California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state officials to start removing homeless encampments across the state on July 25, 2024. It didn’t take long for the Oakland encampments closest to the island to be swept clean. Nor did it take long for Alameda to see an increase of people in need of housing and human services.
“The City has seen an increase of individuals accessing the Alameda Day Center for basic services as well as an increase in residents reporting individuals experiencing homelessness to the Alameda Homeless Hotline,” Communications & Legislative Affairs Officer Sarah Henry told the Alameda Post .
The City contracts with The Village of Love Foundation to place two full-time and one part-time Homeless Outreach Team workers in the community to deliver basic services and resource referrals, Henry said. She noted that “Staff from the City Manager’s Office, Housing and Human Services Division, collaborate with community outreach workers to support and leverage resources that address the specific needs of individuals.”
While the City works to address homelessness , encampments continue to be present on the island. Given Newsom’s executive order encouraging local governments to adopt policies consistent with removing encampments across the state, what is the official Alameda Police Department (APD) policy?
When asked that question, the department provided a copy of the APD policy manual, which reiterates throughout that unhoused members of the community will receive the same level and quality of service as everyone else.
“It is the policy of the Alameda Police Department to provide law enforcement services to all members of the community, while protecting the rights, dignity and private property of the homeless,” the manual states. “Homelessness is not a crime and members of this department will not use homelessness solely as a basis for detention or law enforcement action.”
The City of Alameda Encampment Management Guidelines Pilot states, “The City monitors encampments to ensure they are safe and sanitary, and provides ongoing resources through the Homeless Outreach Team, including offering and providing access to a sheltered emergency bed when available. The observations or complaints will be addressed with the persons living in the encampment where these occur. Failure to comply with the [below] requirements may result in removal or abatement of items and debris, impoundment of vehicle(s) or animal(s), citations, or monetary fines. Criminal activities can result in arrest.”
The encampment pilot guidelines include the following standards to maintain health and safety:
- Tents, vehicles, and belongings must not be placed upon or block the following:
- Private property or access to the property;
- Vehicle, bike, or pedestrian traffic;
- Bus stops, sidewalks, park pathways and ADA access points needed by those with disabilities;
- Emergency ingress/egress routes;
- Lawful business and government operations; and
- Driveway access and unloading access, including for ACI (trash) pick up.
- All belongings must be stored inside a person’s tent, vehicle or within a 6-foot by 6-foot (6×6) area if there is no tent or vehicle.
- The area directly adjacent to a tent, vehicle or 6×6 area must always be kept clear and clean, and free of trash, property and old food.
- Tents and vehicles should remain a minimum of 6-feet apart.
- Unsafe storage and excessive accumulation of flammable materials.
- All pets and service/support animals must be kept under control at all times and leashed when outside tent or vehicle.
- Be fire safe.
- Public trash receptacles and portable toilets may not be moved.
- Observe quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (City noise ordinance).
- Proper use of portable lavatories and handwashing stations.
- Do not block business operations, residences and public infrastructure.
- Do not build unpermitted structures out of wood, metal or other materials that can create a fire hazard or injury risk.
The pilot also includes a list of violations that are likely to result in immediate enforcement, including unsanctioned electrical or water taps, trespassing or dumping on adjacent private properties, creating or maintaining environmental or health hazards, unsafe structures, destruction of public property, and criminal activity.
When it comes to personal property, APD instructs its officers to treat the belongings of individuals experiencing homelessness with “reasonable care.” Officers are instructed to not discard or destroy the personal property of an unhoused individual.
“The personal property of homeless persons must not be treated differently than the property of other members of the public,” states APD’s policy manual.
According to policy 463.3, officers are encouraged to consider long-term solutions, such as shelter referrals and counseling, rather than physical arrest when a person experiencing homelessness has committed a non-violent misdemeanor and “continued freedom is not likely to result in a continuation of the offense or a breach of the peace.”
For information on food assistance, emergency assistance, temporary shelter, and how to help unhoused community members, visit the City of Alameda’s Programs and Services Addressing Homelessness web page.
Kelsey Goeres is the Managing Editor of the Alameda Post . Contact her via kelsey@alamedapost.com . Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Kelsey-Goeres .
The post APD’s Encampment Policies: ‘Homelessness Is Not a Crime’ appeared first on Alameda Post .
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