Politics & Government
Roseland Homeless Given More Time to Vacate
The tent camps behind a Dollar Tree store that at one time housed as many as 100 people were to be vacated on Tuesday
SANTA ROSA, CA — Sonoma County officials have extended the final date to April 19 for homeless people to vacate two encampments in the Roseland area of Santa Rosa. The tent camps behind a Dollar Tree store that at one time housed as many as 100 people were to be vacated on Tuesday, but attorneys for the Homeless Action! advocacy organization challenged the county's proposed action in federal court.
At a hearing in San Francisco Thursday, District Court Judge Vince Chhabria proposed the Sonoma County Community Development Commission keep the camps open three more weeks. The judge said closing the encampments without replacement housing options raises constitutional questions.
The Community Development Commission owns the land occupied by the camps and wants it cleared so it can begin developing a 175-apartment unit housing project that includes affordable units.
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In a response today to Judge Chhabria's proposal, Chief Deputy County Counsel Alegria De La Cruz said the challenge that delayed the camps' closure not only caused confusion among the homeless occupants but added to the number its occupants.
"Given the confusion inside the encampments and the need to ensure people understand what is forthcoming, the Commission offers a final date to vacate the encampment as of April 19 without the need for further orders from the Court," De La Cruz said in her written response to the court.
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The Community Development Commission opened a Roseland Village Housing Navigation Center near the camps on Feb. 23 for campers who were living there as of Feb. 21. The Center's outreach workers informed the campers of safe temporary and permanent housing placement options in eight locations that provide housing and health and human services. The Navigation Center is now closed.
De La Cruz said the Community Development Commission will continue to provide those outreach services.
The extension of the date to vacate the encampments will allow time for the remaining occupants to tour shelters and devise housing plans, remove fencing, clear debris and help sort and identify personal belongings for storage, De La Cruz said.
Attorneys for Homeless Action! did not return an email requesting comment Friday afternoon.
By Bay City News Service
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