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Editor,
Eureka is in the process of replacing its camping code (“Changing Territory,” Nov. 26). Under the current code camping is legal “in areas specifi cally designated for such use.” The proposal is to designate most of Eureka from sundown to sunup, with 15 minutes to lay out and then collect your things.
Sta report says they kept the Boise court case in mind when drafting this. So it talks about involuntary camping, which happens because people have to make hard choices at times. The Boise case says if there are not su cient shelter beds it is cruel to punish people for poverty and lack of shelter.
Now let’s say Eureka completes the steps to change the code. An o cer can o er one of the shelter beds reserved for police “hand o s” to one of the many people experiencing homelessness. If that person declines the o er, the o cer can write a ticket for voluntary camping. Sta says it only applies if someone doesn’t have a good reason. And the city has a “diversion program” that uses tickets to begin a conversation. However, even a parking ticket becomes a criminal matter if you can’t pay it.
This is simply the carrot and stick approach, right? Well, when there are enough carrots, a stick is needed only for the very greedy. Until then, it is cruel to ticket people for being poor and living without traditional housing.
The proposed ordinance is too long, too confusing. The current code is titled: “Camping Permitted Only in Specifi cally Designated Areas.” Please ask city council to tell sta , “Thanks, but no thanks; please use what you have to open a camp under the core components of Housing First, including no requirement to be in a program and with the rights/responsibilities of tenancy.” Janelle Egger, Fortuna
In praise of Stansberry
Editor:
It was very fulfi lling to see an article again by Linda Stansberry, “Changing Territory.” Linda has been on this subject of homelessness in Humboldt County for years and she does her homework as displayed in her article.
This is a very important subject and one that must be addressed as it is not getting better and with the COVID-19 pandemic it is going to get much worse. We need articles by Linda Stansberry to keep us awake and up to date on this very important subject. Dave Rosso, Eureka
Terry Torgerson
Editor:
Humboldt State University is conducting a study to consider the viability of becoming just California’s third polytechnic university (“HSU Possibly Designated Third Calpoly University,” posted Nov. 24). Besides making HSU a “destination” campus, as the current two universities turn students away, it would build on HSU’s strengths in natural resources and STEM education, preparing students for 21st century jobs. This is the time for HSU to think big and for locals to support their university, which enriches the entire region. John Dillon, Eureka
Correction
It has come to the Journal’s attention that in three recent articles — “Local ballot Counting Continues” in the Nov. 12 edition, “A Flip in the Second” in the Nov. 19 edition and NCJ Daily in the Nov. 26 edition — we incorrectly referred to Ferndale mayoral candidate Don Hindley as an incumbent in the race. While Hindley served as the city’s mayor from 2014 through 2018, he does not currently hold the o ce, which is occupied by Michael Sweeney. The Journal regrets the errors.
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