OAKLAND (KRON) — More homeless people are setting up tents in the East Bay, and some residents say it is becoming more and more of a problem.
KRON’s Hermela Aregawi spoke to city leaders in Oakland about what’s being down to manage the issue.
The city just cleaned up a tent city on 16th and Embarcadero.
Donna Ewing still lives there. She helped the city with the cleanup and is being allowed to stay.
“I’m living in a tent right now,” she said. “It’s hard out here. Us homeless people get a lot of blame when the cars are broken in or anything like that, and it’s actually not some of us people that are homeless.”
A tent city on Fifth and Brush Street is just about a month old. It is one of the most significant tent cities in the area.
How quickly a tent city is shut down can depend on where it’s located. So, for example, one where it’s remote and where there aren’t a lot of businesses or residents, the tents may be allowed to stick around longer.
“In areas like this, I don’t get complaints, and so they’ll stay until somebody files complaints,” Oakland City Councilman Noel Gallo said. “So, usually in the neighborhoods, and the parks, in the business corridor, the complaints come immediately and in numbers, and so we tend to address those first.”
Gallo said the city is looking for a solution but is coming across obstacles.
“We’re looking at the tiny house issue, and those cost about $2,000-$3,000 and will (be) on public lands on Caltrans property, but the issue we’re having right now is…who takes care of them,” Gallo said.