3 20-0239 Subject: 2020 Supplemental Encampment Management Policy
From: The Life Enrichment Committee
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Adopting The Administration's Proposed Encampment Management Policy, To Be Implemented Upon Adoption By The Administration [TITLE CHANGE]
I support the City's desire to have a plan in place to address homeless encampments across the City. The current proposal is a good start, but I believe it panders too much to the homeless community that are illegally camping on the streets, while "every night, Oakland has empty beds in its shelters" (Mayor Schaaf, Townhall for Environmental Justice, August 6, 2020). Speaking as a resident who lives near the 29th Street underpass in 94609, it has been far too long that the Oakland homeless community has been allowed to remain in our community, living above the law. On our block, we have witnessed the homeless community commit the following crimes without seeing any legal repercussions or enforcement of laws by Oakland PD: arson (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/7814807), drug use and trespassing (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/7663855), robbery, and illegal dumping (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/8299156). I can only assume that as a resident of the City, I would be prosecuted by local law enforcement if I was caught doing any of the same things, but somehow the homeless community evades the social contract that we all agree to live by in society, and they get to live their lives above the law. My point is, I believe the Oakland PD should be a key partner in implementing this new plan, and let's just say it, we need to give them the power to "enforce" these new rules on the people who refuse to abide by them.
I support the City's desire to have a plan in place to address homeless encampments across the City. The current proposal is a good start, but I believe it panders too much to the homeless community that are illegally camping on the streets, while "every night, Oakland has empty beds in its shelters" (Mayor Schaaf, Townhall for Environmental Justice, August 6, 2020). Speaking as a resident who lives near the 29th Street underpass in 94609, it has been far too long that the Oakland homeless community has been allowed to remain in our community, living above the law. On our block, we have witnessed the homeless community commit the following crimes without seeing any legal repercussions or enforcement of laws by Oakland PD: arson (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/7814807), drug use and trespassing (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/7663855), robbery, and illegal dumping (https://seeclickfix.com/issues/8299156). I can only assume that as a resident of the City, I would be prosecuted by local law enforcement if I was caught doing any of the same things, but somehow the homeless community evades the social contract that we all agree to live by in society, and they get to live their lives above the law. My point is, I believe the Oakland PD should be a key partner in implementing this new plan, and let's just say it, we need to give them the power to "enforce" these new rules on the people who refuse to abide by them.