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Since the adoption of the $14 million Homeless Response Action Plan (HRAP) in March of 2022, measures have
been taken to close the Benchlands and relocate its residents. An array of tents line the area adjacent to the San
Lorenzo River, this area which the Benchlands residents call home is soon to be subjected to an upcoming zone
closure. Photo by Lucy Wald.

News

What the Closure of the Benchlands Means for its

Residents 
Jade Diones, Gwenyth Rodriguez, and Anna Zou,
November 4, 2022  6 min  836 
Steven Bailey has been living in the Benchlands, a city-sanctioned houseless encampment in San
Lorenzo Park, for the past two years. Soon, that won’t be the case. In the eyes of the City of Santa
Cruz, an eviction notice needs to be served. 

“They look at us like we’re a bunch of rats, scurrying through the trash,” said Bailey.

On Aug. 24, the Santa Cruz City Council approved plans for a four-month phased closure of the
encampment.
The Benchlands is currently in the second phase of its closure, which includes a clean-up process
operating on a zone-by-zone system. The encampment is divided into seven zones, with one zone
cleaned out entirely on a weekly basis.

The Benchlands has previously been closed and swept by the city twice in the past four years,
once in 2018 and then again in 2020. The partial bulldozing of the Benchlands has left an
enormous pile of rubble at the side of the camp. Remnants of people’s personal belongings
have been left in ruins for them to fish out themselves. Photo by Lucy Wald.

There have been several other attempts to clear out the Benchlands, including the Homelessness
Response Action Plan (HRAP) in March.

Whereas some people see the plan as just the relocation of the occupants to a better place,
residents of the Benchlands see it as displacement and destruction of their property and personal
belongings.

“They are smashing everything down, and demolishing our belongings left behind so we can’t
retrieve it,” Bailey said. “They need to slow down, give us a chance to at least move our stuff.”

Bailey specifically referenced another resident who lost their mother’s ashes after one area was
bulldozed.
 The encampment closure began in May under City Council direction. The Benchlands has
been evenly divided into seven zones to be cleared ideally within seven weeks. Zones are
delineated with temporary fencing panels, which in theory allows for heavy equipment to
operate within its designated zone without disturbing another. At the time of writing, the
seventh and final zone has been notified for closure and is scheduled to be cleared out on
Nov. 1.

As for the 225 people who currently live in the Benchlands, city leaders intend on providing shelter
for those who wish to receive it. The shelter offered thus far has included the City Overlook Shelter
in the National Guard Armory at DeLaveaga Park, operated by The Salvation Army. It has capacity for
135 residents, with 75 tents on the Armory lawn and 60 tent spaces inside of the building.

Larry Imwalle, the Homelessness Response Manager for the City of Santa Cruz, detailed how
residents are informed of zone closures.

“The process starts with a seven days advance notice of formal written notification, with a notice to
every person in that zone, and then later that week we have our outreach staff engage with folks
who are interested in shelter,” Imwalle said. “If they’re interested, we coordinate transportation up to
the Armory facility with city staff.”

Some residents of the Benchlands are hesitant to make

the pilgrimage up to the Armory, but those who have
made the move seem somewhat satisfied with their
decision.

Elizabeth, who did not feel comfortable sharing her last

name, is a resident at the Armory who never lived at the
Benchlands herself, but visits often. She previously lived
in her car after experiencing heart failure and receiving
no medical attention. 

She said she is thankful to have a space where she can

take her medication and have readily available
restrooms, but understands why people are reluctant to
make the move, because people are not used to the
regulations that come with living in a facility that
enforces rules such as curfews. 

Steven Bailey, a current resident of the

Benchlands, hopes that with new “I feel like I’m going to suffocate,” Elizabeth said.
resources he will be able to further his
education in the future. He worries that
his belongings might be destroyed from
bulldozing at the San Lorenzo Park.
Photo by Lucy Wald.

The new layer of control may be smothering for

some residents, but others find peace of mind
knowing that they live in a more regulated
environment.

Matthew Barnett, the current manager of the

shelter at the National Guard Armory, has
personal experience with houselessnes. He has
been with the program for two and half years
and has dedicated his work to serving the
unhoused community. He described some of
the restrictions that the Armory has in place,
such as quiet hours beginning at 10 p.m., and
no drugs, weapons, or alcohol allowed on site. 

“At the Benchlands, anything goes down there.
Some people believe that that’s a better
[arrangement] for them. And I agree,” Barnett
said. “But for some people, they like the safety
of knowing their neighbor doesn’t have a
weapon, or they don’t want to be around
drugs.”
Another resident, Michael Sweatt, spoke of the
alienation he and other Benchlands residents
faced from city enforcement: “You can’t make
people from here alien… This tree is just like
any other tree, it just got some really bad fruit
in it.” Photo by Lucy Wald.

Barnett addressed the drastic measures they take, such as bulldozing Benchland residents’ homes,
as necessary evils.

“I understand that the bulldozing can seem really bad, but people have been given lots of notice to
move. Lots of notice,” Barnett said. “This whole process has been going on for a long time. And yes,
I’m sure people have lost a lot of stuff that they need and it is sad, but in my opinion, notices were
given and I don’t know a different way.” 
However, Benchlands residents feel that bulldozing is too violent of a solution, and that the issue
should be treated with more care. An anonymous resident of the Benchlands spoke about how she
feels residents are being treated throughout this traumatic process — Barnett’s self-described “only
way.”

“Somos seres humanos y no somos animales, para que nomás lleguen y [nos digan] órale. Deben de
tener compasión…no es correcto lo que están haciendo, pero bueno, es la ley. Pues ni modo, hay
que respetar, si nos están aventando como una basura, está bien.”

“We aren’t animals, we’re human beings, it’s not right for them to
just come and [tell us to] get out. They need to have compassion…
” what they’re doing isn’t right, but well, it’s the law. We have to
respect that if they are throwing us around like garbage, it’s fine.”

TAGS #CITY

Jade Diones, Gwenyth Rodriguez, and Anna Zou