California Homeless Union  

Statewide Organizing Council  

Chico/Paradise * El Centro/Imperial County * Inland Empire * Marysville/Yuba City * Redding * Sacramento *
Salinas/Monterey County * Santa Cruz * San Jose/Santa Clara County * Ventura County *Sausalito/Marin  * Novato
*Oakland *Modesto * Watsonville

Crystal Sanchez
Western Regional Director for the National Union of the Homeless
California Homeless Union Statewide Organizing Counsel- Executive Board Member
Sacramento Homeless Union -President

Email: sacramento.homeless.union@gmail.com
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 To: Chico City Council Members, Butte County Continuum of Care

RE: Comanche Creek

My name is Crystal Sanchez I am the Western Regional Director for the National Union of the
Homeless and an Executive Member of California Homeless Union Statewide Organizing
Council. I also sit on multiple boards locally, statewide, and nationally regarding racial equity,
health and disparities, and poverty related issues. 

 Today July 8th, 2022, I am writing on behalf of the Chico Homeless Union located in Chico CA
to request you cease and desist the impending sweep of Comanche creek. We write in hopes to
bring awareness to existing inequities at Comanche creek encampment, the sheltering system
and those similarly situated. Also, to extend the opportunity of collaboration and resolution to the
ongoing crisis at hand.

It is important to note the encampment demographics and use the information effectively in
creating an efficient plan through a racial and equity lens. Approximately, one hundred and ten
people reside at Comanche Creek trail off Midway. The camp encompasses many BIPOC
(Black Indigenous People of Color). It is important to note this as many BIPOC community
members fear law enforcement or have been traumatized by interactions with law
enforcement during their lives. Being Unhoused is not a criminal offense but unhoused are
treated that way. As Someone who has trained under law enforcement and other municipalities
while pursuing my Criminal Justice degree we were taught about the power of the uniform and
verbal judo and what it represents. We were also taught that the uniform, guns, vests, etc. are
intimidating to everyday people especially those in crisis. In the case of the unhoused and
BIPOC community this is a very real fear and psychological event; not because they are doing
anything wrong but because it is an interaction with law enforcement who is there to enforce
upon them through sweeps, orders of removal and taking their stuff. This oftentimes creates the
fight or flight mode in which studies have shown complete impairment of the ability to think
logically or clearly in the moment. This is often when law enforcement or outreach services are
questioning people. The difference between successfully doing outreach with someone they are
comfortable with verse an enforcement entity can mean aiding them into shelter or to resources
or not.
 Some other vital demographics include multiple people with disabilities both mental and
physical. Having a physical or mental health disability can be a barrier to outreach. We have
found sometimes this also comes in language barriers, reading and writing barriers etc. If
someone is not fully understanding of course they may be apprehensive especially if they have
found safety and security in an encampment. Youth by metrics means 15 -25 years of age.
Across the state we are seeing the same set of issues: no housing, cps gets involved or youth
have nowhere to age out to whether housed or unhoused. We see this very often with
foster/group home youth. In the state of California, Families are being threatened by law
enforcement and other municipalities that if they do not have them under a roof that child
protective services will remove the children. While there are laws that protect children in tents,
we are seeing a more active round of removals due to location and what is around the
environment. Comanche Creek unhoused residents keep children out of the camp because law
enforcement has in the past threatened to take children. The encampment has all genders and
sexualities. The sheltering systems and outreach being ran by a religious nonprofit or those
connected to the nonprofits, whom encampment members have identified as imposing their
beliefs upon the unhoused. This is serving as a way of exclusion and is a violation of multiple
rights. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) community are more
likely to become homeless, and once homeless, more likely to endure discrimination and
harassment that extends their homelessness. Under the housing and urban development, they are
also protected under the equal access Rule. This encampment encompasses a wide variety of
ages, genders, sexual orientations, and races. The high Barriers and other elements to the
shelters are making them inaccessible to those at Comanche Creek. 

July 6th, 2022, I traveled to Chico California on behalf of the request of the Chico Homeless
Union. I was invited to assess an encampment on Comanche Creek. As I approached the
encampment, I was immediately shocked as I read daily news from multiple locations and as it
seemed Chico was sheltering people which is a false narrative to what was in front of me and
highly visible from the roadway. Upon accessing the encampment and our previous involvement
with a letter during the Chico vs, Warren case, as well as following the history of the unhoused it
immediately became clear that The National and Statewide Union needed to intervene on our
members behalf. The conditions and the derelict of duty and band aids on a bleed out situation
was very apparent by the physical appearance and the distress of chicos constituents both
unhoused and housed.

As I crossed the street and approached the sidewalk to get into the trail where the encampment
is located it was blocked off previously by law enforcement with horseshoe type blockades. I
noticed local media in the camp. What I immediately found as I walked into the camp was the
dire need of services. I was wearing my yellow work shirt with our logo on it and was
immediately approached by multiple people. One of those people was a 58-year-old male who
was having a medical emergency. He was sweating profusely and begging me to get him into a
shelter. He seemed disoriented and, in a panic, potentially having a mental health crisis. As a
medical professional and unhoused organizer of over 20 years in my professional opinion this
man was in medical distress. I Advised him we should call emergency services and called 911. 

Within approximately 3 minutes of my call, outstandingly, Chico fire department and

ambulances arrived. Encampment members and I immediately rushed to remove the barricade
so the fire department could enter. I stepped away and was speaking with other encampment
members while they triaged and evaluated him. Respectfully, a young paramedic approached
me and said that there was nothing medically they could do for him. I asked him if they could
take him to the hospital and if there was a social worker available to speak with him. I also
asked them if they had access to take somebody who was unhoused to the shelters. He told me
that they really have no idea on what to do in the situation and they do not have this access. I
then called the local police department to ask how I could access or how to obtain an immediate
shelter referral for him. I was met with an automated system which was impossible to navigate.

 I spoke with multiple members of the encampment who alerted me that a large presence of law
enforcement had come in and removed multiple vehicles including but not limited to
motorhomes of union members. I was then notified that the encampment was given notification
that they needed to move. I was advised that a local Chico outreach and enforcement team had
come out and did some assessments. The union members expressed dismay, fear, stress, even
emotional breakdowns due to nowhere for them to move to. The people did not feel safe that
their things were taken and bulldozed all around them. I was alerted to the fact a gay couple in
the encampment was discriminated against and that they were traumatized by the event.

Assessment findings of the encampment:

In the encampment I located two Porta potties and two hand washing stations for 110+ people
Contracted with on-the-spot-Johnny porta potties 530893-5687. The restrooms are not serviced
regularly. While I was happy to see facilities available, I was disappointed to know that often
they are full as this could potentially be a public health issue. I was also concerned for amount
of trash at the location and lack of receptacles available. I was told that trash sanitation comes
sometimes but they said it is unreliable. I was also made aware of the lack of water provided to
the camp. I was shown a faucet which is unacceptable especially for public health. State law
requires access to water in fact Berkeley law did a study that found unhoused individuals are
living in worse standards and conditions then refugees. Last year we were able to aid in
organizing a water drive with multiple community groups as the only cooling spot was Depot
Park and it was primarily broken. Respite from the heat being outdoors is far for most and is
unacceptable. I was also notified that the camp had requested harm reduction supplies such as
needle disposal boxes and were denied. By Denying the basic sanitation needs of over 110
constituents you are directly creating a more harmful situation. As someone who aided in writing
sanitation and infrastructure policy for encampments there is room for improvement to say the
least. 

Sweeping or removals takes away a person’s shelter, basic survival essentials and displaces
them further into areas such as businesses or residential areas in which housed constituents
often complain which sends law enforcement to remove these people repeatedly. This is not a
solution; it is taking their basic needs away and recycling them through the city. Sweeping or
removing Comanche creek encampment will take people away from already provided services
and place them at greater risk or constant enforcement. The displacement will also separate
service providers both city and grassroots who are bringing resources. Everyone I spoke to told
me that if displaced they will head to downtown which is over 20 mins away. The physical and
mental stress of moving an entire encampment in the heat is cruel and unusual punishment. I
was told if they go downtown, they then get a citation for the anti-camping ordinance. 
Shelter and outreach issues-

All the sheltering options are in one area. As we know people are from different neighborhoods.
This is not very accessible to the general community. The sheltering systems in place are and
definitely and intentionally secluded and ring loud with sound of not in my back yard which has
created barriers for those inside the shelters.  

Based on information obtained by those in the camps and those in the shelter there is huge
barriers and discrimination. True North Housing Alliance runs Torres Community Shelter. It is
high barrier. It has been described to me as a dorm of 90 guys on bunk beds with a roof and
a shower. Unhoused people are not prisoners, nor should they be treated that way. People
are limited to certain pets, no real storage for belongings and are forced to work. They are
not heard and often kicked out without notice. There has been previous interactions and
issues as you will see in 2 testimonies I will provide. 

Pallet Shelter is in the middle of a fair ground. I got lost trying to access it and ended up in
the back end. It looks like an internment camp, Razor wire fencing and green out fencing.
This is completely unjustified to place people in this setting. Even the existing fair grounds
do not have this type of prison grade set up. Upon talking to a resident, I was told there was
a lack of food, and that the situation is being put together in a piecemeal fashion. People
are offered case management, but no case management is happening. In order to have
visitors the person must have a background check. I had to meet the person I interviewed
outside of the shelter. It is very internment feeling. I recently seen in the paper
(https://www.chicoer.com/2022/05/13/alternate-campsites-for-homeless-announced/?
utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=keywee&utm_term=morningr
eport&fbclid=IwAR0p0oSe4LKwf51UaSZd5ro5fH7nmacZx9vSBCB22bdpEgrP15n7C17jbso that
the city is fundraising to beautify locations? According to the news they do not even have
hygiene access or showers. These are not homes nor should people be in them longer than a
few months. The Union is requesting a cost analysis of how much it is costing the city per
person per month for stay and services and a generalized metric of what services look like. We
have seen across the state huge costs for these nonprofits and shelter that lead no real time
end to a person’s homelessness. Often people could be housed for the amounts being used to
shelter. Successful transition is placing people in homes with wrap around services and the aid
and navigation to do so. I was also told about discriminations and religious pressure as you will
see below. Union members were told the pallet shelters are full and some were previously
exited from Torres.

Alternative Shelter or overflow this appears to be a sanctioned cite although they are not
clarifying that. If the city is moving people to a disclosed location that becomes their liability.
Tents on gravel is inappropriate and it appears that the city is trying to repeat measures taken
near the airport. I will remind you that neither the pallet shelter nor a tent city is brick and mortar
nor are they long term solutions.

The City of Chico has tried to sweep homelessness under the rug and do minimal even to the
point the where the Homeless union must get involved. It should not take a federal lawsuit to
shift the pendulum. It is a lot easier to efficiently collaborate with impacted people and create
adequate solutions based on the needs of the people verses doing the status quo and funneling
millions into things that do not end homelessness. 
. 
Demographics on two unhoused union members Located at Comanche Creek

For this report I will be keeping the names of those i interviewed names confidential as they fear
for their security and or retaliation. We have replaced their real name with a fictitious name. For
testimony 1. Alex will replace the person’s real name. For testimony 2 Jaden will Replace the
person’s real name

Alex is a 34-year-old gay male who is in a relationship with Jaden (testimony 2). Alex has been
unhoused long term. Alex’s mother died when he was 14 and he came out as gay at the same
time. He took care of his grandmother until she passed away. At this time, he became full time
homeless. He was 26 years old. He is not on probation or parole. The outreach team
approached him this week. He had an extremely uncomfortable interaction with an outreach
worker who gave the name (Outreach worker A Names excluded) who stated she was with the
Jesus center. Upon sending a picture to the encampment of the Board of Directors of the Jesus
Center we were advised that the name given as (Outreach worker A may in fact be (outreach
worker B), but we are unclear as the ladies look similar and nothing had a signature. Alex and
Jaden disclosed that they were a couple. She immediately became disgusted, she had an
attitude and made expressions like she did not want to deal with them including sighing loudly,
dropping her shoulder, rolling her eyes. She requested they do separate intake assessments
and asked him to go to the shaded area. During this intake Alex told her that he had been exited
from Torres previously. Alex spent 14 months at the Torres shelter where he received no real
services, He described the location as a huge dorm with 90 men and a shower. He shared they
forced him to do manual kitchen labor. I quote a statement he shared with me. “They treated me
horribly after i took over making breakfast for the entire shelter 7 days a week and covering
dinners when meal providers would no call no show.”  It took 45 minutes to run Alex and
Jaden’s information. Police Officer Rush gave the ok for Alex and Jaden to go to the pallet
shelter. (OUTREACH worker A) partner with long brown hair (name not given) got them an
appointment for the pallet shelter. (OUTREACH worker

A) glared at Jaden in disgust and yelled at Alex. Law enforcement looked away as this
happened. At ( OUTREACH A) discretion she placed their intake to go to Torres. At this point
Alex became terribly upset. The officer apologized to him. Alex feels due to his sexuality and the
religious beliefs of the nonprofit he was discriminated against.

Testimony 2 “Jaden” Jaden was born addicted to drugs. He was placed for adoption. Jaden
has experienced severe trauma at the age of 17 ½ his foster parents sent him away to a
gay conversion program in Utah. It was a pray the gay away camp. Jaden Prior to the
campfire was living in Paradise CA. Jaden was living with a friend. When the fire consumed
the entire town, it killed 86 people and thousand lost their homes. Jaden was one of those
people displaced. He also was placed at Torres shelter. Jaden was kicked out based on
claims he was showering with a male guest even though he claims he was not. It was one
person’s word against his. They did not investigate but kicked him out the next day. He has
been struggling with his partner on the streets of Chico with no real-time help. 

The impacts of the fires have directly impacted the housing and homelessness crisis in
Chico. As the president of the Sacramento Homeless Union just last week I helped a burn
victim of the Paradise fire get into shelter. She has been on the streets since she saved her
mom and was made disabled. The fires are displacing entire communities at no fault of the
victims, yet this is how municipalities have dictated solving the crisis in their cities. After
traveling to chico, I traveled to paradise as it was once my home as a foster group home
youth. I was devastated to see that 3 years later the town is still recovering. Instead of
homes there are motor homes everywhere. Streets are still covered and construction crews
everywhere. I have spent the last two days talking to unhoused individuals both in the
shelter and facing removal. They are seeking appropriate services when none are available.
The system is impossible to navigate. Letters of removal only share numbers. We tried to
contact the numbers and were sent to recordings. Unhoused individuals do not have
phones or ways to charge them to try and navigate these systems. People do not
understand what they are supposed to do. Alex and Jaden are being discriminated against
based on sexuality. Both were referred to a place they were both previously removed from.
The Nonprofits and Homeless outreach have strong connection to religious group and are
trying to push religion and their ideologies on them. In the case whether with Alex and
Jaden, (OUTREACH WorkerA OR OUTREACH workerB) whomever assessed them both
are connected with the Jesus center. Both Alex and Jaden are willing to accept resources,
but the resources are not equitable to their specific needs. Within 5 minutes of me being
there I was able to make connection to multiple people wanting services and asking for
help. Also, programs appear to be in violation of their civil and constitutional rights. Lastly, I
will state I researched the Jesus center, the Torres shelter which is a program of True North
housing alliance. I also researched (OUTREACH WORKER A) and found that she is with of
Point of Contact which provides outreach by canvassing areas, making contact with
individuals on the street where they call home, and their goal is to connect people with
services. (OUTREACH Worker A)also has connections as a previous employee to the
Jesus center. I find it severely problematic that the three organizations have no diversity or
racial equity on their Board of Directors and are directly dealing with the needs of a truly
diverse community. I also find it very detrimental to this diverse community that a religious
entity is heading up homeless services. It is questionable that the only services are religious
based, or congregant options as homeless services are federally funded, locally funded and
state funded, and religious values or ideologies should not be a bias or barrier to housing
the unhoused communities. Also, those values should not be imposed on those
experiencing homelessness 

The recommendations of the National Union of the homeless and the California
Homeless Union Statewide Organizing Council are as follows.

1. We request a meeting with City officials to discuss the serious inequities in the
homeless community and services in Chico California. Intention of a collaboration
and partnership of impacted voices in local policies affecting homelessness.
 2. We request an immediate cease and desist on the removal of Comanche Creek. We
request that the encampment be a location and point of contact for grassroots
organizers and outreach to continue to try and house and resource individuals.

3. We request that regular sanitation be brought to Comanche Creek including trash

water and porta potties servicing regularly. I personally have experience in writing
this type of policy and I am willing to organize with the city council a strategy to
accomplish this. We also ask that people remain where they are so they can
continue to receive services

4. We request an immediate reevaluation of the nonprofits running the pallet shelters

and outreach. Also evaluate the congregate shelter systems policies regarding
conditions and grievances

5. We request discussions to bring a racial equity diversity team non enforcement team
to Chico regarding homeless situations. 

6. We request that the city of Chico become in compliance with local, state, federal,
and international laws. 

The National Union of the Homeless and the California Homeless Union Statewide
Organizing Council reserve the rights to protect, serve and organize the rights of those
deemed homeless. The inequities that are in the current organizations and City Council are
things that can be organized collaboratively with those impacted by the crisis at hand. We
hope that we have been able to shine a light on what is happening in your city. Our hopes
are to address the root causes of homelessness, while preserving the rights and dignity of
those experiencing homelessness. True solutions come from collaboration of all impacted
parties. We look forward to collaborating with you soon on this very critical issue.