Los Angeles "Policy Change": Controlling and Criminalizing Poor Populations
Los Angeles, CA December 19, 2013
TOOLS OF DISPLACEMENT
1. Restrictions on association – gang injunctions
- Initiated by LAPD and the City Attorney – no explicit City Council action.
- Mike Feuer Ignores Community Plea http://togetherwestay.org/mike-feuer-ignores-community-plea/
2. Restrictions on providing services on the street to those in need
- City Files http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=13-1238
- Restricting Access to Health and Safety http://www.laactivist.com/2013/11/03/homeless-advocates-fear-city-hall-is-gunning-for-food-charities-again/
- The Food Ban http://nowaronthepoor.tumblr.com/post/70542114302/the-food-ban-and-a-tale-of-two-realities-in-the-war
3. Restrictions on shared housing
4. Restrictions on occupying your automobile
- 1983 – original City Council actions and ordinance http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=83-0627 http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/1983/83-0627_ORD_158219_08-05-1983.pdf
- 2008 – Bill Rosendahl’s Amendment – closed http://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=08-3125 http://cityclerk.lacity.org/ordinance/Pub_Search_Summary.cfm?S=1&T=1
- Current Ordinance #158219 http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/1983/83-0627_ORD_158219_08-05-1983.pdf
- Judge’s challenge: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-homeless-cars-ordinance-20131205,0,7809227.story
5. Bonus: Bicycle Licensing
These are all laws that would further restrict the quality of life of poor, resource-less or houseless people. These laws would further empower the City Attorney to prosecute those most impacted by them. They would give the police more license to stop, harass, detain, arrest and/or brutalize those impacted.
The City Council seems to believe that police, enforcement, fines and punishment are practical solution-oriented ways to keep poor people safe. Never mind that it won't keep them out of the clutches of the factory-like court system and our ever expanding for-profit Prison Industrial Complex.