• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
WRAP

WRAP

Western Regional Advocacy Project

  • Donate Now
  • Get Email Updates
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • 40 Years of Fighting
    • History
    • Mission
    • Strategy
    • Members
    • Board / Staff
  • Campaigns
    • Business Improvement Districts
    • House Keys Not Sweeps
    • Homeless Bill of Rights
    • Oregon Right To Rest
    • Without Housing
    • Street Outreach
  • Organizing Tools
    • Without Housing Organizing Toolkit
    • Homeless Bill of Rights Campaign Manual
    • WRAP Organizers Manual
    • WRAP Artwork
  • Resources
    • Pipe Dreams and Picket Fences Report
    • Art in Action Power Point Slide Show
    • Hobos to Street People
    • House Keys Book
    • Political Education
    • Legal Research
  • Media
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • Hobos to Street People Art Show
    • Street Newspapers
    • Sweeps Gallery Videos
    • Videos
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Become a Monthly Sustainer
    • Volunteer
    • Support WRAP
    • WRAP Newsletters & Updates Sign Up

Medford, OR. After Cold Weather Kills an Unhoused Man in Medford, Housing Advocates Demand a Change

December 16, 2021 by Jonathan Leave a Comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 16, 2021
PRESS CONTACT: Maig Tinnin, Housing Justice Alliance, 541-414-4551, housingjusticealliance@protonmail.com

After Cold Weather Kills an Unhoused Man in Medford, Housing Advocates Demand a Change

[Medford, OR] – Following this week’s weather-related death of an unhoused resident in Medford, Oregon, local housing advocates are urging the city to take action to prevent future fatalities. As temperatures dropped across the state this week, Manuel Barboza-Valerio’s death made local headlines after his body was discovered on the morning of December 15. This is one of the first deaths linked to hypothermia since the City of Medford passed its controversial “Prohibited Camping, Lying and Sleeping” ordinance earlier this year.

Reports from police indicate that Barboza-Valerio’s body was found along a section of the Bear Creek Greenway bikepath, underneath an Interstate 5 overpass. It appears that he was staying outside without a sleeping bag or tent. A statement issued by the local Housing Justice Alliance examines the role Medford’s “Prohibited Camping” ordinance may have played in Barboza-Valerio’s death. “People are without tents in Medford because tents are illegal,” says the Housing Justice Alliance.

In Medford, the use of a tent is a crime punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. “We knew Manny through our street outreach program,” says Derek DeForest, a member of the Housing Justice Alliance. “The area where he was staying, and where he died – it’s an area where police are really relentless. These past few weeks, cops have regularly told people to take down their tents, threatening them with arrest if they don’t comply.”

The Housing Justice Alliance is asking the City of Medford to reconsider its most controversial policies, and requesting that community members contact City Council about these issues. The group wants the city to “enact an immediate moratorium against the City’s ‘Prohibited Camping, Lying, and Sleeping’ ordinance” this winter. They are also urging the City to invest in housing first solutions, and instructing the police to stop issuing “move-along” orders. The Housing Justice Alliance’s demands for change can be found here: tinyurl.com/RememberingManny

Joe Gibson is an unhoused resident of Jackson County, who regularly cooks meals for other unhoused residents as part of the Hawthorne Mutual Aid Project. “It takes a lot to make me shed a tear but I did today,” says Gibson. “The way this city and its police treat us, it’s inhumane. They are putting us through cruel and unusual punishment – causing trauma and suffering to the point of loss of life.”

Barboza-Valerio was also remembered by volunteers at the City of Medford’s official emergency weather shelter, where he was known to stay during previous extreme weather events. The shelter was operational the night that Barboza-Valerio died but it reached full capacity around 9PM, after which point individuals seeking shelter were turned away.

“Manny’s death is a tragic yet inevitable result of Medford’s policies and policing,” states the Housing Justice Alliance, and at least one Medford City Councilor agrees. “We’re responsible for this,” says council member Sarah Spansail. “Manny’s death is on us.”

Filed Under: Homelessness, Oregon, Press Releases, R.I.P, WRAP Allies

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Footer

Instagram Feed

Nationally, evictions from public housing have sur Nationally, evictions from public housing have surged since late 2021, when the federal government lifted an eviction moratorium put in place to protect renters during the pandemic, according to Peter Hepburn, associate director of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab.  https://conta.cc/3WJco9B
WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital i WRAP members and allies always tell us the vital importance of feeling connected to each other- sharing stories from our own communities, learning from past campaigns, and having artwork that we can share (and wear!) that affirms the life-saving message that we are in this together - we are not alone! 
https://conta.cc/3Wfb5Pw
Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco T Join the Coalition On Homelessness San Francisco Thursday May 11 at 12 noon steps of City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3LYOumD
Instagram post 17977559687207330 Instagram post 17977559687207330
Of course, in a time when the poor people are demo Of course, in a time when the poor people are demonized for being poor and homeless people are increasingly seen more as something to fear rather than human beings, it’s unfortunately not all that surprising.
https://conta.cc/3HxZpkV
https://conta.cc/3HwGcQq
We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the fin We are thrilled to announce that yesterday the final two Aloft residents, Juilo and Alberto who we asked for the community’s support in advocating for, got a commitment from the State for housing vouchers and the City agreed to bridge them in a hotel like everyone else!! This means that NO Aloft resident was kicked to the shelters or streets due to the closure!! This is a huge testament to what is possible when everyone comes together toward a housing goal and puts their resources toward housing! 
https://conta.cc/3HsVsOn
Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "cri Unhoused people are most often prosecuted for "crimes of survival," like sitting, lying down, or sleeping in public space. In order to protect people from discriminatory enforcement of laws that were created deny people their right to exist where they happen to live The Right To Rest Act was created in 2015 and is still being fought for today!!!! 
The Right 2 Rest Act did not meet the threshold to be voted out of committee this term, but this informational hearing will ensure legislators know this bill is necessary to protect our human rights to public space! 
https://conta.cc/3KSclTn
Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to R Join us to discuss the specifics of the Right to Rest Act, HB3501:  What it is, why we need it and how we make it happen in Oregon.  https://conta.cc/3ZOeMvA
WRAP Round Up & Job Announcement. Hello amazing en WRAP Round Up & Job Announcement.
Hello amazing endorsers and coalition members! First off, thank you for all of your enduring support for the Right to Rest Act. This legislative session is confusing and convoluted, and your faith in the positive impact of this bill makes the struggle worth it. 

We face numerous obstacles such as a delayed bill number and committee assignment, as well as losing a couple co-sponsors from 2021. However, Rep. Chaichi (Chief Sponsor) and Rep. Pham (Co-Sponsor) continue to move this bill forward and advocate on our behalf. 
https://conta.cc/3zl8SHO
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Facebook Icon

Facebook Feed

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
Link thumbnail

And the hits (sweeps) just keep on coming!!!

web-extract.constantcontact.com

Nationally, evictions from public housing have surged since late 2021, when the federal government lifted an eviction moratorium put in plac...
3 days ago
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • Likes: 3
  • Shares: 4
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Twitter Icon

Twitter Feed

Unable to load Tweets

Follow

YouTube icon

Youtube Code

Our Channel

Copyright © 2023 Western Regional Advocacy Project WRAP · Log in