San Jose encampment sweeps continue, advocates respond too
New rapid response outreach team responds to San Jose encampment sweeps
A coalition of groups which support the unhoused have teamed up to form a rapid response team to provide outreach during encampment sweeps.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The City of San Jose on Monday launched another big cleanup of encampments along the Guadalupe River corridor just south of the airport.
Educating the unhoused
What we know:
As crews arrived – so did a newly formed "rapid response team" to help the unhoused know their rights. About 10 community-based groups have teamed up to get out to operations like this one just as quickly as possible.
City crews and contractors moved into an encampment along the Guadalupe River starting near the Taylor Street overpass. San Jose police were also on hand. Over the next two weeks, crews will move north along the river right up to Interstate 880.
Local perspective:
Roy Parker says he has lived here for about two months now.
"They took our stuff and we have got to figure out a place to go from there," Parker told KTVU in an interview on Monday.
Advocates for the unhoused estimate about 200 people could be impacted by this first phase of the cleanup work with another 100 impacted in the coming weeks.
"They came and they basically said we have got five to 10 minutes to get our stuff and get out. And they keep saying, ‘Oh, you were warned,’ so that is on us that we are losing our stuff but they are just bullying us out of our stuff. They are not being fair," said another unhoused resident, Rain Days.
The new ‘REST’ effort
Monday’s sweep also marks the first official activation of a new effort called "REST"—or "Rapid Encampment Support Team."
About 10 community-based groups are teaming up to quickly respond to encampment sweeps – to hand out legal information and literature and to provide overall support including food and water.
"It is also to be able to be in the camps ahead of time and also during sweeps to be able to monitor the sweeps, to be able to help people, to file reasonable accommodation requests to let people know they have a right to a tow hearing if their vehicle gets towed," said Shaunn Cartwright with the Unhoused Response Network, which is a part of the new REST group.
Another group in the "REST" network is called the "Bay Area Super Heroes"— where a worker wearing a Batman costume helps to break down barriers and improve communication. "We really want to make sure that people know what is going on because, in our personal opinion, the city is not doing as good a job as they should be informing people of what is going on," said the member, dressed in costume as Batman.
Official word from city :
In a statement, the city’s parks and neighborhood services department said:
"This effort marks the first step in restoring the area for community use and creating a safer, cleaner environment for all. Following the cleanup, the area will be designated a no-encampment zone, and short-term efforts will focus on preventing re-encampment.
This abatement will be going on along the Guadalupe River for the next two weeks. But there are many RV’s and other vehicles still in this area around Columbus Park and crews will start moving them out in July and August. The new rapid response group says it will be here every step of the way.
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