Posted by Jack
CHICO Enterprise Record — The City Council has instructed Chico police not to dismantle or evict encampments of unsheltered individuals during the local coronavirus emergency.
A temporary plan for housing vulnerable unsheltered individuals and those in isolation while waiting for COVID-19 tests has also officially been funded in Chico.
Encampments
Federal law prevents disruptions of encampments during the coronavirus health emergency is protected under section 361 of the Public Health Service Act, according to Councilor Scott Huber.
Interim guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in March, titled “Responding to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness, under the heading of Prevention Measures” directs:
- Unless individual housing units are available, do not clear encampments during community spread of COVID-19. Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.
- Encourage people staying in encampments to set up their tents/sleeping quarters with at least 12-feet by 12-feet of space per individual.
- Ensure nearby restroom facilities have functional water taps, are stocked with hand hygiene materials (soap, drying materials) and bath tissue, and remain open to people experiencing homelessness 24 hours per day.
- If toilets or hand washing facilities are not available nearby, provide access to portable latrines with hand washing facilities for encampments of more than 10 people.
That means the homeless squatters can expand their living areas without limits.
So when are the Chico City Council members going to open their own homes to the homeless bums?
And how soon will Chico need its own Poop Patrol?
This means the homeless of Chico have more rights than all the shutdown and soon failed forever business owners and the rest of us who can’t even take our poor dogs to the dog park.
We can’t get a haircut, buy a See’s bunny for Easter or other gifts from stores like Made in Chico, for our loved ones. Yet, the City Council in violation of the Brown Act voted for one group and against the town’s citizens, who by the way pay their salaries and vote.
Hope every voter remembers this next election.