interest in Isla Vista.
About that “strong showing” they mention and how effective it was, not very effective if the popo’s “removing items” from the “houseless neighbors” in that sty. This is a lie because if they had such a “strong showing”, why are the cops “removing items”?
Then there’s that thing about the “powers that be deciding to not make a move in the park” which is also a crock of crap. The park staff was out there making sure things went smooth, there was no backing off.
These clowns are DELUSIONAL! They’re ineffective too on so many levels that it is just amusing! When I saw this statement on their page, I laughed so much my sides hurt.
Instagram activism at its best and the best part is it’s free! Just go on Food Not Bombs Isla Vista, Bonfire Collective or Eco-Vista pages and don’t say I didn’t warn you, it is comical!
Pack up and leave. Free ride is over.
Anybody else feel like Edhat should have a 140 character limit?
PITMIX, they should allow pictures so we can see the filth that is the People’s park tent city! That would eliminate the need for more than 140 characters!
So… I’m guessing we’ll be seeing more homeless in Santa Barbara now?
I should elucidate but dinner awaits. Mr. Johnson, you seem to be more interested in inflaming the situation than assisting in ameliorating it.
There’s a huge state budget movement to purchase hotels and motels for housing.
Bring on the flames.
I support this. I’m well off. I’d willingly pay more for some housing for those who can’t afford it or are incapable of doing so.
Supportive housing; single room occupancy? Sounds great to me.
#3 would ” respond to lock-down barracks & daily work like removing graffiti, litter and dog poop or missing supplied meals. The work part would send them scurrying away from the area like light sends cockroaches scurrying.