Marinscope
Concerned Citizens of Novato plans to post fliers tonight in Downtown Novato, beginning at 7:45 p.m. The protest begins at the back patio of Dr. Insomniacs, Grant Avenue and Reichert.
A press release from the group states:
“The backlash against the double-cross by the Novato City Council, Mayor Eric Lucan and City Manager Adam McGill is building after a secret negotiation resulted in a deal to keep the $250,000 compound for members of the Homeless Union at Lee Gerner Park.
“Citizens against this outrage will be papering downtown businesses and the City Council to protest this arbitrary action. Novato City Police have been ordered to stay away from the fenced area that encircles 18 homeless individuals. The Lee Gerner Park encampment will be allowed to stay ‘indefinitely’ endangering the safety of residents and local businesses in the area. One woman who is afraid to use her name says ‘We don’t feel safe in our own neighborhood. My daughters walk by the library every day and are harassed by the men at the encampment.’
“Concerned Citizens of Novato have protested on 7th Street, appeared in-person and by Zoom in front of the City Council, demanding an end to this inhumane treatment of both the homeless and the neighborhood residents.
“It’s incredibly cruel to shove homeless people, many of whom are addicts and some with mental issues, into a fenced encampment and fire hazard. We need real solutions and housing. We won’t stand for this sloppy, incomplete answer to a growing problem.
“Concerned Citizens of Novato point out that downtown doorways are filling up with dozens of squatters and at Binford Road by Rush Creek, causing an ecological danger that may already be too late to fix.
“Novato citizens are also appearing before the City Council meeting scheduled Tuesday, August 23rd in protest.”
I grew up the Mr. & Mrs. Gerner being our neighbors and even took care of her when she got sick. I know that they would not be happy with what the city has done to his park.
Is this actual reporting or copying and pasting an email sent to you by your friend Melanie Morgan?
Nice fearmongering Sherm! It’s not an “indefinite” arrangement. And the City had no choice but to negotiate in good faith with the representatives of the campers. Yes, the cops are ordered to stay away unless they’re called, much like they have to stay away from your back yard if they have no business there. Funny you only quote your friends who say they feel “unsafe” at LGP but you can’t cite one example of anyone being harmed by a homeless camper.
Except LGP isn’t anyone’s personal yard. THEY DON’T OWN THE PROPERTY. The citizens of Novato do. And they should expect it to be policed like any other tax-payer funded property.
San Rafael shut down their encampment this month finally, Sausalito is shutting down theirs this month, but Novato negotiated to let the Lee Garner camp stay open 2 more years. Hmm