Oakland homeless camp to be cleaned up, residents forced out

ByMichelle Hong KGO logo
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Oakland homeless camp to be cleaned up, residents forced out
The City of Oakland is beginning a two-week cleanup operation at a controversial homeless camp located near High Street Home Depot.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The City of Oakland is beginning a two-week cleanup operation at a controversial homeless camp located near High Street Home Depot.

Sky7 was over the encampment located at the intersection of East 8th Street and Alameda Avenue, which is about the size of three football fields.

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City officials say the site is a fire hazard, and plan to create a new "fire lane" pathway for emergency vehicles to get in and out.

Crews will also remove hazardous materials and tear down the hand made wooden home structures.

RELATED: Oakland Home Depot fed up with homeless camp

But while people are asked to move off the site for two weeks, advocates say nothing is being done to help those who call the place home.

"No shelter beds are being offered, not even a tent. About the 10 or so folks here who are going to lose their homes that the city's going to tear down--there's nowhere for them to go," Candice Elder.

Officials say residents will be able to return to the lot once its cleaned, but any belongings left behind will be thrown out.