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CBS News
10-08-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
East Oakland homeless encampment on MacArthur Boulevard raises health, safety concerns
People in East Oakland say a growing homeless encampment on MacArthur Boulevard near 106th Avenue is becoming more unsanitary and unsafe. And now, it's starting to spill into the street. "We shouldn't have to live like this," said Staci, a woman who lives in East Oakland and frequents Sports Page, a bar just feet away from the encampment. She said in the last few years, it's continued to get worse. "The smell is horrific," said Staci. "It's the smell, then there's rats and rodents and the rats are coming across the street." She worries about the health and safety hazards. She said you can't use the sidewalk and some cars and buses have to swerve out of the way of the trash. "It's been close calls," Staci explained. "I've seen it. You can see it. You have to go out into the street, it's encroaching on the incoming traffic." And those living in the encampment know the residents aren't happy. "We're all looking for places to go instead of here," said Teela Hardy, a woman who has lived in her RV in this area for a number of years. Hardy said she's tried to get housing, but they won't let her take her dogs, who have become like family and protect her while she's lived on the street. She said she tries to be a good neighbor and keeps her space clean, but not everyone does the same. "It's so hard, it's so hard," said Hardy. "The garbage man always says if you put your trash here, we'll come pick it up every week, but they don't do it. They never do it. So we're left trying to figure out where to put trash. I see some people putting trash on the street. I hate that." Newly elected city councilmember for District 7, Ken Houston, said he won't stand for the mess anymore. "What's been happening in our streets, for the last 5-6 years, is ridiculous," Houston stated. "Our kids, our seniors, have to walk in the streets, cars have to go around trash and around these encampments. They're blocking the sidewalks. I'm changing all that. Enough is enough." Houston plans to introduce an Encampment Abatement Plan at a council committee meeting on Sept. 10, but before that, he's taking action on MacArthur Blvd. "I'm going to start cleaning up certain areas with public works next week and then I'm going to start having those RVs tagged," said Houston. "Next six to seven weeks, watch how it looks. Watch how it looks." He said Measure W, which was passed by voters in Alameda County to address homelessness, will help fund some of the changes. But for Staci and others in the area, it can't come fast enough. "Us taxpayers, we shouldn't have to see this," said Staci. "Something needs to be done."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bullet from nearby shooting floods East Oakland school cafeteria
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The Brief Shooting causes bullet to pierce pipes at East Oakland school cafeteria, causing flooding Oakland firefighters noticed the torrent of water and averted further damage No one was injured in the shooting OAKLAND, Calif. - Water cascaded down the side of the cafeteria at Lockwood Steam Academy in East Oakland early Wednesday after a bullet from a nearby shooting ended up in a pipe, officials said. "One of those bullets entered our building, the cafeteria here, and it pierced a pipe and caused a flood," said John Sasaki, spokesman for the Oakland Unified School District. The cafeteria had recently been remodeled, but Sasaki said the damage was limited, thanks to firefighters who noticed the flowing water. "That really - no question - saved us from further damage, so we want to thank the Oakland Fire Department for being really Johnny-on-the-spot for us there and making sure that this is taken care of," Sasaki said. Bullet from shooting block away What we know It all happened at about 4:45 a.m. as Oakland police responded to ShotSpotter reports of gunfire near 70th Avenue and Herbert Guice Way. Officers scoured the scene for evidence, and numerous yellow markers littered the intersection. KTVU cameras spotted a Toyota Prius that had been hit by gunfire outside Bethel Baptist Church at 69th Avenue and Herbert Guice, which sits directly across the street from the elementary school's cafeteria. Officers also inspected the car for evidence. Police said no one was hit by the gunfire. Alternate plans for students' food What they're saying As the sun rose, school officials confirmed the pipe that was hit was in the attached kitchen. That meant district officials had to scramble to make sure students had fresh food for the day. "We had to be very quick, very nimble and changing our plans," Sasaki said. The district's nutrition services staff made sure students had bag lunches delivered to the campus. Those picking up children at the end of the day had a range of emotions. "As long as they were safe and nothing actually happened, I mean I would have liked to hear about it, but it's a lot of kids, and they can't call to every parent," said Lashawnda Carter. Sabrina Stokes said, "I feel good, but just hopefully that they find out what was really going down, why the bullets came this way over to the school." Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and The Source Interviews
