Removal of large homeless encampment scheduled for tomorrow morning

08.27.12 - 5:19 pm | Yael Chanoff |

(11)

The Coalition on Homelessness received word that a homeless encampment at Fourth and King is scheduled for eviction tomorrow. According to an outreach report from John Gallagher, a human rights organizer at the coalition, about 40 people live in the encampment including at least two children. It has approxamitely 15 tent and 3-4 mobile structures.

Some excerpts from the report:

There are essentially two campsites, one under the overpass on Cal Train property and subject to the jurisdiction on the CHP and a sidewalk next to a bike path subject to SFPD.
4 persons using wheel chairs – and most of the people had at least some disability (their own words).
The camp community is clean and free of any smells and what rubbish there is has been set out of the way. They seem in general to be a law abiding community even keeping their tents away from the fire hydrant. There are bathrooms across the street in a park that is kept neat and clean.
Residents of this small community were proud to tell me that people who park cars next to the camp felt more security than those who parked away from camp. This camp is so peaceful that I saw more that four people on their way to work walk unafraid right down the middle of camp.
I was informed that several of the residents are “working poor.” they get up for 9 to 5 daily. There were two American flags displayed and potted plans are scattered around works of “Art” decoratively in from of most tents. There is a community garden bordered and well keep by the residents at the part of the overpass that receives the most sun. Clean laundry hangs drying on a chain link fence. This is a community of families, Artists, writers (two brothers), displaced persons and pet owners. ( Three healthy well fed dogs)

The eviction will likeley occur at 8 or 9am tomorrow. As Gallagher says in his report, part of the camp is on SFPD turf, and part is CalTrain property policed by the California Highway Patrol. Neither agency could be reached for comment.

Homeless

Comments

What a f...ing disgrace,

What a f...ing disgrace, America the most wealthiest country in the world, most other countries have safety nets for the destitute/ homeless, I am not referring to street people.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 7:02 pm

I don't make a distinction.

I don't make a distinction. Destitute, poor, homeless and street people. Whatever their situation, it's all a lack of $$ and often the lack of permanent housing. There's no need for prejudice against one group versus another.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 7:51 pm

Sorry to hear about this

Sorry to hear about this homeless camp eviction. This City has such a ridiculous homeless "policy"....move homeless people from one place to another so that the "haves" (bourgeois elite) don't have to see them. The bourgeois elite/the "haves" prefer to live in Denial as to the realities of the way things are today in this country. The homeless are not allowed to sit on the sidewalk (sit-lie) or ask for money. I don't know where they are supposed to go to the bathroom or get fresh water, or even take a shower. As for food, they are frequently digging through the garbage looking for food. But we have enough $$ to order 30,000 (armed) drones for "domestic spying" under Mr Hope and Change We Can Believe In Obama. What fucked up priorities. That's all I have to say.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 7:18 pm

I share a feeling of dismay about the homeless being evicted.

Sadly, it is generally the newcomers, the moneyed young, and the anal retentives who tend to complain the most about the homeless who they haven't a clue about, really.

There have been homeless people living in basically those same spots for decades, and often homeless people are quite a bit more intelligent than your average anti-homeless agitator.

Likely the homeless will move to another part of town and none of them will end up down by Candlestick Park with a broken arm as back in the bad old days. They are simply being reminded that they shouldn't get too comfortable: "San Francisco wants you dead."

Thinking about the two American flags, I have to wonder: are allowed to fly that flag? That might be looked upon as insulting by some rather than uplifting or ironic.

Posted by lillipublicans on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 7:53 pm

Good - many more camps to go!

Like those located in Golden Gate Park - then move on to increasing pressure on the professional homeless like Giuliani did by "encouraging" them through repeated stays in jail and enforced dry out sessions, to get the hell out of our city and return it to the decent, tax-paying citizens who are sick of the tolerance of intolerance shown from this population of miscreants.

Posted by Troll II on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 8:06 pm

Absolutely. The sooner the

Absolutely. The sooner the better! SF isn't burning man

Posted by Greg on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 8:48 pm

What is with this spam filter

What is with this spam filter that this site has that wastes so much time because it won't allow the most basic of comments? I'll try again for the 8th time:

I hope that the 2 U.S. flags in the camp are "flown" or situated as they should be:
Flown upside down to indicate a nation in distress, because this is definitely a nation in distress.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 27, 2012 @ 9:06 pm

Why don't these people move somewhere where they can

actually afford to live? If you have little money, why try and live in one of the most expensive places on the planet?

Why would a poor person move to Aspen, La Jolla, Monaco or Aruba? It makes no sense.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 28, 2012 @ 5:52 am

Moving where you can afford

For one thihng, Guest, a significant number of homeless people in San Francisco have lived here -- in housing -- for some time. They lost their homes due to eviction, unemployment, etc. and wound up on the streets. Not every homeless person came here to live on the streets.

Posted by tim on Aug. 28, 2012 @ 8:34 am

Even where that is true, it can make sense for someone who

can on longer afford to live here, to find cheaper digs. There are places on the east bay where housing is half the cost of SF, or less.

Large camps of itinerant homeless people in the city causes crime and public health issues. SF cannot and should not be a mecca for the nation's underclass.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 28, 2012 @ 11:08 am

Common sense move where you

Common sense move where you can live decent,and STOP LETTING YOUR POOR FRIENDS TELL YOU TO MOVE HEAR TO HELP THEM PAY THEIR BILLS.which they will not mention.

Posted by Guest on Aug. 28, 2012 @ 8:43 am