| In 2020, Oakland City Council passed the “Encampment Management Policy” (EMP), authored by CM Loren Taylor. This legislation did not create one single additional shelter bed, much less any interim housing or pipeline towards permanent housing for our houseless neighbors. Because the EMP did nothing to address the issue of people not being able to afford housing or access shelter, it was, in practice, completely unenforceable. While the City created an Encampment Management Team and ramped up sweeps, most of the time, encampments were simply displaced from one street or park to another. Wherever you stand on homelessness and people dwelling in public spaces, you’ve likely experienced the EMP as a failed policy.
In July, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” tying federal funding for Health & Human Services (HHS) and Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to a crackdown on homelessness. Shortly afterward, CM Ken Houston moved to rush an update to the EMP, which he is calling an “Encampment Abatement Policy.”
There’s a lot to unpack here – different people are deeply affected by the homelessness crisis in different ways, and different levels of government (City, County, State & Federal) are needed to meaningfully address the crisis and create concrete solutions. The people benefitting from this man-made disaster (the racist real estate industry and a fascist President exploiting fear to justify repression) are counting on us being too divided – housed vs. unhoused – to challenge their power and successfully implement solutions that reflect Oakland’s values.
The Black Solutions Lab, Care 4 Community Action, Wood Street Commons are here to help you understand what’s being proposed, think through the nuances of addressing the homelessness crisis in Oakland, and support you to clearly and effectively present your position to the decision-makers who will be voting on this policy very soon.
What to expect at this training:
- You’ll gain a clear understanding of why this legislation is being proposed and what it would concretely do.
- Organizers with lived experience of homelessness will explain what this policy would do and how it would affect people currently living on the streets.
- We will demystify the process of passing legislation at the City level, and you will leave empowered to meaningfully participate in that process.
- You’ll leave the training empowered and prepared to advocate effectively at upcoming public meetings about this proposed policy.
We hope you can join us – bring your friends and neighbors! Register here for the zoom link. |
