Harvey West Safety Team

The Petition

As a concerned community member, I would like to see the HSC implement the following security measures to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods, community, and the HSC clients who are directly affected by the current standards at the HSC:

1. Change the Day Resource Center client intake process:
   • Require a client to present a government issued photo id
   • Perform a formal sexual offender check
   • Perform a formal background check that includes outstanding warrants and citations
   • Have the client sign a Rules of Behavior sheet that lists consequences and suspension policy for each rule.
2. Deny all services to a person who has an outstanding warrant or who is a sexual offender
3. Have a webcam in several locations inside and outside the facility
4. Permit a SCPD drug sniffing dog to perform a facility check at random times
5. Have the Santa Cruz Homeless Services Center fund a SCPD Community Safety Officer and place them in the area prior to, during, and after meal services
6. Have the Day Resource client do a specific chore for each service received
7. Have the Santa Cruz Homeless Services Center fund First Alarm in the Harvey West Area from 7 PM until the morning shift
8. Change the Santa Cruz Day Resource Center mission statement to:
   • To create opportunities for clients to secure employment and to transition back into productive society.
   • To provide a safe haven for homeless individuals and their families from the elements and access needed services.
   • To coordinate multiple services in a centralized location through a number of healthcare and human-service providers.
9. Given the close proximity of services at 115 Coral Street, it is our recommendation to geographically separate the Day Resource Center away from the family shelter, residential programs and rehabilitative care services, within the next 3 years
10. In six months, city staff will report on the implementation of these nine security measures and if the changes have made improvements to:
    • City’s Police, Fire, EMT responses
    • Safety and cleanliness of the Harvey West community
    • Homeless Services clients

Please sign this petition