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Western Regional Advocacy Project

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Support WRAP, Fight Criminalization and be Matched!

November 15, 2018 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

Hey all, it’s that time of year to do what you can to support WRAP to help us to fight criminalization and privatization of our cities and spaces all year long.  Check out our groundbreaking report on the role of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) on criminalization and all the great work going on and make a donation today – thank you! It takes all of us doing what we can.

All donations will be matched 1:1 in November and December up to $15,000. A $50 donation turns to $100; a $100 donation grows to $200 – all donations become twice as much support for WRAP!

ALSO, Become a new monthly or quarterly donor or donate $100 and we can send you a 2019 Syracuse Cultural Workers Peace Calendar, featuring WRAP.

After three years of intensive research working alongside UC Berkeley Law Public Advocacy Clinic, WRAP released the first comprehensive examination of the correlation between Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the criminalization of poor and homeless people in the areas they have taken control of.

While we are not excited to tell you about what we are learned about BIDs because it translates to criminalization and violence against our communities – we are excited to tell you about our research and our campaign to fight this violence- and to ask for your support for this important work.

In the past couple of decades Business Improvement Districts have been greatly expanding and criminalizing the presence and activities of poor people all over the country.  A business improvement district is a special, legal subdivision of the city.  They have the legal authority to create their own districts which effectively positions them as the owners of these neighborhoods.

BIDs are a concerted and growing effort to erase from cities any sign of vast inequality while at the same time perpetuating it. The interests of BIDs and the public interest fundamentally conflict. BIDs work to manufacture the appearance of prosperity in the city square but that farce comes at the expense of basic human rights for the unhoused poor.”

This public money (from local & state governments and property owner taxes) is then used for privatization, displacement and criminalization campaigns. At ground zero are the people experiencing houselessness in the area. BIDs raise rents, displace poor people and make it harder for anyone who’s not rich to live. On average 74% of their budget is spent on security. In some cities, they directly pay for their own city police officers for quicker response and “personalized service.”  BIDS use those funds with very little public oversight in any way that they see fit within the framework of “business improvement.”

They have workers they call “ambassadors,” people who are cleaning the streets and emptying garbage cans in their nice, bright coats with bright labels. This is their public face – what they want people to see. What they’re also spending our money on is writing legislation to criminalize the presence of people who are homeless, funding sit-lie campaigns, and funding the take-over of downtown San Francisco, Portland, LA, Oakland, Sacramento, Denver, NYC and every downtown.

And most people don’t even know that BIDs exist.

But WRAP does. And we are working with our members, community allies and kick-ass students and professors researching and exposing them and ensuring that the information is there for the public to fight this and for policy-makers to be informed and held accountable by the organized public – us!

We are banding together and launching a campaign that says “NO” to the fact that wealthy property owners are creating BIDS and then the cities are “paying rent” for public space within these BIDs with the goal of privatizing our public squares and driving us out of our neighborhoods.

Support WRAP and fight this policy violence – privatization, gentrification and displacement – that makes public space less and less livable for almost everyone in our communities.  We will continue to fight for a better community together!

We all give what we can and we couldn’t do all we do without our community – more than 60% of our annual income comes from you. AND, if you donate in November and December you will be matched up to $15,000 by a group of generous donors. Your $10 donation becomes $20, and $100 becomes $200. We can’t do what we do without all of us pitching in – thank you!

 

 

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Community spirit and perspective and a cool organi Community spirit and perspective and a cool organizing training!
With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up all over the country, we must make sure our initiatives to fight them are informed by, come from and are supported by the people who are directly impacted!!! Street outreach is how we do this!
https://conta.cc/46GwXKG
Join WRAP on Tuesday, July 22 on zoom at 3pm pt | Join WRAP on Tuesday, July 22 on zoom at 3pm pt | 4 pm mt | 6 pm et for a training on the different methodologies, context and implementation of street outreach! There will be examples from WRAP members who represent organizations in different states who have been fighting back against criminalization and sweeps in their communities.
Accountable organizing through street outreach! 

With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up all over the country, we must make sure our initiatives to fight them are informed by, come from and are supported by the people who are directly impacted!!! 

Street outreach is how we do this! 

📣 WRAP : STREET OUTREACH TRAINING 
🗓️ Tuesday, July 22 | 🕒 3pm PT | 4pm MT | 6pm ET
🎟️ RSVP : bit.ly/wrapoutreach 
✉️ Contact joemae@wraphome.org for any questions

Read More: https://conta.cc/3ZXkCxS
Last year, on April 22nd, I stood with over 700 pe Last year, on April 22nd, I stood with over 700 people from around the country in front of the US Supreme Court demanding that the court focus on proven solutions to homelessness like housing, and not on things like handcuffs and jails that make homelessness worse. Months later, SCOTUS shamefully decided that homeless people are not included in the Constitution’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment and could be ticketed or arrested for simply sleeping outside. https://conta.cc/44m9rjl
The city continues to sneak in their sweeps of our The city continues to sneak in their sweeps of our friends and neighbors to nowhere. They sneak their sweeps in and hope those that care and give a sh&! against this violence won’t show up. We will do all we can to challenge this and won’t let the city block us from the community care they are afraid of.

Join us for a virtual gathering to learn how to show up, how to build community care. July 10th from 7-8:30pm. DM us for more info.

#sweepskill #fucksweeps #stopthesweeps #stoptheharrellhorrorshow #communitycare #showup
🏠Housing is a human right, and it is about time 🏠Housing is a human right, and it is about time our communities actually accept this!

On June 28th 2024, Grants Pass v Johnson was overturned (a case that had required cities to not criminalize the unhoused if adequate shelter was not provided by the city). On June 28th from 10am-12pm, we are asking our community to gather on the Missoula Courthouse lawn to show our city that we don’t support the ways they are criminalizing unhoused Missoulians. 📣

After the rally, from 12-2pm we will hear from various local organizations that are impacted and addressing this issue in our community. 🫂 From those working in the legal system to renters to mutual aid groups, our entire community is impacted by the overturning of Grants Pass v Johnson, the closure of the Johnson Street shelter, and the criminalization of unhoused Missoulians. Municipal elections are coming up this year and it is critical that we show city council where our priorities lie.
The Sovereign Roses Virtual Alumni Chapter invites The Sovereign Roses Virtual Alumni Chapter invites you to WRAP with the Roses! Learn more about the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP) and a potential Project I.M.P.A.C.T area we’re exploring. WRAP is dedicated to ending homelessness and poverty by uplifting the voices of those directly impacted and advocating for systemic change rooted in justice and equity.
Discover why WEE believe that partnering with WRAP is a powerful step toward making a real, sustainable difference in our communities.

📅 Date: June 30

🕔 Time: 5:52 PM CST

📍 Zoom:
Meeting ID: 98812438845
Code: 567524

🌐 Learn more about WRAP: www.wraphome.org (http://www.wraphome.org/)

Together, we can push for change, challenge injustice, and build impact that lasts. Don’t miss this opportunity to get informed and get involved!

#GammaSigmaSigma #ServiceSorority #SRVAC #WRAP #Projectimpact #GSS #SFE #ServiceFriendshipEquailty
June 28th marks the One Year Anniversary of the Su June 28th marks the One Year Anniversary of the Supreme Court making it illegal to be homeless. Join me in the fight to push back! Helen Cruz
June 28 4-7pm | Echo Park Lake, LA for more inform June 28 4-7pm | Echo Park Lake, LA
for more information: @lacanetwork_official
Instagram post 18073374346940611 Instagram post 18073374346940611
City Council Vote on Salvation Army Shelter Contra City Council Vote on Salvation Army Shelter Contract TODAY Monday 

The City Council is set to vote on renewing the Salvation Army’s contract to run Crossroads shelter today (Monday), and then set to discuss renewing their contract to run the Doubletree on Wednesday. 

Read More: https://wraphome.org/2025/06/16/denver-co-city-council-vote-on-salvation-army-shelter-contract-today-monday/
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Community spirit and perspective and a cool organizing training

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Email from Western Regional Advocacy Project With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up... Hey everybody!  With swee...
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