Hello, I tried to sign in by Zoom today (12 Dec 2023) I can see but not hear anything. I tested my speaker and hear the chime when people "enter the room"
I wanted to speak on the state of our parks. Specifically my local parks - Mosswood Park. In the past there have been lots of comments about the negative consequences of homeless encampments. And this continues to this day. Right now the south side and east side of the parks look like a tornado went through leaving debris and trash everywhere.
But I'd like to focus on other park users
We have a lot of people who have decided it's ok to drive in the park. The area around the basket ball court becomes a parking lot,. I've seen people driving motorcycles across the baseball field as small children are playing. Tire tracks ripped up in the grass, mud ruts, broken water meters are some other consequences of cars in the park. Additionally many of the living creatures of the park don't go well with automobiles. Oak trees do not like to have their roots compressed so driving and parking under them is likely to kill the majestic old trees in the NW corner.
Note 4:17 pm agenda item 3 sound came on
Homelessness in City Parks: I would like to comment on the ongoing issue we have with homeless encampments in city parks. My specific park of concern is Mosswood park, but there may be others going through similar issues. The City needs to act to enforce the existing regulations against camping in park and near children's programming. We already lost the former Recreation center to fire, likely started by the encampments. Right now the Rec Center is being rebuilt - we need the City to step up to protect the resources that are being spent to rebuild - the construction site is vulnerable to vandalism. The park is also just in an appalling state - there is a huge amount of trash spreading out from the encampments, there are rats, and it seems like people think they can do anything now because there is no enforcement of any laws. People are driving their cars into the park regularly, encampments are burning trash, random dogs are running around off-leash. Neighbors have been speaking up about this for years but we haven't seen any improvements. The park is not a safe space for recreation any more. The historic Moss house is vulnerable to break-ins and fire. Please, help us keep our public spaces for the enjoyment of the general public, not the select few, living in the encampments, who refuse housing services that are offered to them. It's becoming unlivable here, and people are giving up, people will leave Oakland if the City won't stand up for us.
Hello, I tried to sign in by Zoom today (12 Dec 2023) I can see but not hear anything. I tested my speaker and hear the chime when people "enter the room"
I wanted to speak on the state of our parks. Specifically my local parks - Mosswood Park. In the past there have been lots of comments about the negative consequences of homeless encampments. And this continues to this day. Right now the south side and east side of the parks look like a tornado went through leaving debris and trash everywhere.
But I'd like to focus on other park users
We have a lot of people who have decided it's ok to drive in the park. The area around the basket ball court becomes a parking lot,. I've seen people driving motorcycles across the baseball field as small children are playing. Tire tracks ripped up in the grass, mud ruts, broken water meters are some other consequences of cars in the park. Additionally many of the living creatures of the park don't go well with automobiles. Oak trees do not like to have their roots compressed so driving and parking under them is likely to kill the majestic old trees in the NW corner.
Note 4:17 pm agenda item 3 sound came on
Homelessness in City Parks: I would like to comment on the ongoing issue we have with homeless encampments in city parks. My specific park of concern is Mosswood park, but there may be others going through similar issues. The City needs to act to enforce the existing regulations against camping in park and near children's programming. We already lost the former Recreation center to fire, likely started by the encampments. Right now the Rec Center is being rebuilt - we need the City to step up to protect the resources that are being spent to rebuild - the construction site is vulnerable to vandalism. The park is also just in an appalling state - there is a huge amount of trash spreading out from the encampments, there are rats, and it seems like people think they can do anything now because there is no enforcement of any laws. People are driving their cars into the park regularly, encampments are burning trash, random dogs are running around off-leash. Neighbors have been speaking up about this for years but we haven't seen any improvements. The park is not a safe space for recreation any more. The historic Moss house is vulnerable to break-ins and fire. Please, help us keep our public spaces for the enjoyment of the general public, not the select few, living in the encampments, who refuse housing services that are offered to them. It's becoming unlivable here, and people are giving up, people will leave Oakland if the City won't stand up for us.