Oakland's Toll Plaza Beach encampment scheduled for clearance

( KRON ) — Those with frequent commutes on the Bay Bridge might have looked to the side and noticed a slice of life nestled in by where the Toll Plaza Beach lies.

For years, dozens of unhoused residents have called the beach home. It's come to be known as the "Toll Plaza Beach Encampment."

A recent court order said that after a recent series of back-and-forths, Oakland was ordered to clear the encampment by July 23 after its appeals for preliminary injunction were denied.

On May 1, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) sent a letter to the City of Oakland, alleging that the encampment's close proximity to the water violates their 100-foot shoreline band jurisdiction.

BCDC's letter told Oakland that if the city does not clear the encampment within 35 days, fines will begin to accrue.

On May 31, Oakland appealed the limit for resolution, claiming "there are currently not enough shelter options to close all encampments in high sensitivity locations" and that the City's Encampment Management Team (EMT) "anticipates having sufficient shelter capacity to fully enclose the encampment by July 19."

On June 26, notices to vacate the premises were posted in four different languages, indicating that the "Public Works Department would clear and close the site on Tuesday, July 9 through Thursday, July 11."

Approximately a week later, Oakland applied to halt the eviction of Toll Plaza Beach "to give disabled residents the time needed to find a safe place to live and store their possessions" and that necessary modifications "are actually accessible to them," the court order said.

The following day, the court extended evictions and ordered the city to "halt removal of vehicles, RVs, or other structure in which the plaintiffs live" and to fully disclose "[residents'] disabilities to determine shelter options," the order said.  “This means that the City is authorized to begin clearing the encampment on July 19, 2024, at 9 a.m.," the order said.

Despite holding a hearing on extending the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) further, the court denied the request for further injunctive relief. On Thursday, however, the Oakland Police Department told KRON4 that the clearing of the encampments is scheduled for July 23.

"Outreach to the encampment residents at Toll Plaza Beach has been ongoing for several weeks to offer them shelter and services, and this work has continued throughout the planned encampment clearing operations. An estimated 8-10 residents remain at this location, several of which have indicated that they will accept the City's offer of shelter and services."

OPD Public Information Officer Sean Maher

"The City is ordered to continue working with these plaintiffs to ensure that they are offered the available shelter that best accommodates their disabilities," the order request concluded in part.

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