Oakland police begin crackdown on illegally anchored boats in estuary
OAKLAND – Authorities in Oakland are beginning to remove abandoned boats and vessels illegally anchored around the Oakland Estuary, following complaints from neighbors.
Robert Nelson, his wife and Kona, their dog, live along this narrow waterway separating Oakland and Alameda. They moved here after falling in love with it 10 years ago.
Nelson said the crime and the number of people illegally living in boats has gotten out of hand.
"You can't have these derelict boats dumping all this," said Nelson. "I mean, the sewage issue is a big one. There's the oil and batteries and pollutants that are on almost all these boats are going into the water."
On Thursday, he woke up to some relief.
"I looked over here and I saw several boats that were familiar to me that are anchored outs gone and I thought, 'Oh, that's strange.' And then I saw that dark gray Oakland Police boat go by towing," Nelson recalled.
"I saw a helicopter and it sounds like they are doing what they said they would do."
OPD's marine unit removed 13 abandoned vessels.
"We marked these boats with stickers with the actual abandoned boat policy, as well as a date when the boat needs to be moved or taken out of the water. And if that isn't complied with, then we're here today removing those vessels," said Kaleo Albino of OPD Marine Unit.
One by one, Nelson watched with mixed emotions as the boats were removed from the estuary.
"I am happy and sad because I have been advocating to get rid of these boats because of the environmental damage that they are causing and other problems they are causing," Nelson said.
Adding illegal boat encampments like this are the norm here.
"This is probably one of the worse homeless encampments here on the Estuary and I think that there is quite a few of these these people that have no other place to go," said Nelson.
He told CBS News Bay Area he has compassion for those illegally living on the boats and hopes the city will connect them with the necessary resources, like social services.
Nelson said he would like to see this removal happen more often, and OPD said they plan to do so in 2024.
