The City of Oakland is addressing its homelessness crisis by clearing an encampment at Peralta Park, giving residents a week's notice. As the city prepares to initiate a re-vegetation project, campers express concerns over a lack of affordable housing and overwhelming waitlists at shelters. With around 5,000 unhoused individuals in Oakland, this clearing reflects a broader trend of relocating homeless populations. The city defends the encampment removal as necessary for environmental regulatory compliance and wildlife habitat improvements, highlighting the ongoing struggles for stability among the unhoused community.
I don't think it's fair because I need some place to go. And it's kind of sad when you have to be out here homeless in a tent and the housing stuff is unaffordable.
Usually, when you call the shelters, they're usually full. Sometimes, most of the time you have to be on a waiting list, and then you're put right back out here waiting for that.
The city says its work in the park is necessary in order to address outstanding environmental regulatory permits, and the re-vegetation will help improve the area as a wildlife habitat.
Oakland has had a habit, like other Bay Area cities, of shuffling its homeless around to different spots in the city.
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