Oakland, CA – Monday morning, March 18th, at Williams Chapel Baptist Church the interfaith effort to create safe spaces for our homeless, unsheltered residents to park and feel safe overnight was launched. This action is one of the steps outlined in legislation authored by Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan. (Link to Legislation)
Said President Kaplan: “I want to thank the Interfaith Council of Alameda County for their leadership in engaging in helping to remedy Oakland’s homelessness crisis. Williams Chapel Baptist Church is one of four safe car parks that have been established for our unhoused residents to have a place to park overnight without fear of being towed or disturbed. I appreciate the collaboration with our faith-based congregations to help provide more humane strategies to help the homeless, and I look forward to the success of this program and continuing to expand additional efforts.”
President Kaplan authored the Resolution last year to encourage and support the development of expanded housing options, by ensuring that Oakland’s laws are being effectively utilized to create meaningful solutions and serve the City’s most vulnerable populations. The Resolution requests the City supports private organizations, including our faith-based communities, seeking to provide temporary shelter and sanitation services on their properties, identify funding sources and public land for these efforts, and ease requirements so more housing alternatives can be provided.
These first four churches opening their secured lots represents and important step forward in part of the items approved in this legislation. President Kaplan thanks everyone that worked so hard for this day to arrive and looks forward to more organizations opening their lots as well as additional steps for tiny homes, RVs, and expanded housing, to provide more humane solutions.