Wood Street encampment of the unhoused, Oakland, CA. Photo/Delphinel
Contacts: Jon Sullivan Jared Defigh, 341-699-6435, 925-497-9053; jon.m.sullivan26@gmail.com; jareddefigh@gmail.com
Editor’s note: Below is a press release issued on April 5 from Wood Street Commons residents about the City of Oakland’s scheduled eviction of their encampment on April 10, 2023. Early news reports state that the eviction has begun, and that the City has destroyed personal vehicles and personal property of some of the many traumatized residents during the eviction. The eviction is scheduled to span two weeks.
PRESS RELEASE
Oakland City officials plan to evict the remaining unhoused residents living at 1707 Wood Street on April 10th.
The Residents of Wood Street Commons have been battling the City of Oakland in Court for months, since the first eviction notices were posted in December. However, recently a federal Judge lifted the unhoused residents restraining order allowing the city to evict the residents.
The long-term residents of The Wood Street Commons received eviction notices from the City of Oakland. The eviction which began on April 10 may span two weeks.
The temporary restraining order was lifted on Feb. 27th, after Judge Orrick determined that “adequate shelter” was available for Wood Street residents at the new so-called “Community Cabin” site that is currently under construction at 26th and Wood.
Many Wood Street residents have been living on the current land for as long as a decade. Many residents moved to Wood Street from other locations around the city, after Oakland police officers instructed them to move here. People were told they would not be bothered at Wood Street.
We believe that given how long people have lived here, that we deserve more than “adequate shelter.” Additionally, the fact that these so-called evictions are taking place while Alameda County’s eviction moratorium remains in place exemplifies the fact that Oakland’s unhoused residents do not have the same legal rights as renters.
The Wood Street Commons currently provides shelter, hot meals, clothing, and other emotional and material support services to residents on a mutual aid basis. The Wood Street Commons offers these services to people who would otherwise be refused services by the city because they’re unable to meet the strict standards of public housing.
Wood Street residents are committed to holding the land at 1707 Wood Street until a mutually agreed-upon solution can be met.
For more information on the self-governing community set up at the Wood Street Encampment visit https://peoplestribune.org/2023/03/wood-street-unhoused-seek-solidarity-to-stop-oaklands-eviction/
View a recent video about the camp at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kAyAlPO_V0
