{"id":2345370,"date":"2024-09-24T14:28:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-24T18:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oakland-mayor-issues-directive-to-start-clearing-homeless-encampments-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-24T14:30:54","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T18:30:54","slug":"oakland-mayor-issues-directive-to-start-clearing-homeless-encampments-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oakland-mayor-issues-directive-to-start-clearing-homeless-encampments-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Oakland mayor issues directive to start clearing homeless encampments &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Foakland-mayor-issues-directive-to-start-clearing-homeless-encampments-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2345370&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has issued an executive order\u2062 directing the city to\u200c begin aggressively clearing homeless encampments. The initiative comes in response to a recent Supreme Court ruling \u200bthat permits states to ban sleeping and camping in public spaces. Thao emphasized \u2062the necessity of addressing public safety and infrastructure\u200c concerns while leading \u200dwith compassion, stating that \u2063being unhoused is \u2062not \u200ca crime,\u2064 but certain laws must still be upheld.<\/p>\n<p>The directive\u2062 specifically targets \u200bencampments located near \u200dschools, playgrounds, and areas where\u200d they obstruct traffic or impede emergency\u2064 responders. Camps identified as an imminent risk to safety or\u2062 damaging infrastructure can\u200b be\u2062 dismantled with less\u2064 than 12 hours&#8217; notice. Currently, there are approximately 1,486 \u200bhomeless camps \u200bin\u2064 Oakland, with a majority situated in sensitive areas.<\/p>\n<p>Thao&#8217;s order promises \u2062temporary emergency shelter\u2064 for \u200cthose displaced, though it does not guarantee housing when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mass-emergency-shelters-reach-capacity\/\" title=\"Mass. Emergency Shelters Reach Capacity\">shelters reach capacity<\/a>. Having experienced homelessness herself, Thao advocates for finding permanent\u200d housing solutions rather than establishing encampments on the street. The new policy aligns with similar actions taken by nearby cities\u200b such as San Francisco, which are also taking a firmer stance against homeless encampments following the court ruling.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Oakland mayor issues directive to start clearing homeless encampments<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1761959\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Embattled Mayor&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3153829\/oakland-recall-city-political-chaos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Oakland \">Sheng Thao<\/a>&nbsp;of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oakland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Oakland \">Oakland, California, <\/a>issued an executive order on Monday directing the city to start aggressively clearing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/homelessness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"homeless\">homeless<\/a> encampments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Being unhoused is not a crime in Oakland, but it doesn&rsquo;t give individuals the right to break other laws,&rdquo; Thao said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aKE2g2r3unM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"video statement\">video statement<\/a> posted on her YouTube page. &ldquo;We must protect our critical infrastructure and do so by leading with compassion.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao becomes emotional while speaking to the media during a press conference at Oakland City Hall in Oakland, California, on June 24, 2024. (AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The news follows the June Supreme Court ruling on <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3054647\/supreme-court-power-homeless-camps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Grants Pass v. Johnson\">Grants Pass v. Johnson<\/a>,<\/em> which allowed states to ban people from sleeping and camping in public areas.&nbsp;The 6-3 ruling overturned a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-rejects-pennsylvania-gop-election-appeal\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Rejects Pennsylvania GOP Election Appeal\">lower court decision<\/a> that called it cruel and unusual&nbsp;under the&nbsp;Eighth&nbsp;Amendment to punish those sleeping outside if they had nowhere else to go.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Oakland had kept quiet on whether it would alter the city&rsquo;s approach to encampments in response to the ruling until Monday.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/london-breed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"California Gov. Gavin Newsom \">San Francisco, Mayor London Breed<\/a> promised a &ldquo;very aggressive&rdquo; crackdown on camps after the Supreme Court decision. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3099125\/gavin-newsom-order-dismantle-homeless-encampments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"California Gov. Gavin Newsom \">Gov. Gavin Newsom <\/a>(D-CA) followed suit, issuing an order telling cities&nbsp;to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/los-angeles-pushes-back-on-newsom-order-to-clear-homeless-encampments-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Los Angeles pushes back on Newsom order to clear homeless encampments - Washington Examiner\">start dismantling thousands<\/a> of homeless encampments around the state. Newsom cannot legally force cities and counties to kick the homeless off the streets, but he can apply pressure by withholding some state funds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>About 123,000 Californians were unsheltered on any given night, according to a recent count. Unlike New York City, which guarantees people the right to housing, California does not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Oakland&rsquo;s new directive will allow the city to target encampments&nbsp;&ldquo;near schools, Tot Lots, playgrounds, or impeding access to small businesses and residential homes, if it blocks traffic lanes, bike lanes or sidewalks, preventing pathways from being ADA compliant, and if they impede the ability of first responders, like firefighters, to perform their essential functions.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thao&rsquo;s order also states that a camp that is found to pose an imminent risk of serious injury or death and is damaging critical infrastructure will be broken down with less than 12 hours notice.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As of June 2024, there were an estimated 1,486 homeless camps in Oakland, with 90% located in high-sensitivity zones.&nbsp;The city&rsquo;s Encampment Management Team tracks encampments and prioritizes interventions based on safety, health, and size.&nbsp;Oakland&rsquo;s&nbsp;public works crews visit dozens of encampments throughout the city on a weekly basis. They conduct trash removal, provide portable toilets, and offer hand wash station servicing, according to the EMT.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Thao was once homeless and lived out of her car with her young son but said she never thought pitching a tent on the sidewalk was the answer. Instead, she &ldquo;sought affordable housing and services, for which I was deeply grateful.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>People living on the streets of Oakland will be offered temporary emergency shelter. However, if shelter space fills up, it will be up to the newly evicted to find somewhere else to live.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A teal fence at the back of the parking lot at the Home Depot in Oakland separates the hardware store from one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-seyton-phoenix-is-policing-super-bowl-speech-but-not-violent-crime\/\" title=\"Joe Seyton: Phoenix Is Policing Super Bowl Speech, but Not Violent Crime\">largest homeless encampments<\/a> in the city on March 7, 2024. (Barnini Chakraborty\/Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;In no case, will emergency or urgent closures be delayed for shelter unavailability,&rdquo; the order states.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While Thao&rsquo;s move to clear encampments was applauded by some, other groups, such as the Oakland Police Officers Association, called it a &ldquo;last-minute political stunt before voters decide to recall her on Nov. 5.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>They also said Thao never notified the Oakland Police Department of her plans and that executing her executive order would have to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minneapolis-police-department-to-face-referendum\/\" title=\"Minneapolis Police Department to face referendum\">include police officers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The mayor and the city of Oakland has exactly two officers assigned to the encampment unit,&rdquo; the statement said. &ldquo;There will be many more of us required to fully carry out this &lsquo;order.&rsquo; Where are they coming from? The already understaffed patrol beats?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Thao is facing a tough recall in November fueled by voter frustration over crime, corruption, the closing of businesses, and a reluctance to hold lawbreakers accountable.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\" \"> <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thao, whose home was raided by the FBI earlier this year, has been dogged by pay-to-play allegations since almost the beginning of her four-year term. She is now part of a federal investigation linked to an influential Oakland family that has donated to her campaign, as well as other&nbsp;elected officials.<\/p>\n<p>She has denied all allegations. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1761959\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1761959\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Oakland&#8217;s Mayor Sheng Thao has announced an executive order aimed at actively clearing homeless encampments in the city. In a video shared on her YouTube channel, she emphasized that while being homeless is not a crime in Oakland, it does not permit individuals to violate other laws. &#8220;We must protect our critical infrastructure and do so with compassion,&#8221; she stated.<\/p>\n<p>This directive comes after a recent Supreme Court ruling in the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which permits states to prohibit sleeping and camping in public spaces. The 6-3 decision reversed a previous ruling that deemed it cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment to penalize those without shelter for sleeping outdoors.<\/p>\n<p>Until now, Oakland had remained silent about any changes to its approach regarding encampments following this ruling. In contrast, San Francisco&#8217;s Mayor London Breed has vowed to take strong action against camps post-ruling, while California Governor Gavin Newsom has instructed cities statewide to begin dismantling numerous homeless encampments. Although Newsom cannot legally compel cities or counties to remove homeless individuals from public areas, he can exert pressure by withholding state funding.<\/p>\n<p>Currently, approximately 123,000 Californians are unsheltered each night; unlike New York City\u2014which guarantees housing rights\u2014California does not have such provisions. Under Thao\u2019s new directive, the city will focus on clearing encampments located near schools and playgrounds or those obstructing access for businesses and residences if they block traffic lanes or sidewalks or hinder emergency responders&#8217; operations.<\/p>\n<p>The order also stipulates that camps posing an immediate risk of serious harm will be dismantled with less than 12 hours&#8217; notice. As of June 2024, there were around 1,486 identified homeless camps in Oakland\u201490% situated in sensitive areas\u2014and the city&#8217;s Encampment Management Team prioritizes interventions based on safety and health concerns.<\/p>\n<p>Thao herself experienced homelessness when she lived out of her car with her son but believes seeking affordable housing is essential rather than setting up tents on sidewalks. While temporary emergency shelters will be offered to those living on the streets of Oakland, if these facilities reach capacity, it will be up to individuals who are evicted to find alternative accommodations.<\/p>\n<p>Despite some support for Thao\u2019s initiative from various quarters, others\u2014including the Oakland Police Officers Association\u2014have criticized it as a politically motivated move ahead of her recall election scheduled for November 5th. They expressed concerns over insufficient police resources needed for implementing her order effectively amidst ongoing staffing shortages within patrol units.<\/p>\n<p>Thao faces significant challenges leading up to this recall vote due largely to public dissatisfaction regarding crime rates and perceived corruption during her tenure; earlier this year saw an FBI raid at her home amid allegations related to campaign contributions from influential local families\u2014a claim she denies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2345371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Sheng-Thao-press-conference.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[41617,33136,4602,16718,32076],"class_list":["post-2345370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-directive","tag-homeless-encampments","tag-mayor","tag-oakland","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Sheng-Thao-press-conference.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2345370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2345370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2345370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2345371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2345370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2345370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2345370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}