CalTrans close to evicting 100s of residents from Wood St.
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
“It’s so good to see trash in bags…and plants again!” - Encampent Resident
06/03/2021 12:49 pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine Cob on Wood is a one of a kind community hub centered in the encampment on Wood St. In West Oaklamd, Ca. The communal kitchen, bathroom, showers, health center, free shop, pizza oven, fire pit and stage are all services available to the 100 to 200 residents for free. It has been built with private funding and resident labor amd sponsored by 3 not for profits, EFAM, ABC and LES.
On Thursday i came by in the morning to observe the camp amd chat with residents. As I sat at the Sunny picnic table over the next hour I saw at least 10 residents come in and use the shower, kitchen, bathroom amd health center. This is definitely a shared services model that is being used by many people. The alternative that these people had to take showers prior to the shower being built was a truck that came around once a week and pushed out water for them to shower with. Having a kitchen with a refrigerator is a huge improvement. The health center has tons of different supplies that the residents can all take for free. This is truly a model that is unique and it could easily be replicated at other encampments.
CalTrans and the city of Oakland have a very methodical way of shutting down an encampment. Rather than shut the whole encampment down at once, they squeeze it down to smaller and smaller spaces in an effort to squeeze everyone out slowly. On Wood Street they have three phases. The first phase has already occurred and you can see in some of the pictures that they have scraped everything off and set up cement barriers (see photos). Phase 2 would lemonade the shared service shared services and buildings that have been put up for showering and kitchen etc. Once those are removed then it really takes a lot of the activation and life out of the site.
CalTrans is hoping that their phase small step approach, will affect less people all at once and keeps it lower profile and out of the media
“It’s so good to see trash in bags…and plants again!” - Encampent Resident
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
“It’s so good to see trash in bags…and plants again!” - Encampent Resident
5/23/21 - The Berkeley Post - West Oakland ABC, a grass roots, on the ground not for profit group helped oversee the clean-up effort at the Wood St. encampment with the help of volunteers from EFAM and Con on Wood.
Residents of the encampment were recently offered a deal to be allowed to stay if they cleaned up and cared for the land. Cal Trans backed out on the deal last week and plans to demolish the encampment soon.
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
05/21/2021 5:49 pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Staff Writers Oakland closed down any new registration for state and federal Cares Act and SB91 funds. One employee of BACS, who asked to remain anonymous said, “the system is overwhelmed. We need more people to help
process applications.” New landlord/tenant eviction prevention funds shut down suddenly on Mat 17, leaving many stranded. Tenants and landlords are in disbelief since there are still funds buy no way to apply for them. This comes at a bad time when the eviction protection is close to expiring. See City of Oakland webpage:
Hundreds of barriers moved in to Wood St.
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
COVID funds halted - homeless population could skyrocket in Oakland-system short on people to proces
5/19/21 - West Oakland, CA - 100s of K-bars have been brought in by Cal Trans. many of the residents speculate that these will be used to further shut down parts of the Wood St. Encampment, one of the largest in Oakland. One resident commented CalTrans’ attitude is to “push us in to one spot, push us out and clean us out like a trash compactor.”
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
05/17/2021 9:21pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine - In a deal verbally agreed on between Cal Trans, residents onsite and Councilwoman Fife’s office, the residents would be free to continue to stay on the Cal Trans land in exchange for cleaning up the site. Ironically,
Cob on Wood GoFundMe breaks $60,000 mark
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
Encampment residents clean thousands of pounds of trash in exchange for residency
5/16/21 UPDATE: $60,000 surpassed in GoFundMe
05/11/2021 5:21pm (The Berkeley Post) - by BP writers - Cob on Wood passes $50,000 in donations!
Several recent news pieces, including an international piece by the Guardian has revved up support…
Berkeley vaccinations vary widely based on zip code and race.
Illegal evictions of Oakland Wood St take a very public turn on Earth Day.
Illegal evictions of Oakland Wood St take a very public turn on Earth Day.
05/07/2021 5:49 pm (The Berkeley Post) - by TBP Writers - All the Berkeley zip codes were analyzed and 94704 is 38% vaccinated wheras 94707 is 98% vaccinated. This directly correlates…
Illegal evictions of Oakland Wood St take a very public turn on Earth Day.
Illegal evictions of Oakland Wood St take a very public turn on Earth Day.
Illegal evictions of Oakland Wood St take a very public turn on Earth Day.
05/06/2021 5:49 pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Staff Writers - Residents, media, politicians and Oaklamd City Officials all came to...
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
03/16/2021 5:49 pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine - In the Mayors virtual town hall meeting today, hosted by Jesse Arreguin, Mayor of Berkeley, the City announced that those 16-64 who are medically compromised, with underlying medical conditions, are now eligible to be vacinated.
Are tech companies exiting SF for Berkeley? HTC might be.
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
02/19/2021 7:49am (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine - In one of the latest developments of new tech players landing in Berkeley, Taiwan based HTC Corp has recently purchased a 3 story building in a prime Berkeley neighborhood centralized to UC Berkeley and great restaurants. Co-founder, Cher Wang, actually has roots in Berkeley, having graduated UCB with a Master of Arts. It appears that some of all of their San Francisco operations may move out of SF.
Unhoused encampment village being built under I80
City opens vaccinations to 16-64 with underlying medical conditions
University Exit, Berkeley encampment trash gone! “We put in place solutions that reduce littering"
University Exit, Berkeley encampment trash gone! “We put in place solutions that reduce littering"
University Exit, Berkeley encampment trash gone! “We put in place solutions that reduce littering"
University Exit, Berkeley encampment trash gone! “We put in place solutions that reduce littering"
01/08/2021 7:49am (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine - University Ave Exit has been an eyesore for many as they exit I80 to enter Berkeley. Trash from illegal contractor dumping, local inhabitants and the Freeway have marred the landscape.
“The threat is happening - the surge is real,” says Jesse Arreguin in Townhall Meeting
University Exit, Berkeley encampment trash gone! “We put in place solutions that reduce littering"
“The threat is happening - the surge is real,” says Jesse Arreguin in Townhall Meeting
01/05/2021 5:49pm (The Berkeley Post) - by Max Levine - Jesse Arreguin, Mayor of Berkeley, has launched one of the most thorough and transparent COVID-19 public update programs in the Bay Area.
CITY NEWS 12/03/20
Berkeley elects sworn in.
12/03/20 11:39am (The Berkeley Post) - Jesse Arreguín, Ben Bartlett, Terry Taplin and Sophie Hahn sworn in.
(UPDATE) Berkeley’s Goldengate Fields sees COVID-19 cases skyrocket after death of famous trainer.
12/08/20 11:39am (The Berkeley Post) - The field is on lock down after 100 people who tested positive
Horse trainer at Golden Gate Fields, Bob Hess Sr., died from COVID-19
12/05/20 6pm (UPDATE) BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley post) – most revered and trusted horse trainers passes away from COVID-19 complications.
Berkeley streets rank almost the worst in Bay Area according to City Auditor
11/27/20 10:39pm (The Berkeley Post) - “Without significant additional funding, Berkeley streets will continue to deteriorate”
Community: UC Berkeley renaming Halls because of slavery connection.
11/17/2020 1:10pm BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley Post) - LeConte and Barrows halls will no longer have their names after next week. 13% of the staff and students did not support renaming or no-naming.
Berkeley News Community: Should we remove the statues in Berkeley off the I-80
11/19/2020 9:32 p.m. BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley post) -
6-Alarm fire in downtown Berkeley (UPDATE)
11/23/2020 9PM (The Berkeley Post) -The fire in downtown Berkeley continues to burn almost 72 hours in to it.
ENCAMPMENT NEWS
University Exit encampment cleaned by Untrash he world
11/25/2020 2:45pm BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley post) - Over 20 volunteers get together
Berkeley homeless encampments being used to dump garbage from job-sites
11/24/2020 7:45am (The Berkeley Post)
Berkeley news: Google.org grants millions of dollars to local non-profits and those in need
11/17/2020 12:32am BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley Post) - Google.org is helping low-income people by investing in companies like Family Independence Initiative (FII).
CRIME & SAFETY
Berkeley News: Car chase through Berkeley ends with arrest in Oakland
11/23/2020 12:32am BERKELEY, Calif. (The Berkeley Post) A high speed chase through Oakland in pursuit
Berkeley News: Ashby and San Pablo hit and run - 3 car accident. More police presence needed.
11/26/2020 9:10am (The Berkeley Post) - Every night there are cars speeding up and down Ashby Avenue.
berkeley COMMUNITY NEWS
Berkeley News Art: Eco-printing
Berkeley leaves turned in to botanical scarves by local artist
Weekly interview: From their perspective
Over the next 8 weeks The Berkeley Post will be releasing a series of interviews conducted across 8 encampments in Berkeley,
Family: 5 cool bike rides in Berkeley the whole family can do
Best easies bike rides the whole family can do
Adventure: Secret Stair cases in Berkeley
This is an ongoing series that will add in new secret staircase hikes weekly.