21 tons of illegally dumped garbage cleared by dozens of volunteers in Oakland
Briefly

In a significant cleanup effort, 51 volunteers removed 21 tons of debris from Wood Street in Oakland, addressing illegal dumping concerns. Volunteers, in collaboration with the Urban Compassion Project, discovered additional items such as a boat and diesel tires. Residents express a desire for safety and cleanliness in their surroundings, particularly with new housing nearby. Despite this tidy-up, city officials note substantial challenges in enforcing regulations against illegal dumping. Real concerns remain about homelessness, which contributes to ongoing disputes over littering and inadequate resources in Oakland.
"What we reported was that there were 21 tons, that's what we were able to record," Vincent-Ray Williams of the Urban Compassion Project said. "Beyond that, there was a boat and 37 diesel tires that we never got weighed."
"I want to feel safe. I want to be able to walk outside, and I can leave my car out here for overnight and not be able to worry about how there's a dump over here and they're going to be trashing by my car," Kayla B. said.
"Unfortunately, unless we do something about the fact that there is no housing or mental health resources in the City of Oakland, we're going to continue to see people homeless with no resources," Williams said.
City officials ABC7 spoke with said there are major enforcement challenges to stop the illegal dumping. It is also very expensive to legally throw things away.
Read at ABC7 San Francisco
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