Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf talks 'Tuff Shed' villages
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Several times a month we welcome Bay Area mayors to join us on Mornings on 2, to discuss what's happening in their cities.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf stopped by KTVU, and spoke about a federal appeals court ruling that puts the constitutionality of her "tuff shed" villages program into question.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that local ordinances banning camping are unconstitutional when a city doesn't otherwise provide adequate shelter to house its homeless population.
Mayor Schaaf told KTVU, "That ruling really affirms what we're doing in Oakland and that is providing people alternatives. The 'tuff sheds' are one of several solutions.... the 'tuff' sheds are an example of how we're approaching homelessness with compassion but also effectiveness."
She says of the residents in the first 'tuff shed' cabin community that opened 10 months ago - 54 percent have since moved to transitional or permanent housing.
She says many have found jobs, connected with health clinics along with getting their driver's licenses and benefits back. "It's heartening to see how we can get much better and positive outcomes through the 'tuff shed' program than just the traditional mobile street outreach program," she said.