One of the greatest challenges of our time is the growing humanitarian crisis of homelessness. This is not a problem confined to Berkeley, Alameda County, the Bay Area, or even the State. It is a national crisis whose roots can be traced back to the significant cuts to social safety nets in the 1980s and to broader systemic racism. Indeed, the Bay Area, as with other urban areas, is a hotspot, with a dramatic increase over the last few years as we face further federal cuts to programs. Despite the immense challenges we face, and the understanding that no city alone can solve homelessness, Berkeley is leading the way and working with regional partners to make an impact, all while addressing another major crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cleaning Up Berkeley

City trucks hauled away dozens of tons of debris from the I-80/University interchange earlier this month.

The most common constituent call coming into my office is Caltrans’ failure to clean up their property along I-80, especially at the University Avenue interchange. For months, we have shared your frustration after making countless attempts to work with Caltrans to resolve the matter. If it was our jurisdiction, the problem would have been resolved months ago, but it is illegal for the City to enter Caltrans’ property without their permission. Despite the lack of cooperation from Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol, the City of Berkeley sent 17 workers to clean up the northwest portion of the I-80/University interchange in the past 2 weeks. Over a six hour period, 35 tons of garbage and debris was removed. Plans to clean up the southwest portion were made possible by community volunteers and “Where do we go” advocates after, finally, gaining the assistance of Caltrans and the CHP. The city will continue to work diligently with Caltrans to fulfill their legally mandated task of keeping their property clean and ensure that their properties continue to be maintained.

This is just one aspect of our investment in recent years in improving the cleanliness of our city. We have increased funding for addressing illegal dumping, which has resulted in multiple operations across the city in clearing up problematic areas and removing dozens of tons of debris. Berkeley residents can report illegal dumping by using our 311 system.

Keeping the Most Vulnerable Safe in an International Pandemic

When the Emergency Operations Center launched in late January to begin planning for a potential pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, it became clear that we would need to take swift action to protect our most vulnerable communities. Before State and County resources were available, we began to look into protocols for moving people into hotel rooms as a way to provide safe shelter. When places such as libraries and community centers closed when the Shelter in Place Order went into effect on March 17, we installed 77 port-a-potties and 64 hand-washing stations across the city to ensure people had access to hygiene. Kits including COVID-19 information, hand sanitizer, and face masks were delivered to encampments throughout the City.

After the initial push to provide safe and sanitary conditions, resources shifted towards looking at long term solutions as the extent of the COVID-19 crisis became more apparent. With shelters decompressed to ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines, we procured 18 trailers for people to safely isolate in, renovated a city-owned house for shelter, and worked with the State and County to house people in hotel rooms through Project Roomkey. Starting in April, we launched additional food deliveries to fill in the gap left when food donations became more limited, and expanded shower programs. In May, we partnered with the Downtown Berkeley Association to launch Double Helping Hands to provide food to the unhoused while supporting local restaurants. Operation Safer Ground, an extension of Project Roomkey, secured 69 hotel rooms in Berkeley, which were fully occupied by September. Currently, efforts are underway to help those living in hotels move to longer term housing.

Understanding the Restrictions and Limitations

There is no magic wand that makes homelessness disappear. And oftentimes, the actions we can or cannot do are restricted due to legal or logistical limitations. This is especially true under COVID-19.

Under the CDC guidelines for encampments, “if individual housing options are not available, [jurisdictions need to] allow people who are living unsheltered or in encampments to remain where they are.” This is because “clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.” Initial fears of large outbreaks happening at Berkeley encampments subsided, due to effective outreach and education in social distancing, and with a better understanding of how the virus transmits, which is less likely outdoors compared to inside with limited air circulation. Scientifically, the best way to reduce the risk of spread in encampments is to not disrupt them but instead support them.

In 2018, the Federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Martin vs. City of Boise that as long as the unhoused have no way to sleep indoors, it is unconstitutional for cities to enforce ordinances against sleeping outdoors on public property. Effectively, a city government would have to provide enough overnight shelter space to house every homeless person in its jurisdiction to legally enforce ordinances against encampments. This has made it difficult for city governments across the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit Court to move or close encampments.

Long Term Homeless Goals Require More Housing, Continued Investment, and Regional Collaboration

Groundbreaking earlier this month of 34 units of affordable housing for seniors who have faced homelessness. Thanks to new investments in affordable housing, such as Measure O, we have been able to increase the amount of affordable housing in develo… — Groundbreaking earlier this month of 34 units of affordable housing for seniors who have faced homelessness. Thanks to new investments in affordable housing, such as Measure O, we have been able to increase the amount of affordable housing in development.

In the long run, housing and continued investment and funding for homeless services are needed. We have laid the foundation for this work, thanks in part to voters approving Measures O & P in 2018, a $135 million bond for affordable housing, and $6-8 million annually for homeless services. Already, Measure O has helped fund several projects totaling 430 units, with money still available for future proposals. This includes Berkeley Way, a 142 unit development with homeless services that broke ground earlier this year, which when completed will become the largest affordable housing development in Berkeley’s history. Measure P has helped expand the STAIR Center, the first navigation center in the East Bay, which has helped house 250 people since opening in June 2018. This program has been so successful, that it has been used as a model in other East Bay cities. An additional 136 people have transferred to permanent housing through our Housing Resource Center since July 2019.

Homelessness has increased in Alameda County by 43% between 2017-2019. But due to the extensive efforts we have undertaken in Berkeley, including increased investment in anti-displacement and eviction defense programs that have kept hundreds of people in their homes, homelessness has grown at only one third the rate of the County, at 14%. No city alone can solve homelessness, which is why I am working with mayors and regional leaders in a collaborative approach. In the midst of a pandemic and the threat of a wave of evictions in California and across the nation looming, we must expedite and expand our collaborative actions to turn the tide on homelessness. As a society, we must look out for our most vulnerable members, and I remain committed to lifting up those most in need.