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Blight on Oakland street forcing disabled seniors off the sidewalks
Disabled residents living in a nearby senior living facility said East Bay Transit has a hard time picking them up because of the growing dump.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The city of Oakland cleaned up piles of trash on Friday, a day after three women in wheelchairs told KTVU they had to ride in the street because the sidewalks were too filled with garbage and debris.
Public Works Department Director Josh Rowan responded to KTVU's story on Thursday by sending out crews to clean up the sidewalks at 105th Avenue and International Boulevard.
He said a full cleaning would require a full operation, but he wanted to address the situation as soon as he could.
Cathy Harris, Shaaron Green-Peace, and Rose Luster-Brooks live in a senior living facility at that corner, and said the sidewalk is so cluttered with illegal dumping and tents for the unhouse that they can't get by in their motorized wheelchairs, and so, they have to ride their wheelchairs in the street with oncoming traffic.
Public Works' crews posted notices at the site, telling homeless people living there to vacate before a sweep of the area is planned from Aug. 11 to 15.
The people living on the streets will be offered housing throughout the city.
Before KTVU's story aired, Luster-Brooks said for the better part of a year, they’ve called the city, the mayor’s office, and their city councilmember Ken Houston, but their requests for service had gone ignored.