CLEARLAKE > > The City of Clearlake released an update on the ongoing No Trespassing and No Camping effort on Monday, stating stricter enforcement of notices to vacate and issued citations was in order.
To execute the ordinances and clean the grounds safely, Fire Chief Willie Sapeta and Acting Police Chief Tim Celli held a safety briefing for officers, city staff, county Public Health staff, and volunteers. The briefing was considered necessary given the scope of some operations.
“There was a tremendous amount of potential danger with needles, fluids, and other abandoned items but our team took all the safety precautions necessary. We had a successful cleanup last Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Sapeta said.
During an enforcement operation near the former Ray’s Food Place, for example, officers arrested six individuals and found approximately eight camps hidden in the brush using items such as branches, wire, metal, wooden pallets and stolen shopping carts. Before the Public Works staff and Code Enforcement staff removed personal property, evidence workers photographed and labeled each individual’s belongings.
The city said owners can “recover their personal property within 30 days from City Hall. After 30 days the property will be taken to the landfill.”
After two days of clearing the properties, staff and volunteers filled four 30-yard dumpsters of garbage by the end of the day on Saturday. City staff also reported that over 100 shopping carts were recovered and returned to their perspective owners. On Monday, city personnel returned to clear a total of three encampments that remained since Saturday.
Locals have asked where individuals that are evicted out of the area go afterward.
In response, City Manager Greg Folsom said, “Helping the businesses in our area to be successful and attracting new businesses to town are two of the top goals of the City Council and my staff. However, we are mindful that there is a vulnerable population out there that needs help also, and the Council and I are working with various other groups to identify possible programs that could be adopted locally to assist in transitioning out of homelessness.”
During the enforcements, the City also handed out booklets that included a list of over 100 resources and services available across the county including a 24 Hours Crisis Services hotline, and food and assistance locations.
“There aren’t shelters or much homeless assistance in the county. We have not received anything out of the ordinary as far as people asking for resources, not from the homeless community,” said office manager Beth Verinti from Lake Family Resources.
To further discuss progress and best practices on this topic and similar issues with other communities, the City of Clearlake will participate in the Innovation Summit. The City announced that Celli and Mayor Russ Perdock will be a part of a panel that will discuss “local initiative targeting high utilizers of public services.”
The summit is scheduled to take place on May 3 at Marymount California University from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
