Short of time? Scroll over to 31-minute mark (you'll hear the last seconds of Peter Dreier's talk) and then Elvis Summers speaks and answers questions at Occidental College. It's a must-see. Last night I found out that the city confiscated Smokie's Tiny Home. To quote Elvis Summers: "Smokie is the woman who I built the very first Tiny House for. She has been working with me most of time along the way, helping me help so many others. The City Just Took Her House." It is criminal for the city to confiscate [steal] what citizen investment funded. These homes cost taxpayers zero dollars. Furthermore, this is a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, especially: Article 1. "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." [A spirit of brotherhood is precisely how Elvis Summers and his team have been acting.] Article 12. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, HOME, or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks. Article 17. (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property. Now, it's time to call in the big guns. In my last petition update: Want L.A. to Host the 2024 Olympic Games? Stop Criminalizing the Homeless and House Them! https://www.change.org/p/curren-price-curren-price-reverse-your-order-to-confiscate-and-destroy-tiny-homes-for-la-s-homeless/u/16096433 George Palaziol, appointed by L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino to a San Pedro homelessness task force, commented (under the illegal use of Carrot Top's avatar): "This petition holds no legal weight..." For more: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107889574670988423996/posts/LJZaEKU6onZ And Elvis Summers' team strategy has always been to work with elected officials all along. But there comes a time when citizens need to assert (no, DEFEND) their civil rights. My comment on this L.A. Times article by Pulitzer Prize winner, Doug Smith, still remains: lhttp://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-pomona-homeless-20160405-story.html (the other three abusive comments I flagged were removed). We ARE gaining public support. The gist of Smith's post: among the items taken [from 15 named plaintiffs] were: food stamps, debit cards, medication, state identification cards, birth certificates, Social Security cards, tents, family photos, and the even the ashes of Kelley Wilcox's mother. After almost a year of reaching out countless times to city officials, Elvis Summers and his team need to look elsewhere for justice. The first step in getting the Feds involved it to fill out a Department of Justice complaint form found here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107889574670988423996/posts/frjp9bjQTk6 We need everyone who sees a crime committed against a homeless person (e.g. seizing property or harassment) to fill out a form. It can be sent to Elvis Summers at: elvis@startinghuman.org (to be delivered) or mailed directly to: United States Attorney's Office Central District of California 312 North Spring Street Suite 1200 Los Angeles, California 90012 Note: I've added Joanna Hull, Chief of the Civil Rights Section and Brandon Fox, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section to those being petitioned – we now have a total of 26 people in a position of power being notified with each signature. These two chiefs are responsible to protect the constitutional rights of people in California which includes: the right to fair housing and fair lending, the Americans with Disabilities Act, statutes protecting the rights of service members and veterans, and other federal anti-discrimination statues enforced by the Department of Justice. The Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section works closely with the FBI and other agencies "to preserve the government’s integrity, reform corrupt behavior, and protect citizens’ constitutional rights." In my blog post We ONLY Have Until April 11th, 2016: HUD Wants to Criminalize Tiny Homes or RVs as Primary Residences http://roserightswrongs.blogspot.ca/2016/04/we-only-have-until-april-11th-2016.html is a quick pictorial guide to comment on this barbaric attempt to criminalize those living at or below the poverty level. People have a right to live within their means. And I was gobsmacked to learn in this April 6th, 2016 ACLU post by Michael Tan: https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/immigrants-shouldnt-be-locked-being-poor At least 100 immigrants are detained in the Los Angeles area on bonds they can’t afford, even though a judge has found they don’t need to be locked up. "Imprisoning people because they’re poor — whether citizens or immigrants — violates our fundamental commitments to due process and equal protection." And did you know that homeless people have been lumped together with criminals – that have been released too early – from FIVE jails? LAPD Chief Charlie Beck spilled the beans when he disclosed that "five jails were currently closed due to civilian staffing issues but within 36 months, he and Mayor Garcetti would have the facilities re-opened." Source: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/02/04/lapd-chief-beck-hears-from-san-pedro-residents-fed-up-with-rising-crime It's obvious that the homeless have been fed to the lions and systematically stripped of all human dignity. Lastly, here are some comments that I found on the HUD docket and in other places: "Do not criminalize one's decision to live in an RV/camper. It is not a crime. You have no moral base on which to approve this regulation. Do the right thing and leave this issue alone." ~ Angelo Vignaroli "I can not believe that our government has nothing better to do than make life more difficult for people who can only afford to live in an RV or chose to downsize to a tiny home. Where is our right to chose where or how we want to live? Whose hand is in the cookie jar trying to get the last crumb we have left to live on. This country has an obligation to the people to protect our freedom to chose a way of life that harms no one. Why not put all the money you would spend trying to enforce this sort of useless red tape legislation and buy tiny homes for the homeless! That would make a lot more sense to me than what you are trying to do. Shame on you." ~ Sylvia Link "This far exceeds your authority, to make that decision for others. Local governments and zoning authorities are the best to make these decisions, based on local factors and the ability to make case-by-case decisions on the safety and health of its citizens." ~ Thomas Harton "It's the ones making the laws that can afford housing. I wish we all had the means, but the fact is we don"t. Instead of leaning on the government for hand outs such as government housing, we are finding ways to live within our means. There are also those that choose smaller housing choices simply because they want to live without spending every dime they make just to have a roof over their head. Why is this wrong? What about it makes you feel we need to outlaw it. At least we are providing for ourselves and trying to live respectable lives. We aren't asking you to live this way. Why are you spending more tax dollars dreaming of new ways to tell people how they must live? Enough is enough! It sickens me to see this blatant waste of time and money on issues such as this when there are real issues that need to be dealt with. If this is all you can come up with given the state of our society, please tell me why you have a job?" ~ Bev Armand "Who will benefit from these regulations? Not the many people like me on a fixed income. This is greed at its finest. We will be criminalized and forced onto the streets where it's illegal to camp. Jail will be the next stop for many. This is a lose-lose proposition." ~ Mike Hinkley "None of this is ok -- stealing and destroying property, arresting people who can't pay fines (receiving fines at ALL for being homeless), not allowing property that doesn't fit into a fluffing garbage can (which also insinuates their possessions ARE garbage), not allowing tents to shelter in during the day. They are making the cycle of poverty and homelessness worse by standing in the way of every possible way out, and they know it. None of this is justified." ~ Denise Keeran "The government needs to stop stepping on it's citizens! Go after the horrendously high food prices instead of making peoples' lives harder and harder. You're out of control." ~ Marjorie Bruno "This is ridiculous and an example of the government overstepping their bounds. I look forward to building an living in a "Tiny House" in my retirement years. It's all I will be able to afford. Most Tiny House people keep theirs looking so nice, with so many people living in "normal" sized houses that are "dumps" why are you not singling them out?" ~ Heather Clark "There is absolutely no valid reason you can't live in a camper or a tiny house. The only reason behind this is to exert control and keep people locked into homes with mortgages so you have to keep on working for pennies instead of enjoying your life by living a life that's more frugal. This is not about safety. This is about control. If it were about safety or well being, your department should be working to keep rents affordable and there wouldn't be unsafe tenement buildings If you folks at HUD need something to do, why don't you brainstorm a way to end/slow down homelessness? Oh right, no one cares about the homeless." ~ Anonymous "This is ridiculous! Would they rather people be homeless?" ~ A Offield "Are you morons? This is a crap measure, and you know it. You just want more money in your pockets, and to condemn those that don't follow your 'ideal' parameters. Not everyone wants a brick and mortar house/can afford it. You don't get to decide how everyone HAS to live their lives. Do this; I guarantee you'll have hell on your hands." ~ Tiffany Gilbert Remember to fill out that Department of Justice form and send it to Elvis or mail it in. With almost half the population of the U.S. living at or below the poverty level, we cannot allow fellow human beings to be reduced to living on the streets with a garbage can's worth of belongings. These inhumane and discriminatory actions need to stop. We will be heard and see justice served! I'll keep you posted, Rose