OAKLAND (KCBS Radio) -- A major encampment of homeless people appears targeted for shutdown.
Activists posted a notice on Twitter saying the encampment known as "The Village", beneath the BART tracks at East 12th Street and 23rd Avenue, was going to be cleared out.
The encampment at E 12th & 23rd Ave got eviction notice, happening over a week:Thursday 1/31Friday 2/1Thurs 2/7Fri 2/8.We’re asking for folks to come for eviction support at 8 am each day - bringing coffee, breakfast, and doing copwatch/documentation.
— The Village, Oakland (@VillageOakland) January 29, 2019 The encampment, easily visible to thousands of passing BART riders every day, triggered numerous complaints from nearby business owners. They said residents were responsible for thefts and vandalism in the surrounding area.Oakland officials were aware of safety and sanitation issues at the site. Firefighters were dispatched several times in recent months, and City Council member Noel Gallo acknowledged people from the encampment were habitually tapping into nearby streetlights and underground vaults to crate makeshift electrical connections.
The day after being sworn in for her second term, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said the city would accelerate plans to create options for people living in encampments like "The Village". Schaaf said the city would install more "Tuff Shed" units at four sites in Oakland.
