Homeless United for Friendship & Freedom -- 309 Cedar St. PMB 14B --
Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060  (831)423-HUFF
Oct. 14, 2004

Dear Tony Madrigal,

As a candidate for City Council, HUFF is seeking your positions on
homeless issues. Please answer the following questions and send your
reply.  I will post your response to our HUFF contact list (about 72
people) and publish your responses on our website.

 Thank-you,

Becky Johnson, HUFF facilitator

QUESTIONS:

1.  Even with the new Family Homeless Shelter coming on line this winter,
the majority of homeless people (1500 - 3000) will not have legal
shelter either this winter, or next spring when the armory closes. Are
you satisfied with current policy where homeless people who are sheltered
in a car or a tent or are simply sleeping out in the open will be cited,
arrested, and criminalized for attempting to shelter themselves?  Or what
will you differently?

2. The National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. recently
released as study in which they claimed the average cost of prosecuting a
camping or sleeping ticket with our police, courts, and jails costs the
taxpayers $1000 per citation. Do you think these expenses are justified
for such "crimes" such as sleeping, hopscotching, sitting, or asking
for spare change from a sitting position?

3. Do you support the ordinances which  primarily affect homeless people
downtown? Do you support the ban on sitting on the sidewalk 14 ft. from
a building? Asking for food after dark with a sign? Do you support the
"move-along"law which forces political tables on Pacific Ave. to move
after only 1 hours time, or be subject to a $162 fine? Do you support
criminalizing blowing bubbles, tossing a frisbee, playing hackey-sack,
bouncing a ball, or chalk drawing?  Do you think tossing your carkeys
to your friend should be illegal and a $162 crime?

4. Do you support the current restrictions on the parking of vehicles
on the public streets all over town by limiting parking to homeowners
with permits? Do you favor prohibiting parking from between Midnight to
5AM in downtown residential areas?  Do you think it should be illegal
to park overnight in non-residential areas, especially if it means that
a significant number of homeless people will be displaced as a result?
Do you support ticketing, arresting, and towing the vehicles of people
who have no other place to go and are forced, by economic necessity,
to sleep in their car?

5. What will you do to curtail homeless deaths (43 last year) in our
community?

6.  Below is the HUFF election platform of issues for which we are seeking
support. Can you indicate the items you will support, and provide comments
on items you will not support?





HUFF election platform

  1.. immediate ending of the sleeping ban and blanket ban
  2.. opening up a carpark and a homeless campground as a temporary
  immediate solution
  3.. Opposing widening hwy one as it will take funds away from social
  services for homeless people
  4.. Support city-wide rent control and a just cause eviction ordinance
  5.. Supporting infill housing to create low cost units for housing
  6.. Eliminate the policy of using the "Broken Windows Theory" as a
  police model for enforcement
  7.. Modifying the camping ordinance to allow one vehicle per driveway
  such as Eugene, Or has done with great success
  8.. Rescind any laws which prohibit giving away free food in public
  spaces
  9.. Take proactive steps to see that police enforce all laws equally
  10.. Return the Citizens Police Review Board ---eliminated under
  Mayor Reilly.