Homeless protest planned for Wednesday
September 5, 2011
A local activist is organizing a protest Wednesday morning, Sept. 7, on behalf of homeless people in San Luis Obispo County.
Becky Jorgeson of the recently-formed Homeless Project says the protest is planned for 8 a.m. on the steps of the San Luis Obispo County courthouse on Monterey St.
Speakers have not been announced, but according to Jorgeson, the protest focuses on concerns over how local homeless people are being treated. Specific issues include the alleged failure of county government to provide sufficient housing for the indigent, coupled with Judge Charles Crandall’s recent controversial decision to oust several members of the Sunny Acres sober living facility in San Luis Obispo.
Jorgeson is also going public with accusations this week that staff members at both the Prado Road Day Center and the Maxine Lewis Overnight Shelter have shown “a general lack of respect” for homeless people. Jorgeson, who volunteered at Sunny Acres for three years, claims that several homeless people were “kicked out” of the two San Luis Obispo shelters.
The Homeless Project has been working with New Times for the last two months, providing weekly profiles of homeless people in need of work or housing. Jorgeson, who is retired from Cal Poly, has clashed with Dee Torres of CAPSLO, who manages the Prado Road facility, by pushing for more aggressive government support of homeless people.
“I’m hopeful of getting change around here for our homeless, one way or another,” Jorgeson said.
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