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To the editor:
Forcing unhoused people to stand outside during the atmospheric river hoping to be one of the lucky 25 to get a space in the warming center is cruel.
Even though there is enough staff to keep the Freight Building at Depot Park open 24 hours, Santa Cruz officials are refusing to let people shelter out of the storm until 8 p.m. They are also forcing people back into the brutal storms and the driving rain at 8 a.m.
People with pets have no place at all to protect themselves.
Hundreds of people are being forced to suffer the deadly cold rains and wind unsheltered — even though the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Freight Building could be opened during this emergency.
Given officials’ refusal to open safe locations for people to survive the brutality of the atmospheric storm, we encourage the police to suspend the systematic eviction of unhoused people from parking garages.
Keith McHenry
Food Not Bombs
Santa Cruz