Homeless Encampment Planned at City Hall

This letter, republished completely, was emailed to Danbury Patch Tuesday morning.

"Mayor Mark D. Boughton
City Hall
155 Deer Hill Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810
June 21, 2012

Dear Mayor Boughton:

I am writing to inform you that I and other concerned citizens will be leading a homeless encampment on the grounds of City Hall from July 1st through July 15th to petition our city government to increase the supply of permanent housing units to meet the needs of homeless individuals in the City of Danbury.

These needs were identified in 2005 by the Mayor’s Task Force to End Homelessness in Ten Years and approved and adopted by the City Council on March 7, 2006 with the stated goal of eliminating chronic and long-term homelessness by the year 2015. We are now in year 7 of the plan and the City has failed to take action in accordance with the plan to address this crisis.
As an act of peaceable assembly and free speech, five tents will be erected for homeless individuals participating in the encampment. The encampment will be setup on a portion of the northwest corner of City Hall under the trees along Deer Hill Avenue in a manner that will not obstruct any sidewalks or entrances to the building. The approximate number of participants will be fifteen or fewer, including legal observers. Participants may display banners, flags or signs on their tents and may wear tee shirts that identify them as participants. They may also distribute information about homelessness and collect signatures on petitions.
Arrangements will be made for the use of off-site sanitary facilities and trash removal. Participants will follow a “good neighbor” code of conduct during the encampment. Since this public assembly does not meet the twenty-five person threshold and will not impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic, I am not applying for a permit under Chapter 11, Article III of the Code of Ordinances. I will notify Chief Alan Baker of the planned activity by copy of this letter.
I am requesting a statement from you by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, 2012, that the City will not interfere with or prohibit this exercise of our constitutional rights under the First Amendment. Such response may be emailed to ltaborsak@gmail.com or delivered to 110 Hayestown Road, Danbury, CT 06811. If the City does not respond, we will have no choice but to seek an emergency injunction in Federal District Court to allow the encampment to proceed and to protect our First Amendment Rights.
Of course, you may contact me before that time with your response or with any legitimate questions the City has as to the conduct of the encampment.

Sincerely,

Lynn Taborsak
110 Hayestown Road
Danbury, CT 06811
(203) 748-0822

Cc: Chief Alan Baker
Attorney Peter Goselin."