Laura Jedeed (Misanthrophile)

"They are houseless, but they are not homeless. They have created a community [here]. They know each other, they listen to each other...they tolerate and forgive each other "They know who needs help and they know where to go when they need help. Not the city, but their friends"

She talks about the weird misconception that these people can go "somewhere else," that there are options unexplored "It's not easy being walked around town, trying to find food, a place to sleep. They want to stay in one place"

Here are some things that would help a lot more than sweeps, Pat says: -more bathroom facilities -more trash recepticles

The city is giving out sleeping bags and tents, but they haven't done their homework The sleeping bags are not thick enough to provide protection from the elements The tents can fit one, which strikes me as a problem for keeping warm It's cool that they're trying

Pat concludes by asking people to come out tomorrow as well to continue to prevent these sweeps

A member of the Stop the Sweeps hotline steps forward to speak The number is: 844-206-2005 If you see a sweep, call the hotline! It is monitored 24 hours a day

A new speaker steps forward "houselessness is not the problem, it is a symptom of capitalism." "How many empty buildings are there in this city?" The speaker says that we have the resources to fix this. We choose not to

"The county depends on unpaid volunteers like myself to drive night after night with supplies" They stress the hypocrisy of calling the cops on houseless people for doing things lots of people do. "Don't act like you aren't snorting cocaine in your own house!"