Advocates of the Santa Cruz library respond and locals question the real causes of homelessness.
Check It Out
Re: “How to Get the Most Out of the Library” (Sept. 17): Cat Johnson did a terrific job of explaining how Santa Cruz Public Libraries has reinvented itself to meet library patrons' needs in the Digital Age. We appreciate the support, and hope that people reading this will visit one of the 10 library branches in our county system soon to discover more about the many programs, services and resources we offer.
We also want your readers to know how they can help us make Santa Cruz Public Libraries even stronger. The SCPL offers a variety of volunteer activities, which include assisting with programs such as Family Place, Computer Coaching and Story Time; helping at special events like the Festival of the Book; or providing outreach to the community as a Book Buddy. For information on these and other volunteer opportunities, contact the SCPL Volunteer Coordinator, at 831- 427-7700 x7615 or volunteer@santacruzpl.org.
You can also help support SCPL through the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, which does advocacy work and fundraising for the library system. For information, contact Office Manager Cordelia Neff at 831-427-7707 x7796 or neffc@santacruzpl.org.
Together, we can make sure that our local libraries continue to be the “wonderful places” Cat described, places for learning and growing and collaborating.
Teresa Landers, Director of Libraries
Pete Cullen, President, Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Measure of Success
Re: “Pulling No Punches” (Cover, Sept. 25): People who take offense to Analicia and attack her are jealous of her success. That’s fine. That’s a measure of success. Analicia inspired me to volunteer my time doing community service. She’s the first person who ever motivated me to do this. And how did she do it? With her tireless motivation to improve our community. And a positive attitude. She doesn’t just bitch. She gets things done. She scares people, but it’s not because she’s scary. It’s because what she can accomplish is scary. Thanks for writing a fair and balanced story on one of Santa Cruz’s most inspiring personalities.
Steve Schlicht
Santa Cruz
Deal With the Real Issues
Re: “Pulling No Punches”: I can understand that there are a considerable number of homeless in Santa Cruz that are visible; however the rest of this country—and I have first-hand experience in this—has as many if not more homeless. Just because there seem to be more homeless in Santa Cruz then in the past only means more people cannot afford high rental prices, and that is the issue. The only way Santa Cruz can be “taken back” from homeless is to allow homeless affordable housing, that simple. I have been homeless for most of the past 15 years because I became disabled, and with the national SSDISSI level being just below prevailing rent, I am priced out, as almost all those who receive SSI (not SSDI) are. Now if you want to violate my 5th, 8th, and 14th amendment rights, because you want to chase me off public property—the only place I can legally be, because I can not afford the luxury of private property—then we have an issue. I have every right to eat, sleep, and preform hygiene tasks in public, and no one, not even police can tell me otherwise as I am guaranteed this right to public property by the U.S. constitution, just as anyone else. I will speak up for homeless and against those who are too greedy, arrogant, or ignorant to think otherwise. If anyone wants to solve the homeless issue, look to the cause: high rents to greedy landlords, scamming the Housing Authority, and lack of will to employ those who are or have been homeless. There is no “getting rid of” or cleaning up the city by chasing away homeless, homelessness is here and always will be until you deal with high rent, poor mental health services, and unemployment. Is Cube really that naive or ignorant to believe otherwise?
Russ Campbell
Santa Cruz
