Nicole Ludden When a cow-printed van pulls into the parking lot of Santa Rita Park those scattered across the park assemble in front of it, knowing they’ll get hygiene items, water, clothing and maybe even a hot meal.
People are also reading… On Jan. 17, COW, Community Care Tucson and the People’s Defense Initiative sued the city to halt enforcement of ordinances that ban residing in parks after hours. In October, the city launched a new reporting tool for the public to report homeless encampments. Based on the danger the reported encampments pose to the public, inhabitants are either allowed to stay after cleanup or forced to leave within 72 hours. The notices posted at Santa Rita are in response to the new encampment protocol, the city said.
The need for shelterTucson’s Mayor and Council approved a master plan for Santa Rita Park in August that includes nearly $3 million in renovations as part of the $225 million Proposition 407 bond package voters approved in 2018. At the time the council approved the master plan, the same group of protesters took to City Council to denounce the renovations, foreseeing potential displacement of the park’s homeless population.
Tucson’s approach to addressing homelessness is a housing-first model that provides shelter without barriers to access. The city does acknowledge, however: “A shortage of and lack of formal coordination among outreach and housing navigator services contributes to long periods of time spent homeless before making contact with the homeless response system,” according to the city’s website on the local homelessness crisis.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to stop the city from enforcing its anti-camping and after-hours ordinances that prohibit people from being in the city’s park from 10:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Nearly a week before the protest at City Council, COW member Victoria DeVasto said she stood over a homeless man who had died at Santa Rita Park due to exposure when temperatures dipped below freezing. The Tucson Police Department confirmed an “unresponsive male” was located at the park and that “it looks to be a medical issue, and no foul play was noted.”
One man said that about 3 a.m. on Jan. 20, “Tucson Police approached me and kicked me out of Santa Rita Park. They did not offer me any services. Gospel Rescue Mission refused me a bed. They threatened me with citation, but cited other people in the park.”
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