Berkeley's Ohlone Park: Homeless Encampment Defies Removal Order

Berkeley's Ohlone Park Homeless Encampment Remains Despite City Deadline Berkeley, CA – A city-ordered deadline to clear a large homeless encampment at Ohlone Park has passed, but the tents remain, sparking a heated debate among residents, business owners, and advocates. Residents express concerns about safety and property issues, citing drug use and theft as ongoing problems. "The drug use in the back, the stealing...they've stolen property from my tenants," said Hossein Attar, a local property owner and member of the group "Save Ohlone Park." However, advocates point to the lack of available housing as a major obstacle to resolving the situation. Felix Velasquez of Options Recovery Services, an outreach organization, noted that while his team has worked on similar issues before, this is the first time they've encountered a situation where those being displaced have nowhere to go. "This is the first area where they're clearing it out, but there doesn't seem to be anywhere to go right now," Velasquez stated. A court hearing is scheduled to address the matter, and both sides seem open to postponing the encampment's removal. The situation highlights the complex challenges of addressing homelessness in the Bay Area.