SAFE Boulder and the Boulder County Democratic Socialists of America are raising money to support our unhoused neighbors survive the latest attack from the neoliberal police state: the Tent Ban.
Passed by emergency ordinance by 6 out of 9 Boulder City Council members, this law expands the already inhumane Urban Camping Ban which criminalizes covering oneself with a blanket within City limits. The Tent Ban allows police to seize tents immediately, instead of after 72 hours notice under the Urban Camping Ban. This ratcheting up of Boulder's war on the poor WILL result in lost limbs due to frostbite and will only accelerate the cycle of homelessness by further impoverishing our poorest neighbors.
The best way to resist this gross expansion of police power is to materially support those affected by it. Everyone should have the right to rest, which is why we're raising funds for the following survival gear:
-$3 for a tarp
-$9 for 3 tarps
-$25 for a tent
-$35 for a cold weather sleeping bag*
Local non-profits won't give this gear out because they don't want to rock the boat too much, but it is so desperately needed. We operate with no overhead so every dollar donated will go to directly supporting our unhoused neighbors.
As the Boulder Beat writes "Experts on homelessness unilaterally condemn measures that bring unhoused individuals in frequent contact with police because of the potential for escalation and arrest. Nearly every facet of unsheltered life is already illegal — using the restroom, changing, sleeping, consumption of alcohol or marijuana — when conducted on public property, leading to lengthy rap sheets for many unhoused individuals that make it much harder to secure housing."
*We are getting ahead of the cold season by getting cold weather bags before they go out of stock.
