"We have become the zombies they said we were"; Stacey Cobine tells her story about the aftermath of the Palco Marsh evictions

Since Sunday, May 15, Stacey Cobine, one of the 11 plaintiffs in the "Palco Marsh lawsuit" has been sitting out in the front of the Courthouse. She is joined she said by her "boss", an old roommate, and another man who used to live in the Marsh. She arrives around 8:30 and leaves "between 3 and 5" "I am not trying to start another Occupy." "The media has misrepresented us," she told me. "Either they are for us or against us. It is one-sided."

Stacey is trying to raise awareness about the Palco Marsh "evictions." She said except for "four or five negative experiences"outside the Courthouse, she has had positive experiences, she especially thanked HSU students. No one else from the media has approached her this past week.

I asked her some questions and she was very forthcoming. She is very pleasant to talk to, not confrontational. You can tell the frustration and sadness in her voice.

I wanted to give her this space, just for her voice; to talk about how she feels, not through her lawyer and not through an advocate.

She said, at first, she did refuse the offer to stay at the shipping containers. "A neighbor was on the list, they said later she was not on the list to make room for us 11. I did not want that." Eventually, both ended up moving to the 3rd and Commercial lot. "I can't go to Serenity because I have a dog; I can't go to the Rescue mission because I am not Christian, I can't go to the MAC because I am 43 don't want to be treated like a child and have a curfew."

"I lasted a week. There are only 40 spots. We can't talk to friends after 10 p.m. through the fence, can't hang out with each other. They can come to the gate. It feels like a prison, like Sempervirens."

She said that she does understand why there are rules at the Third and Commercial lot. "They are trying to prevent theft and for safety."

There are 40 people, 22 dogs.  At night, with everyone inside, the noise is unbearable. "


"We have become the zombies that they said we were."

Breaking down, her voice wavering a bit she said,  "I didn't realize the sense of community we had; I miss that."

I asked her about the lawsuit. She said they did not seek out Peter Martin, they were approached.

I asked her that if a landlord were to forego security deposit, let her keep her dog, and give her a break on a couple month's rent, would she want to move into a place and get on her feet? Her response was "yes." She said she cannot afford security deposit and twice the rent just to move into a place. She also said that while some people were living in the Marsh, she was wandering  about when she first became homeless. "I was told by the police to go down to the Marsh and I would not be bothered. Now, they are saying we are trespassers."

"Homeless does not equal criminal" and "Who would Jesus house?" are two of the signs in the photo below.