Homeless Lives Matter-Eviction Is Not The Solution To Homelessness

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- Robert Aguirre, from H.O.M.E.L.E.S.S. and Pastor Scott Wagers of CHAM Deliverance Ministry along with Sandy Perry, of the Affordable Housing Network call on all allies and people of conscience to come to the so-called “Jungle” encampment at 6:30 am on this Thursday morning, December 4, to stand in solidarity with the homeless who are threatened with arrest for the “crime” of having nowhere to go.

The City’s planned eviction of homeless residents is not the answer to San Jose’s homelessness problem. Simply arresting or dispersing people will not make them go away.

The groups involved applaud the City’s efforts that have so far housed some 144 encampment residents in the past 18 months. However, many more than that number BECAME homeless during the same time period, due to the City’s misguided jobs-housing imbalance and its lax rent control laws. Residents who have moved out of the “Jungle” into housing have been replaced by new homeless people moving in.

The effort and meeting is due to the belief that the City should concentrate on housing the homeless, not moving them around from place to place. Moving them from one creek to another does not protect the environment. According to its own survey, 96% of encampment residents would move into affordable housing immediately if it became available.

To say that one of the richest cities in America does not have the resources to house its people is immoral and deceitful. The City Council has the opportunity to show the courage and vision to claim the resources that are there. Silicon Valley corporations have over $500 billion in cash reserves. To continue saying there is nothing they can do while people in the community are dying is a disservice to the fine and compassionate people of San Jose.

Media Contact:

Robert Aguirre, H.O.M.E.L.E.S.S.  915-471-8674

Sandy Perry perrysandy@aol.com

Learn more about CHAM at: http://cham-ministry.org