House Bill 1365 prohibits Florida cities and counties from allowing anyone to sleep or camp outside without a permit, a law that disproportionately targets the homeless. The bill defines “public camping or sleeping” as “lodging or residing overnight in a temporary outdoor habitation used as…
On Bradenton’s Old Main Street, homeless Vietnam War veteran Emmanuel “Manny” Fluker became a fixture of the community over his time living on the streets. Fluker grew up in Manatee County, served in the army from 1966 to 1968 and had been living on the…
Greg Cruz in front of SOP's shower trailer.All pictures Willa Tinsley/Catalyst In a city once named the “meanest” in the nation toward the houseless, Streets of Paradise (SOP) is a bright light in the dark. Sarasota’s humble grassroots initiative has grown rapidly over the past…
On Tuesday, March 17, the New College administration made the rapid decision to close residence halls and transition to virtual learning for the remainder of the spring semester at the behest of Florida’s Board of Governors. This decision marked a sharp departure from previous plans…
My interview with founder of Sarasota’s grassroots anti-homelessness coalition Streets of Paradise (SOP) Greg Cruz kept getting interrupted. “Buenas noches,” a man called out as he passed by us on the sidewalk. “Oye, ¿cómo estás?” Cruz responded warmly, then continued explaining SOP’s ethos— “The people…
Steve Novia’s first housewarming gift was a heart made out of Hot Tamales. “Baby, You’re my Hot Tamale when we are together at ‘night!’” the accompanying card declared. He told me it’s from his girlfriend, Mona, and that he tried to hide it before I…
Hurricanes: great beasts of wind and rain that beat down on unlucky cities in their path. As a community situated so close to the Gulf of Mexico, New College students, staff and faculty wondered if the raging winds of Dorian would cancel classes, break windows…
With more than a thousand homeless people counted on a given night in Sarasota, the community has rallied around a few buzzwords. “Enablement,” “come as you are” and “93 percent” are on the lips of everyone arguing for and against the various solutions for…
February 25, 2015 / Volume XXXVII / Issue 2 Despite a chilling rain, the Homelessness Marathon persevered through a 14-hour, live, outdoor broadcast that brought the voices of the homeless to airwaves across America. Marathon founder Jeremy Alderson was homeless himself and created this unique…
Guest Contribution by Jeremy Weir Alderson Creator of the Homelessness Marathon The Homelessness Marathon was a 14-hour live broadcast aired at WSLR 96.5FM on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2014. It aimed to bring the voices of Sarasota's homeless to the forefront of the discussion on homelessness. Starting on…
