Santa Rosa cracks down on another homeless encampment
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Rosa is like many California cities -- it has a homeless problem. There are an estimated 2,000 homeless people there.
On Wednesday, the police and parks departments delivered another deadline to the homeless in the city.
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They manage human tragedy so often that it almost feels like a drill.
"You have to vacate immediately," said a park ranger as he knocked on the tent door at a homeless tent along the Joe Rodata Trail. This area has become the latest front line in Santa Rosa's ongoing effort to help the homeless, or as least keep them from encroaching on everyday life.
"Can you anticipate where they will go next?" we asked Santa Rosa Police Sergeant Jonathan Wolf.
"I can't," he said.
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The camp formed a month ago and now has roughly 100 people in an area 1 mile long.
Their departure cannot happen soon enough for residents like Bill Petty. He rides his bike to work along the Joe Rodata Trail. Last week, eight people blocked the path and one attacked him.
"It is a no-win situation, but this can't happen," Petty said.
What does happen? We have shown you many times before, from the remnants of a camp at Homeless Hill last August to another in Roseland in April, with others in between. In all of those places, many of the faces remain constant.
"It is a not the best environment," said Amanda Friedman when we spoke with her in a shelter last August. She has been in and out of the system at least two times. We asked what happened.
"No one will kick me out of here because my dog peed or barked," said Amanda. "I ask them for other options but they give me no other option but the shelter."
"These are people for whom we need to find a different intervention," said Jennielynn Holmes of Catholic Charities. "What is necessary is new housing dedicated to the homeless."
It won't come before next week, as Santa Rosa's exercise in homeless musical chairs continues.
