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Update on Tent City, via info in latest Costa Mantis video

Eviction notices will be given to Tent City campers on April 13; people will be expected to have moved from the encampment location by the 15th; on the 16th, people camping on private property will be subject to arrest. This information comes from the latest Costa Mantis mini-documentary. Mantis is living in Tent City from where he films and produces daily video reports.

Tent City is on private property, most of which belongs to SMUD [which stands for Sacramento Municipal Utility District]. A small portion of the property belongs to Union Pacific.

Below is Costa Mantis's April 10 report, "Live from Tent City Day Ten 04 10 09." Mantis began his onsite series of mini-documentaries on the 1st of April.



You can follow the Tent City story at Costa Mantis's Channel at YouTube.

BUT, be aware that a press release, relating to his documentary Flying Pumpkins, tells us that Mantis is an Emmy-award winner. A search at the Emmy Award website does not confirm Mantis's claim. I tell you this because Mantis is seeking donations at one of his websites. Caveat emptor.

Comments

greeny said…
It is a sad day in america when you lose your job, your house then you can't even sleep in your tent on unused property. I live in MO and am very upset at what is going on. I blame the politicians for allowing this to go on. I contacted Loaves and Fishes and got an updated on the situation and I called the mayor's office and had to leave a message but nobody called me back, but I am going to call them back. They say it is because the situation is not sanitary, is that really true? If that is the case couldn't the city just bring in porta potties or something. The shelters are nice but having to give up the only things you have left is not right. Trying to help in MO.
April 11, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Unknown said…
greeny,

Let us just say the issue of safety at the Tent City location has come up late and conveniently. BUT, yes there are places in Sacramento, near the railways that have been disposal sites over most of the last century. While there is currently problems related to porta-potties and waste pick-up, the issue of cleanliness as I understand it relates to EPA standards at the site. There are also location problems related to nearness to railroad tracks and the river. One man got hit, and killed, by a train and there is a lot of drug use that hasn't been controlled.

BUT, Tent City never was "controlled" and organized. And, there is other property were Tent City could be located. There's a rally on April 21 to try to resurrect the notion of legal camping in the municipality, but with the "success" the city has been having in the last few days [at enormous expense] moving Tent City campers to shelters and getting them on temporary-housing lists, the effort for 2009 in Sacramento may be suspended.

A well-done urban tent encampment can be created and maintained very cheaply, if done right.

The city of Sacramento discovered a million bucks that had gotten lost in the accounting books and has thrown it all at the homeless "problem." The city council will probably succeed at suspending things until 2010.

Thank you, kind Missourian, for your help. Sacramento salutes you!
April 12, 2009 at 2:58 PM
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