The city doesnt have the resources to close something as large as Wood Street, said LaTonda Simmons, the citys former interim homelessness administrator. Photos by Bront Wittpenn and Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle, decried the lack of access to clean water, just awarded Oakland a $4.7 million grant. Walters: Is ending Californias homelessness just a matter of money? After a pandemic pause, Oakland ramped up homeless camp closures again Multiple fires have erupted at the city's largest homeless encampment, which. The audit found the new policy lays the groundwork for needed change, but implementation has been slow, as the city is inundated with complaints about encampments. Caltrans plans to clear out 200 homeless people from the sprawling homeless encampment at Oaklands Wood Street by the first week of August, officials said. The audit found the City was not adequately prepared to shoulder such a massive project and the (encampment management team) was overwhelmed by the undertaking of closing and cleaning encampments throughout Oakland, City Auditor Courtney Ruby wrote in an open letter to Mayor Libby Schaaf, the City Council and other city officials. An officer will be dispatched to your location. Wood Street encampment resident Theo Cedar Jones points to a map of the area hes living near. Jones and several residents presented their idea of a self-governed site to city staff and Fife at a meeting last summer. Our Response Homelessness has doubled in the last 10 years. But if it fails to get people into real shelter and housing, it could be a cautionary tale for officials throughout California struggling with mushrooming encampments. The Encampment Management Team tracks all known encampments and prioritizes interventions based on health, safety, and size issues. Oakland which has more than 5,000 homeless people currently has 598 year-round, city-funded shelter beds, 313 community cabin and temporary structure shelter spaces, 147 RV safe parking. Multiple. We are in a catch-22., Sarah Ravani (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. The Encampment Management Policy seeks to address the adverse health and safety impacts of unsheltered homelessness, with compassion and care to not criminalize poverty. Since the policy has gone into effect, two Oakland nonprofits have burned as a result of fires started in areas where the city knew there to be encampments. Marisa Kendall is a housing reporter for the Bay Area News Group who covers homelessness for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Three days later, a group of encampment residents sued Caltrans, the governor, Oakland and a number of public officials in federal court, alleging that their forced removal from the site would constitute an unconstitutional "state created danger" and place them at a high degree of risk because there were not adequate shelter options for them in Oakland. Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. Because of the connection to the earlier litigation, the case was assigned to Judge Orrick who entered a TRO on January 6, 2023. Inside a Homeless Encampment as It's Being Torn Down You will be asked to sign off on an arrest warrant. After nearly two-month delay, judge allows Oakland to remove large homeless camp When you are dealing with homeless individuals or a homeless encampment, these types of crimes include: Trespassing Public intoxication Public urination You report that you've witnessed a crime to the police or sheriff. Three days later, a group of encampment residents sued Caltrans, the governor, Oakland and a number of public officials in federal court, alleging that their forced removal from the site would constitute an unconstitutional "state created danger" and place them at a high degree of risk because there were not adequate shelter options for them in Oakland. But the money is insufficient to help all the camps residents. 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Oakland police towed several vehicles parked by a homeless camp near the Fruitvale Home Depot on Thursday, as part of a cleanup and closure operation. The city says it needs to clear the camp to make way for a 170-unit affordable housing project planned for the site. The city of Oakland agreed to assist residents on identifying their options. Californias stormy weather is having an unusual effect on S.F. To report an issue related to an encampment, please email Homelessness@oaklandca.gov. City workers do a sweep at the homeless encampment under Interstate 580 in West Oakland as the city promise to deliver porter potties, fences, regular trash pickup, and counseling . Oakland Unveils 100-Person Tiny-Home Village at Troubled Wood Street The only way to get through involves stepping over bulky items, bbq grills, bikes, tents, and garbage. Specifically, the audit found the City lacked an effective strategy for dealing with the growth in encampments and did not provide sufficient policy direction or adequate funding at the onset of this crisis, the letter continued. Its been a struggle just to stand up emergency shelters.. In July, Caltrans alerted the residents they would have five days to pack their belongings and leave. The encampment spans nearly 25 city blocks with about 300 people living under freeways in tents, RVs and makeshift shelters amid burned-out vehicles, mounds of trash and dirt. We appreciate your patience; the homelessness@oaklandca.gov service has been restored. Federal judge says San Francisco can't clear homeless camps Thats on top of nearly 90 fires at the site for the 12 months through March. The EMT is facilitated by the City Administrator's Office via the Homelessness Administrator and receives input and advice from the Commission on Homelessness. On Monday, six weeks later, he proved his suspicions correct and dissolved the TRO, authorizing the city to clear the site and begin to ready the property for an affordable housing development. Repairing damage to lighting at Union Point Park is expected to cost another $500,000, not including additional repairs that must be done to bathrooms, landscaping, benches and other amenities. And, he ordered the state transportation agency to work with staff from the city of Oakland and from Alameda County to come up with a plan to relocate residents. Reporting an Issue If you or someone you know is hungry, homeless, or housing insecure - Call 2-1-1. That speaks to the demand and the concentration of homelessness, she added. The report lays out 26 recommendations, all of which the city has committed to following, according to the auditors office. That order was dissolved about a month later, when the city said it was set to open a new tiny home site near the encampment, and a safe parking site in East Oakland for people living in RVs. Caltrans has cleared the parts of the encampment on its property three times in the past year and says it will continue to do so if safety concerns, such as fires, continue. The news of the clearing comes after a two-alarm fire broke out Monday at the site, which dozens of blazes have torn through over the past year. When U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick issued a temporary restraining order on Jan. 6, 2023 forbidding the city of Oakland from closing a homeless encampment at 1707 Wood St., he told. People living in vehicles represent 35% of Oakland's overall homeless population. Its absurd to think that we've gotten this far through this process and we have not had anybody take a survey of who is actually affected by this, McGowan said at the hearing. A United Nations report from 2018, for example, stated that a U.N. investigator witnessed officials "attempting to discourage residents from remaining in informal settlements or encampments by denying access to water, sanitation and health services and other basic necessities, [which] constitutes cruel and inhuman treatment and is a . It ended badly, Hit bean company Rancho Gordo embroiled in discrimination lawsuit. Thank you for your patience while we work to restore services. Staff closed and cleaned about 500 encampments during the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years including camps that were closed once, repopulated, and then were closed again. She joined The Chronicle in 2016 after graduating from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. Some people keep watch out for fires or other dangers. Caltrans removed five people living on its property between 16th and 20th streets after the deadly fire in April and is now installing concrete barriers and fencing to prevent people from returning to the area. Aric Crabb has been a staff photographer at the Bay Area News Group since 1998. ", previously halted Caltrans plans to clear the camp. Updated on: July 20, 2022 / 8:30 AM / CBS San Francisco. The action will set in motion the eviction of several dozen people living on a vacant, city-owned lot off Wood Street in West Oakland . Members of the cleanup crew rolled tires and lifted couches overhead as larger equipment moved car after car, some just burned-out shells, off the state-owned lot. Housing | Oaklanders say homelessness is the most urgent issue facing the city Meter made: Simple device offers affordable access to water at Oakland Bay, Heres where California reservoir levels stand after recent rainfall, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). She joined The Chronicle in 2016 after graduating from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. The controversial policy was approved by the City Council last year, but it's largely gone unenforced. Oakland police took an average of four to six hours to respond to emergency calls in encampments during the last two fiscal years, according to the audit. The result is a shuffling with no long-term strategy on how to get people into more permanent, supportive housing. Fire flares up at homeless encampment under Oakland freeway - Los Rise in Homeless Encampment Fires Worries CA Firefighters Earlier this week, a coalition of residents wrote a public letter to state, city and county officials urging them to work with them. Among its recommendations, the audit found the city should ensure staff members are trained in crisis management and interacting with traumatized encampment residents. I really love this life here.. She started her journalism career reporting on crime and breaking news for The News-Press in Southwest Florida. Audit: Oaklands $12.6 million homelessness, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Audit: Oaklands $12.6 million homelessness response lacked strategy, direction, Housing proposal for unhoused leaves Santa Clara residents sharply divided, Forcing Californians into mental health treatment would get easier with proposed legislation, Grappling with homelessness, California weighs extending foster care for 5 years, After nearly two-month delay, judge allows Oakland to remove large homeless camp. LAPD union supports unarmed responders to certain 911 calls including homeless encampment clean-ups 0. According to a report by the city administrative officer, the new East Hollywood campground costs approximately $2,663 per participant per month. Wood Street encampment in Oakland to be shut down by Caltrans - KRON4 Unhoused people in Oakland built an eco-oasis during the pandemic Caltrans said it would shut down the entire encampment, clearing out about 200 people who live there. Caltrans has completed much smaller sweeps in the past. Caltrans announced it is closing the entire Wood Street . Fed up with homeless encampments that have taken over streets, parks and open spaces, a group of Oakland residents is suing the city. The Oakland, California Homeless Problem is Beyond Belief Nick Johnson 762K subscribers Subscribe 112K 13M views 1 year ago #california #moving Is this where America is headed? The Commission on Homelessness provides oversight of the Oakland vacant property tax received bv the City of Oakland for homeless services, and makes recommendations to the City Council for strategies to remedy homelessness. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! A hand-painted sign can be seen at a homeless encampment on Wood Street in Oakland. Oakland is experiencing a network outage that is affecting key services such as Oak311, permitting and business tax. In an earlier statement, Caltrans said it planned to clear the camp to address the increasingly serious safety risks to life, property and infrastructure at the encampment. The agency said it was coordinating with the city and the county to offer residents shelter. The plaintiffs and all living at the Wood Street encampment must make immediate plans to move.". All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! After Caltrans clears part of the encampment, residents move to another part sometimes city property. The audit also analyzed the citys ability to respond when its unhoused communities need help. Raised eyebrows. City of Oakland Opens 100-bed Cabin Shelter Program at Wood Street, Estelle Clemons, Interim Director of Human Services and, Daniel Cooper, Homelessness Administrator, Court order would allow phased clean-up and closure operation to resume to abate potentially hazardous conditions that threaten public health and safety, Completed Encampment Management Operations, FACT SHEET: Wood Street Update - October 2022, FACT SHEET: Wood Street Encampment - July 2022, HOJA INFORMATIVA: Intervenciones para la gestin del campamento de Wood Street, FACT SHEET: East 12th Street Median Encampment - October 2022, Completed Encampment Management Team Operations Since 2021, Joint Statement regarding Homeless Services Performance Audit, Federal Judge Indicates Approval of City of Oaklands Thoughtful Outreach and Services Plan in Support of Caltrans Encampment Closure Operation on Wood Street. Caltrans to clear Oakland homeless encampment near MacArthur Maze Instead of clearing homeless camps, Oakland is spiffing them up - SFGATE The Commission shall review relevant financial and operational reports related to the expenditure of the homeless services fund. A large fire that swept through a homeless encampment underneath the 880 Freeway in West Oakland on Monday destroyed several vehicles and RVs before it was put . Housing | Under state law, working with homeless individuals to identify housing or shelter alternatives is a local, not a state, responsibility.. Oakland closes a Fruitvale homeless camp, putting its new encampment OAKLAND - Fire swept through a homeless encampment near the MacArthur Maze highway interchange in West Oakland on Monday morning. But Orrick said requiring Caltrans to provide those resources was beyond the scope of the law. The Oakland city auditor in April released a report that highlighted a litany of problems that plague the city's estimated 140 homeless communities, including: 1,599 interventions for "hygiene . Oakland. Dozens of Caltrans workers and California Highway . OAKLAND, CA - MAY 5: A homeless encampment is photographed on a plot of land along East 12th Street and 1st Avenue on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Oakland, Calif. The encampment is one of the largest in the city and has been plagued with problems such as illegal dumping and fires for years. Hayward couple file lawsuit over harrowing honeymoon ocean ordeal in Hawaii. The pandemic caused the city to halt most encampment closures, but now city staff say closures are on the table as long as shelter space is available. The order is the latest in a long-running dispute over a homeless camp that once covered 40 acres under the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland, where between 200 and 300 people lived in vehicles, RVs, tents and other makeshift structures. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. The City Council has to approve the plans and construction is likely to take longer than other sites because a set of railroad tracks cuts through the property. Local News | The Encampment Management Team is responsible for implementing the Encampment Management Policy and directing coordination across city departments. Housing | If you or someone you know is hungry, homeless, or housing insecure - Call 2-1-1. Ruined vegetation, broken irrigation lines and damaged fencing at Lake Merritt, as well as. 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Cold Bay Area rains fail to shut down vibrant Holi celebration in Fremont. PUBLISHED: February 27, 2023 at 4:49 p.m. | UPDATED: February 28, 2023 at 1:58 p.m. A federal judge on Monday ruled the city can resume efforts to remove dozens of people from a large homeless. Homeless Encampment Protocol & Reporting Tool Over the years, advocates have thwarted city attempts to close the encampment, demanding that the city offer residents adequate shelter or to leave them be. In these situations, the Encampment Response Map will include information about the code violation case instead of details about an encampment cleanup effort. The Wood Street homeless encampment once housed 200 people and covered 40 acres. How long has the homeless encampment been there? A lawsuit alleges that Stanford-trained chemists Alexander Burckle and Elizabeth Webster nearly drowned after a dive boat left them behind in choppy water near Maui. OAKLAND, Calif. ( KRON) Caltrans announced in a press release Friday that it will shut down the homeless encampment on Wood Street. Housing proposal for unhoused leaves Santa Clara residents sharply divided "What I have tried to do is create a possibility of relocation in a way that is the least harmful to the people who live on Wood Street," he said at the hearing. We cant go far, Clutch said. And Caltrans officials said the vehicles would be too difficult to move. Resident Ron McGowan, who lives at the site in question, said there are about 80 people there. A resident of the 1707 Wood site and a local advocate then brought suit against Oakland in federal court asking that the city be enjoined. They come in out of nowhere, said Ben Murawski, another Wood Street resident, lamenting how agency employees destroy our homes.. Diesel is expensive. after a two-alarm fire broke out Monday at the site, decried the lack of access to clean water. Tuesday at 3:07 PM. Gov. Newsom blasts Oakland leaders for not handling rampant homeless City lawyers had no comment on the ruling. The homeless population has jumped by 63% since 2017 in Oakland, where the median house sales price is about $750,000. To report an issue related to an encampment, please email Homelessness@oaklandca.gov. Oaklands $12.6 million effort to deal with its recent explosion of homeless encampments was haphazard, lacking strategy, policy direction and adequate funding, according to a scathing new city audit. The shelters are full. The Oakland City Council has . You can report an encampment at the following locations: Bridges Highways Parks or playgrounds Outside of residential and commercial buildings Roadway tunnels Streets and sidewalks Subway stations Report an encampment. Over the next several weeks, the Caltrans site was cleaned and cleared and the residents moved to other locations and situations. That case was assigned to Judge Orrick, who expressed concern about the short notice and lack of shelter options. This is our home.. Court Allows City To Close Homeless Encampment At 1707 Wood Street Two blocks from the Federal Reserve, a growing encampment of the Gov. A separate request earlier this month to halt Oakland workers from clearing parts of the encampment on land it owns was denied. Report the issue to our encampment management team at homelessness@oaklandca.gov. OAKLAND - Caltrans announced Friday that they are shutting down a homeless encampment near the MacArthur Maze in West Oakland due to ongoing safety concerns and a large fire that tore. Now, they live on city property along Wood Streets right-of-way. The judge quickly sided with the homeless residents, and issued a temporary order barring the city from clearing the camp at least until the city could prove it had enough shelter beds for everyone displaced. Copyright 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. They have lacked funding, housing options and staff, he said. The City's Public Works crews visit dozens of known encampments throughout the city on a weekly basis to conduct trash removal and garbage cart, porta potty and hand wash station servicing. He said, "This TRO is not a long-term prohibition on Oakland's actions but rather a stopgap to prevent violation of constitutional rights that are likely to result from the combination of the state-of-emergency weather situation and the failure to provide alternative shelter.". City leaders say the encampment which spans property owned by the city, railroads and various government agencies is a crisis, but officials havent cleared it, arguing they dont have enough shelter beds for everyone. The encampment is now so huge that some residents drive buses and motorcycles to get from one end to the other. Walters: Is ending Californias homelessness just a matter of money? (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: An officer with the California Highway Patrol watches as a vehicle is towed from the Wood Street homeless encampment on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. Caltrans is overseeing the cleanup of its property along Wood Street. Its uncertain if Caltrans has the authority to clear land it doesnt own. 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