Berkeley to clear homeless camp after deadly leptospirosis outbreak linked to rats
Berkeley clearing homeless camp after deadly leptospirosis outbreak linked to rats
The City of Berkeley on Tuesday said it will clear a large homeless encampment at 8th and Harrison streets after officials declared the area a fire hazard and public nuisance following a a deadly leptospirosis outbreak linked to rats.
BERKELEY, Calif. - The city of Berkeley on Tuesday began clearing a large homeless encampment after officials declared the area a fire hazard and public nuisance following a a deadly leptospirosis outbreak linked to rats.
Notices posted on Friday informed residents that their tents, structures and other property at 8th and Harrison streets must be removed, and everyone living at the site must leave.
Early Tuesday morning, police stepped in, telling residents to remove their items, which were scattered across the street.
Legal battle halts initial cleanup plans
What we know:
Rats with disease have been found at the Berkeley homeless encampment at 8th and Harrison streets.
This encampment has been at the center of a long legal battle. The city previously tried to clean up the area, but the Berkeley Homeless Union filed a lawsuit last year that put those plans on hold.
A federal judge is now allowing the city to clear the encampment, though the ruling requires the city to provide special accommodations to disabled residents living at the site. These accommodations include helping disabled individuals move and providing storage for their belongings.
Rats and disease
Big picture view:
City officials plan to clear a Berkeley homeless encampment.
The fire marshal has declared the encampment a fire hazard and a public nuisance. City officials say they need to demolish structures at the site and carry out rodent abatement.
The site was previously impacted by a leptospirosis outbreak that began last year, circulating among dogs and rats. The bacterial infection spread to at least two humans this summer, resulting in one death and one hospitalization. These marked the first known human cases of leptospirosis in the city in over a decade. Hundreds of rats remain visible at the site.
Advocates step in
What's next:
Aerial view of Berkeley homeless encampment at 8th and Harrison streets.
The Berkeley Homeless Union says advocates will be onsite to help residents find housing. Individuals residing in vehicles will be permitted to stay in their cars, but any property located outside the vehicles can be removed and stored by the city.
According to the posted notices, anyone who refuses to leave the site may receive a citation or face arrest.
The Source: Information for this story comes from visual evidence, the city of Berkeley, the fire marshal, the Berkeley Homeless Union.