What do you do when you literally have no where to go? An especially difficult question if you currently live in a tent city in Ontario, California.
Source: LA Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-me-tents18mar18,0,1589130.story?page=1'Ontario residents only' at Tent City
Irfan Khan / Los Angeles TimesTent City residents gather as the city of Ontario starts the process of
sorting out who may stay and who must leave. The city issued wristbands
– blue for Ontario residents, who may stay, orange for people who need
to provide more documentation, and white for those who must leave. The
aim is to reduce the number of people living there from over 400 to 170.
Officials begin thinning out the encampment, saying the city can provide space
only for those who once lived there and can prove it.
By David Kelly, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 18, 2008
Dozens of Ontario police and
code enforcement officers descended upon the
homeless encampment known as Tent City early Monday, separating those
who could stay from those to be evicted.
Large, often confused, crowds formed ragged lines behind police
barricades where officers handed out color-coded wristbands. Blue meant
they were from Ontario and could remain. Orange indicated they had to
provide more proof to avoid ejection, and white meant they had a week
to leave.
Many who had taken shelter at the camp -- which had grown from 20 to more than 400 residents in nine months -- lacked paperwork, bills or
birth certificates proving they were once Ontario residents.
"When my husband gets out of jail he can bring my marriage certificate; will that count?" asked one tearful woman.
Another resident, clearly confused, seemed relieved to get a white band -- not understanding it meant she had to leave.
Pattie Barnes, 47, who had her motor home towed away last week, shook with anger.
"They are tagging us because we are homeless," she said, staring at her orange wristband. "It feels like a concentration camp."
Entire story: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/orange/la-me-tents18mar18,0,1589130.story?page=1..
Apparently, Onatario isn't the first California city to "evict" the
homeless. In November '07, the Sacramento Police Dept, at the request
of residence and business owners, threatened to arrest the homeless
living in a "tent city" if they didn't leave.