This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/15/california-homeless-evictions-school
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Homeless evictions near future site of Zuckerberg-funded school spark protest | Homeless evictions near future site of Zuckerberg-funded school spark protest |
| (30 days later) | |
| Foundation launched by Facebook founder and his wife says it had nothing to do with evictions near planned private school for low-income students | Foundation launched by Facebook founder and his wife says it had nothing to do with evictions near planned private school for low-income students |
| Sign up to our monthly Outside in America newsletter | Sign up to our monthly Outside in America newsletter |
| Alastair Gee in East Palo Alto, California | Alastair Gee in East Palo Alto, California |
| Thu 16 Nov 2017 02.11 GMT | Thu 16 Nov 2017 02.11 GMT |
| Last modified on Thu 15 Feb 2018 13.23 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| Residents of a Silicon Valley city protested on Wednesday as officials evicted homeless families and others living in RVs from their parking spots over public health concerns. | Residents of a Silicon Valley city protested on Wednesday as officials evicted homeless families and others living in RVs from their parking spots over public health concerns. |
| The location of the showdown was suggestive: next to the future site of a private school for low-income students that receives funding from a philanthropic initiative by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. | The location of the showdown was suggestive: next to the future site of a private school for low-income students that receives funding from a philanthropic initiative by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. |
| Schoolchildren living in the vehicles were among those evicted and the outcry highlighted the profound poverty in the local school district, which includes the Facebook campus in its catchment area. | Schoolchildren living in the vehicles were among those evicted and the outcry highlighted the profound poverty in the local school district, which includes the Facebook campus in its catchment area. |
| Homelessness in Silicon Valley is deeply intertwined with the technology boom and the real estate crunch that has ensued. The foundation said it had nothing to do with the RV removals, and construction was still more than a year away. | Homelessness in Silicon Valley is deeply intertwined with the technology boom and the real estate crunch that has ensued. The foundation said it had nothing to do with the RV removals, and construction was still more than a year away. |
| According to data gathered by the school district based on federal requirements, about 58% of its students experience homelessness, defined as couch-surfing or doubling up with other families, or sleeping in RVs and shelters, said the superintendent, Gloria Hernandez-Goff. Previous data had put the number at more than one-third of students. | According to data gathered by the school district based on federal requirements, about 58% of its students experience homelessness, defined as couch-surfing or doubling up with other families, or sleeping in RVs and shelters, said the superintendent, Gloria Hernandez-Goff. Previous data had put the number at more than one-third of students. |
| “No matter what we do, they’re only Band-Aids,” Hernandez-Goff said of her efforts to help the students. She was critical of the city. | “No matter what we do, they’re only Band-Aids,” Hernandez-Goff said of her efforts to help the students. She was critical of the city. |
| “We need to come up with a solution instead of just moving people out,” she said. | “We need to come up with a solution instead of just moving people out,” she said. |
| The town of East Palo Alto has long been a pocket of poverty amid the staggering wealth of Silicon Valley – the median household income there is $52,000, while in the neighboring town of Palo Alto it is $137,000. | The town of East Palo Alto has long been a pocket of poverty amid the staggering wealth of Silicon Valley – the median household income there is $52,000, while in the neighboring town of Palo Alto it is $137,000. |
| RVs have gathered on a largely deserted street jutting into marshland for several years, and at one time there were as many as 15 vehicles housing 75 people, said a neighbor, Patricia Finau Lopez. Recently she thought there were about 10 school-age children residing there. Conditions are dire: a family of five living in an RV in the city told the Guardian in 2015 that they could not store food because their refrigerator was broken and they were forced to shower at a YMCA. | RVs have gathered on a largely deserted street jutting into marshland for several years, and at one time there were as many as 15 vehicles housing 75 people, said a neighbor, Patricia Finau Lopez. Recently she thought there were about 10 school-age children residing there. Conditions are dire: a family of five living in an RV in the city told the Guardian in 2015 that they could not store food because their refrigerator was broken and they were forced to shower at a YMCA. |
| “At first it was an eyesore,” Lopez said of the campers, “but then when I went out there to see what was going on. I witnessed that those were families, blue-collar families that worked. I saw that they were struggling to pay rent.” | “At first it was an eyesore,” Lopez said of the campers, “but then when I went out there to see what was going on. I witnessed that those were families, blue-collar families that worked. I saw that they were struggling to pay rent.” |
| After that, “the prejudice I had in my heart at first disappeared”. Finau has herself opened up her home to a homeless woman, who lives there on and off along with Finau’s seven family members. | After that, “the prejudice I had in my heart at first disappeared”. Finau has herself opened up her home to a homeless woman, who lives there on and off along with Finau’s seven family members. |
| The city said it had acted because RVs were emptying their chemical toilets into a storm drain, filling it and presenting a public health hazard. The assistant city manager, Sean Charpentier, said the city did its part for low-income residents – almost 40% of its housing is considered affordable. But the city had not countenanced providing public toilets. | The city said it had acted because RVs were emptying their chemical toilets into a storm drain, filling it and presenting a public health hazard. The assistant city manager, Sean Charpentier, said the city did its part for low-income residents – almost 40% of its housing is considered affordable. But the city had not countenanced providing public toilets. |
| “What we did do is give them a list of providers where they could empty their toilets.” | “What we did do is give them a list of providers where they could empty their toilets.” |
| About 60 people turned up to the protest. By Monday lunchtime, the only RV left on the street was one that couldn’t be moved, its sides patched with wood and a blue tarp slung over the top. A 70-year-old retiree, Javier Godinez, appeared in the distance on a red bicycle: he had been forced to move that morning. | About 60 people turned up to the protest. By Monday lunchtime, the only RV left on the street was one that couldn’t be moved, its sides patched with wood and a blue tarp slung over the top. A 70-year-old retiree, Javier Godinez, appeared in the distance on a red bicycle: he had been forced to move that morning. |
| “You can see how nice they keep the streets,” he said, gesturing to swept sidewalks as evidence of why the families should have been allowed to stay. | “You can see how nice they keep the streets,” he said, gesturing to swept sidewalks as evidence of why the families should have been allowed to stay. |
| “They came and said: ‘Everyone has to move out,’ like we’re living in Russia or something.” | “They came and said: ‘Everyone has to move out,’ like we’re living in Russia or something.” |
| He explained that it was impossible to pay for housing as well as for his car, food and other necessities on the $1,067 a month he receives in social security payments. He had once owned a janitorial business, he said, and lately had lived with his brother-in-law and his family, but they moved to a smaller home, and even the garage was too full of belongings for him to inhabit. | He explained that it was impossible to pay for housing as well as for his car, food and other necessities on the $1,067 a month he receives in social security payments. He had once owned a janitorial business, he said, and lately had lived with his brother-in-law and his family, but they moved to a smaller home, and even the garage was too full of belongings for him to inhabit. |
| A spokesperson for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is providing funding for the new school, said it was not involved with the evictions. It had made grants to support local housing solutions. | A spokesperson for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which is providing funding for the new school, said it was not involved with the evictions. It had made grants to support local housing solutions. |
| “The issues families and children are facing in this episode is frustrating and emblematic of larger housing issues in the Bay Area,” the spokesperson said by email. “We are actively supporting our families affected by this change. The Primary School was not aware of these actions prior to today and has not been engaging with the city on this matter.” | “The issues families and children are facing in this episode is frustrating and emblematic of larger housing issues in the Bay Area,” the spokesperson said by email. “We are actively supporting our families affected by this change. The Primary School was not aware of these actions prior to today and has not been engaging with the city on this matter.” |
| The RVs did not move very far – in fact, they lined the streets just a few blocks away in an industrial area. | The RVs did not move very far – in fact, they lined the streets just a few blocks away in an industrial area. |
| A 42-year-old man named Jason, who declined to provide his last name, said he had become homeless after his business went under following the recession and a car accident necessitated a six-month hospital stay. | A 42-year-old man named Jason, who declined to provide his last name, said he had become homeless after his business went under following the recession and a car accident necessitated a six-month hospital stay. |
| “I bought me a 40ft home, I’m living the American dream,” he said, as he pulled up in an old, white sedan driven by a friend. | “I bought me a 40ft home, I’m living the American dream,” he said, as he pulled up in an old, white sedan driven by a friend. |
| After he got out and she left, he confided that she might soon be joining the local RV dwellers. “She’s having a rough time. I’m trying to get her a trailer.” | After he got out and she left, he confided that she might soon be joining the local RV dwellers. “She’s having a rough time. I’m trying to get her a trailer.” |
| Do you have an experience of homelessness to share with the Guardian? Get in touch | Do you have an experience of homelessness to share with the Guardian? Get in touch |
| California | California |
| Outside in America | Outside in America |
| Mark Zuckerberg | Mark Zuckerberg |
| Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |