WITH GREENWAY EVICTIONS HALTED, CLEANUP ORGANIZED
CHICO >> Due to a temporary restraining order, people camping in Chico’s Comanche Creek Greenway had momentary relief Monday after expecting removal under the city’s enforcement operations sweeping camps from public properties.
There was some relief expressed by neighbors when the Chico Police Department issued campers a 72-hour notice to leave the premises for violating the city’s park ordinance. Business owner Ric Powers, who previously told this newspaper that people in the greenway had repeatedly vandalized and stolen from his location, said Friday, “If they were just camping over there and not breaking into our property, cutting holes in the fence and not leaving trash … maybe the neighborhood wouldn’t have complained as much as they did.”
“I wish the best for them,” he said. “I hope the city comes up with some kind of solution.”
But any enforcement of the eviction notice was halted just after it expired Sunday, when Legal Services of Northern California filed a motion requesting the temporary restraining order, granted by the U.S. Eastern California District Court judge hours later. The legal provider is seeking an injunction on behalf of eight plaintiffs barring the city from enforcing 72-hour eviction notices issued to unhoused people sleeping and resting on public land.
The city responded with a news release Monday afternoon, noting the city will abide by court orders, but will not comment on current or pending litigation.
Early Monday morning, homeless advocates and members of the community came to Comanche Creek Greenway to clean up trash and connect with people at the camps in what they called a show of solidarity.
The legal provider’s attorney Cory Turner said the temporary restraining order only applies to enforcement of the illegal camping, staying, storage of personal property and entering and remaining portion of the city’s
park ordinance, and the state penal code for illegal solicitation often referred to as a “panhandling” statute. The city cannot currently enforce the 72-hour notice to leave posted at the greenway, destroy any property seized from unhoused defendants or post new 72 hour notices to leave at camps on any public property in the city.
The city can at any point file for a two-day notice to request the judge retract the order, before the hearing scheduled for April 22.
Sharon Shelton, 60, has been unhoused for 11 years and said when she received the notice of the temporary restraining order Sunday night she was moved.
“I just want to say I’m happy; I could start crying,” she said, then she burst into tears. “Just to be able to sit around for another day.”
Another camper, Amber Bond, said she wishes the next step could be seriously discussing tiny homes or sanctioned camping in the city. She said she has been unhoused with only a dog and a vehicle for over a year and thinks many campers want a stable place to stay even if they can’t get in a shelter bed for different reasons.
“I think most people, the majority of us, would go by the rules and make the others (comply) too … to be able to stay there,” she said.
Advocates spent the morning cleaning the area, like Ana Meehan, or handing out coffee and cocoa, like Erin O’Neil.
Former Planning Commissioner and Chico State staffer Lupita Arim-Law also arrived to connect with campers, saying “For me the folks on the street are a reflection of who we are and who our community is and how we are failing as a society.”
“The answer is not to look away,” Arim-Law added. “The answer is not to get angry at the victims. They are victims of their circumstance whatever that is.”
North State Shelter Team volunteer Charles Withuhn said advocates plan to host weekly clean up days at the park from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays starting Sunday, and anyone wanting to help can join. The group is purchasing another dumpster with donations and is raising funds to purchase three more dumpsters, as well as a recycling bin and another portable restroom.
The city’s official Spring Clean community cleanup day takes place April 24.