More Wood Street encampment residents relocated
OAKLAND - Oakland officials said advocates for the residents of the Wood Street homeless encampment in the city created a barrier out of fencing and debris to block the clearing of camp by police and city staff Wednesday.
People pressed their bodies against the fence and dismantled and climbed on top of and underneath city equipment to stop the work near Wood and 20th streets. Two people were arrested.
Residents of the camp on Wednesday said they have had a thriving community and think the city should provide resources so the community can continue. Camp residents Wednesday afternoon were not happy with the shelter the city was offering to them.
City officials said Thursday morning that four more people accepted offers for shelter, which involves living in cabins nearby.
"We understand this transition may be difficult for Wood Street encampment residents," said LaTonda Simmons, assistant city administrator and acting homelessness administrator, in a statement.
Simmons said the city is committed to offering housing and shelter, services and programs to each resident of the camp. City staff will also help camp residents decide which belongings they want to bring to the cabin and what will be stored.
Residents and advocates said Wednesday that only one or two suitcases of belongings could go with them to a cabin and the rest would be thrown away.
That was one reason some residents did not want to accept the city's offer to relocate to a cabin.
But, Oakland spokesperson Jean Walsh said only trash and debris at the encampment has been removed.
Camp residents also said they don't get a key to the cabin or to the gate to the cabin community, another reason they don't want to relocate to the recently opened community.
City officials said they have enough shelter for all residents of the encampment. Thirty-one people so far have accepted an offer to stay in a cabin.
Early Wednesday afternoon, city crews had stopped trying to close the camp following the standoff. City officials said workers stopped for safety reasons.
Workers were allegedly threatened by advocates or camp residents, according to the city.
The work to close the camp was authorized by a judge. The camp was part of a larger encampment of hundreds of people. The portion on Caltrans land was closed last year.
Closing of the latest part of the encampment will allow for the construction of a 170-unit permanently affordable residential project on the encampment land.
