Residents say the camp is a place where they can live how they want after losing stable homes because of evictions or job losses. Now, they live on city property along Wood Streets right-of-way. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Community members watch as workers clear a section of the Wood Street homeless encampment near an area known as Cob on Wood on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. Caltrans is overseeing the cleanup of its property along Wood Street. 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. Echo Park Lake homeless encampment mulls decision to leave - Los Fed up with homeless encampments that have taken over streets, parks and open spaces, a group of Oakland residents is suing the city. In July, a large fire damaged a portion of Interstate 880. Earlier this month, Gov. Oakland Unveils 100-Person Tiny-Home Village at Troubled Wood Street Encampment What was once northern California's largest homeless encampment at Wood Street in Oakland now has a. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group), OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Workers remove a couch 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. Their. Hayward couple file lawsuit over harrowing honeymoon ocean ordeal in Hawaii. City staff were there to clear out residents from the northern part of the encampment, near the city-sanctioned RV safe parking site. She graduated from American University with a BA degree in literature with a minor in journalism. In July, Caltrans alerted the residents they would have five days to pack their belongings and leave. On Tuesday, homeless people in Echo Park were faced with a decision as an imminent city closure drew near. Official Website for the City of Oakland | Mayor Sheng Thao. But the injunction was dissolved in phases, beginning in August of 2022, giving residents more time to find other alternatives. A large fire broke out at the encampment on Monday,. Narcan spray and other sanitary products can be seen on a book shelf. Warriors treating Andrew Wiggins with understandable patience, but his Gov. The order is the latest in a long-running dispute over a homeless camp, who expressed concern about the short notice and lack of shelter options, Activist Judy Heumann led a reimagining of what it means to be disabled, How this year's Selma Bridge Crossing could mark a community renaissance, Storms across the U.S. cause deaths and power outages, Russia's foreign minister gets laughed at over Ukraine remarks at a global conference. Walters: Is ending Californias homelessness just a matter of money? We do need permanent supportive housing and where is it? 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. $400 rent for the low income housing they made. people had to eat at charity style centers, and a sunday 'picnic in the park' feed. A number of residents relocated to a two-acre parcel at 1707 Wood St. owned by Oakland. By City News Service on . 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. 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. Sarah Ravani covers Oakland and the East Bay at The San Francisco Chronicle. Wood Street encampment resident Theo Cedar Jones plays guitar. 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 the . That would allow the city and county to figure out their outreach programs so that there could be actual adequate outreach, she said, instead of a rushed approach that will lead to immense danger and harm to the residents.. Recommendations from the Commission on how to prioritize the allocation of funds in accordance with the requirements of this Chapter, including for: services and programs for homeless people, reduction of homelessness, and supporting the provision of affordable housing to households qualifying as at least low-income households (those at 55% AMI or below). Tucked away from the street, the encampment, commonly known as Wood Street, stretches along property owned by Caltrans, the city of Oakland, BNSF Railway and private owners. Walters: Is ending Californias homelessness just a matter of money? Forcing Californians into mental health treatment would get easier with proposed legislation Now is the big showdown, said Theo Cedar Jones, a resident at Wood Street for nearly two years. 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. A hand-painted sign can be seen at a homeless encampment on Wood Street in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, May 3, 2022. The Oakland Fire . Additionally, the Commission shall be requested to publish reports regarding the following: Canceled - Commission on Homelessness Meeting, Commission on Homelessness - Bylaws and Rules of Procedure. ", previously halted Caltrans plans to clear the camp. Homelessness has doubled in the last 10 years. Thank you for your patience while we work to restore services. Caltrans has completed much smaller sweeps in the past. A day later, tensions escalated when witnesses said Oakland police tased an encampment resident. The controversial policy was approved by the City Council last year, but it's largely gone unenforced. After a pandemic pause, Oakland ramped up homeless camp closures again There are another 40 spaces available in pre-existing tiny home, safe parking and other sites throughout the city and there likely will be dozens of beds free at St. Vincent de Paul, a dorm-style shelter in West Oakland, according to the city. Brigitte Nicoletti, an attorney assisting residents in their pro se lawsuit, reiterated that request at the hearing on Friday. July 11, 2022 / 6:27 PM / CBS San Francisco. 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. She and her husband, Lenton, live in a 20-foot trailer at the Coliseum Stadium parking lot in Oakland. (KRON4 News) OAKLAND ( KRON) - A two-alarm fire in an Oakland homeless . Oakland mayor appoints former Compton city manager as Interim City Administrator . Homeless Encampment - Issue #13733349 - Civic Center, Oakland, CA How long has the homeless encampment been there? Oakland homeless advocates turn underpass encampment - New York Post But those are things that are beyond what can be ordered in this case.". February 22, 2023. I do not look forward to being kicked out. "I realize that there are alternatives that public policy could be generating that would work better for homelessness than what has happened in the past. street outreach, homeless shelters, Officials have argued that they dont have enough shelter beds to accommodate the number of people living at the encampment, which spans 25 city blocks. that was may . Earlier this week, a coalition of residents wrote a public letter to state, city and county officials urging them to work with them. Oakland firefighters responded to 90% of the 988 encampment calls they received in less than eight minutes. 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. Caltrans to clear Oakland homeless encampment near MacArthur Maze Contact information for four of the major Southern California sheriff's departments is: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. On Monday morning, workers removed vehicles, furniture and other items from the encampment on Caltrans property underneath the MacArthur Maze. They're looking to make us homeless. If its model is a success, Oakland could win more state funds to help more Wood Street residents. 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. They asked for resources to make the encampment safer, including access to dumpsters for trash removal, fire extinguishers, sand buckets, water hoses and assistance creating markers throughout the encampment so that emergency service providers could more easily navigate the area. 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. 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.