We, the members of U.T.A.C.H. (Unhoused Tenants Against Carceral Housing) are unhappy with the current conditions that we have experienced at PRK sites across the city. We have all experienced various levels of harassment, discriminatory practices, and policies that have hindered our ability to achieve personal and professional growth. The city has not offered us any form of permanent housing, and many of us do not even know who our case managers/housing navigators are. There is no plan in place to house us once the COVID-19 crisis ends, but we were promised upon entering the PRK program that we would never have to return to the streets. We deserve to know what the plan for our future holds. We deserve concrete answers on where we will be permanently housed. We deserve to be treated fairly, and in a way that upholds our constitutional rights while we are in the program. 

We have come together collectively, and the following are our demands:

I. Program extension and residential contracts re-issued 

1. We demand that the PRK program be extended by the city until permanent housing is offered to, and accepted by all PRK participants 

   • Offers of housing must be made in writing, with all pertinent details included 

2. Reissue PRK residential contract to reflect U.T.A.C.H demands, and program extension 

II. Keys and Curfew 

1.  Each resident should be given a key to their room, and should not have to rely on hotel staff to enter personal dwelling space

2. Curfew should be abolished -- people have commitments outside of the hotel, such as jobs, friends, and family. It is unreasonable to expect adults to stay indoors between 7PM and 7 AM

III. Security Protocols/Procedures  

1. Security should have not be allowed to make decisions that affect guests livelihood- they should not have the final say in exiting a resident, nor should they be allowed to tell resident that they are not allowed to accept employment outside of curfew

2. Resident communication/visitor policy - residents should be allowed to visit with one another, and have conversations with one another on the property (outside of the smoking area) 

3. All staff must be trained in de-escalation, and have resources available to them outside of PD 

IV. Best Practices for Staff 

1. Disturbing residents should be kept to a minimum. Instead of multiple different parties disturbing residents by knocking on doors throughout the day, all business should be taken care of during the time that meals are distributed 

2. Residents should know when staff is coming around so that they may receive their meals, and remain in good standing with hotel staff. We propose that all business that needs to be taken care of take place between the windows of time in which meals are distributed (8AM-9AM, 12PM-1PM, 5PM-6PM) 

3. All staff must be trained in de-escalation, and have resources available to them outside of PD

   1. PD should not be a first line of defense 

   2. Goal of staff should be to support residents on their path to permanent housing 

V. Case Management & Next Steps 

1. Every resident should be assigned a case manager upon entry. Case managers should be checking in with residents at least twice a week regarding personal goals,  progress on permanent housing navigation 

2. Each resident should be given clear instructions regarding next steps so that they can be proactive, and feel empowered about taking steps outside of PRK

• 1-2 case managers should be on site on weekly basis for office hours -- office hours should be scheduled in advance, and well-publicized so that all residents may 

• All residents must be given a copy of their exit/housing plan in writing 

VI. Meals, Health, and Wellness 

1. Meals should be raised to a higher standard. Many residents have been getting sick due to poor food standards. Alternate food options should be available to those who get sick off the main course. 

2. Establish accountability protocol with health department 

3. Every room should have a WORKING refrigerator and/or access to ice machine 

VII. Program Exits 

1. When a client is being exited by the program they should be accompanied by a case manager or third party advocate 

2. Prior to any exit taking place, there should be three warnings documented in writing, followed by an exit documentation signed by a supervisor. All documents should have a copy that is sent to the clients case manager or third party.

3. Every residents MUST be allowed to file a grievance, and go through the grievance process prior to an exit becoming 

VIII. Consistency, Accountability, and Transparency 

1. Staff needs to be consistent in their messaging and guidelines when it pertains to the rules. All residents should be given a copy of their resident contracts, and both sides need to be held accountable for abiding by the terms of the contract. Any violation of contracts must be in writing signed by a supervisor and a copy must also be given to the clients case manager or third party advocate.

IX. Harm Reduction

• Clear, and easy access to life-saving harm reduction supplies, such as Narcan.