While the mayor has okayed the presence of the protesters in Chapman and Lowsndale Parks for an indefinite period of time, allowing a tent city that now includes a kitchen, library, and meeting rooms, the city's approach to the homeless camp has been distinctly different. Code enforcement officers have told the camp they're in violation of numerous city codes, including not allowing camping overnight. Dan Saltzman's office has asked neighboring businesses to help log code violations at the site, presumably as ammunition to shut it down ASAP. There have been official code complaints against the Occupy campers, but so far city staffers seem unsure about how to follow up on those since the camp has the mayor's approval. "I wouldn't term it a code enforcement notice in any way," BDS spokesman Ross Caron tells the Mercury. "We received a complaint and we want to discuss the situation."
The Occupiers are finally staging an action in support of the homeless occupation. The protesters are asking people to meet at the veteran's memorial in the middle of Lownsdale Square at 5:30 today, then march over to the homeless camp, bearing donated food. How long they'll stay is anyone's guess.
