HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/6/2021 Item PC, Gardener-Félix
Wilbanks, Megan
From:Raine Gardener-Félix <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:In Support of Community Care
Hello,
My name is Raine Gardener-Félix. I’m a lifelong resident of SLO County who currently works in the city
of SLO, and I am writing to you as a community member to voice my support for the two core student &
community demands around divesting from policing and investing in rent / mortgage / utility relief for our
communities.
We don’t need a new police station. In fact, we don’t need police. Crime mapping in SLO shows that
the majority of crimes that police responded to in the last couple years were property-related rather
than violent crimes. And people are far less likely to engage in theft, burglary, and even violence when
they have their needs met and have strong relationships with others in their community. By investing in
a new police station, you’re wasting money that you could have and should have invested in the
community and our well-being.
What we do need is access to free or affordable housing, including rent / mortgage / utility relief for
ALL, because in the midst of a pandemic that has destabilized many of us and put people in the
position of having to choose between their health and their ability to pay for housing, SLO continues to
be one of the least affordable places in the country.
The past year has been rough for pretty much all of us. On top of all the other stresses I’ve faced, it’s
been incredibly disheartening to see SLO City Council prioritize things like pickleball courts and police
stations, and turn away from the real struggles our communities are facing. Due to COVID-19, the CDC
advises that, “If individual housing options are not available, allow people who are living unsheltered or
in encampments to remain where they are. Clearing encampments can cause people to disperse
throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential
for infectious disease spread.” Despite this, SLOPD has continued to antagonize our unhoused
neighbors and conduct sweeps on encampments. Does the City of SLO really feel that these actions
are helping the issue? What is city government even for, if not to make sure that our community is
thriving?
Please do the right thing and invest in rent relief, not a new police station.
Thank you,
Raine Gardener-Félix
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