I'm with you. They use to be by our house and use our yard as a toliet. It took one of them to violate our house and within two weeks they were booted out of this area and they haven't returned. Just keep complaining even have ur neighbors call. That area by Target is getting bad looking, they are even behind the home depot area.

They also occupy the bench by Taco Bell and Starbucks, pretty much around the clock, with some shift changes. I filed a complaint with Taco Bell corporate but have not heard back from them yet. The neighbors should continue to contact these stores as well as Oakland and Emeryville.

we need a citywide ban on begging period!

How did you get them to leave yr neighborhood? we have been trying to get St. Andrews Plaza returned to being a park instead of a 24-hour drug dealing free for all.

One broke a window in the house. Called OPD ,made a report . Two weeks later, early morning, opd came and removed them. They have been gone for a year now and only one came back a few weeks ago but he left too. Don't know if they gave them a stay away order. Constant calling and having neighbors call to. Good luck

By the way it took three years to come to this point. Nothing was done except for cleaning them up once in awhile. After he broke the window ,that started the ball rolling. You can also call Mike Church at 510-238'6590 and see if he can help. Tell him you've had enough. I had talked to him also about a week before they removed them, so don't know if he was part of the solution or not. I'm just glad it's not a mess anymore. One person doesn't bother me that much but we call as soon as we see them. Just keep on top of it until someone gets tired of you addressing the issue over and over.

thanks, will try but cleaning up St. Andrews Plaza means removing about 50 people and several tarp villages at the top of Filbert St. The police drive by every day but seem to be powerless to do anything even though people are smoking crack out in the open (we get to see this driving to & from work) There is a dealer of stolen bicycles operating right on the sidewalk of Filbert near the plaza - the police drive by him daily even though he is obstructing the sidewalk, has a tarp home set up next to his dozen or so of bicycles. Thanks for the encouragement, I will try another round of phone calls

I am writing the mayor about her making solutions to these problems. I'm going to suggest that she drive around w.oakland and see what the rest of us see on a daily basis. I will ask her to drive by this spot and down by the target area. The more who complain the better. Once they clean a place up they need to follow through every week so these people get a hint.

I really appreciate everyone leaving comments. I think the more people who begin to speak out, the better it is. It may take a while to see progress, but at least some of us are trying to make a difference. Maybe we should all write letters to the Mayor?

I saw a woman come out from the bushes early this morning on my way home from the gym. She clearly had just used it as her bathroom, since she was pulling up her pants as we walked to this area where they are living outside Target. Not a good way to start the morning .....

I am sending mine today. The city is thirty mil in debt but yet a sport arena is in talk. No. Clean this city up first, than talk. Make a solution and keep on top of this mess. Why do people that live in homes , that want a safe area have to put up with a few that know they don't have to follow rules like the rest of us. All of us have to complain and do it over and over. Would the mayor live next to this mess?

Talk about APATHY viewed 53 times and 8 votes. I guess about par for voting in general. This homeless and the self medicating mentally ill problem is a complete government fail The numbers are staggering and growing and the City, County and Federal Government want the non-profits the public to deal with it. The politically entitled rarely have these problems in there neighborhoods.

I agree, perhaps writing a letter as a group such as West Oakland Neighbors would be effective also

Went by yesterday and there were about 3 or 4 city trucks cleaning up the area next to Target as well as along Wood Street. Now let's see what happens - usually a week later it is all back!

Soon as you see them again call public works tell them they just cleaned them up and they came back. Call and call and call, have your neighbors call. Hopefully they get tired of being moved.

I have not drove down this way in a couple weeks - went to Target this morning. From 14th and Wood, all the way to Target it is a wasteland of trash. The "lost boys" have set up camps all over the area in tents as well they have cut through a fence beyond the tracks and are moving in that way. I would have taken a photo but don't want to be harassed. The city really needs to get involved in cleaning up this issue!!

Why hasn't this issue been addressed? Within 24hrs issue a 72 hour notice to leave and issue a stay away order. Just because they are out by Target doesn't mean that the neighborhood should have to put up with it 24/7. Have u written the mayor? If u can try and take a picture. SHAMEFUL

City of Oakland Public Works Department addressed this issue on 01/27/2016, service request # 565319.

A whole year PW.. And that's even if its cleaned. 😐

I find it amazing that the city thinks this issue has been closed. Has anyone been down that way lately? I drove through this morning on my way home from Target - it is an appalling mess! Is this more an Emeryville issue or will Oakland help take care of it?

The City of Oakland Public Works Department has received this issue. It is registered as service request #631179. Please check back for status updates, or contact us directly at 510-615-5566.

I noticed PW has been closing most of these issues that were reported last year and they just get reopened because they have done nothing. I believe they have been told not to clean up because obviously the Mayor is too scared to address these issues.

Get Code Enforcment to do there job! This is Blight and unhealthy.
Also call our Council Women in Charge of this District. Lynette Gibson McElhaney
EBroyard@oaklandnet.com
(510)238-7575
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 232
Oakland, CA 94612

Here are some important City of Oakland contact points:
* Abandoned Autos: 510-777-8622 (abandoned vehicles on public street after 3 days)
AbandonedAuto@oaklandnet.com (prefered method)
* Animal Control: 510-535-5602 (live animals) or 510-535-4888 (dead animals)
* Code Enforcement: 510-238-3381 (blighted private properties, deteriorated buildings, inoperable vehicles on private property)
* Drug Hotline: 510-238-3784 (tips) or 510-777-3211 (in progress)
* Parking Citations: 800-500-6484 (parking citation assistance center, pay or appeal a citation) or 510-238-3099 (enforcement)
* Prostitution Hotline: 510-238-2373 (tips) or 510-777-3211 (in progress)

From what we've seen Lynette McElhaney, does not care. She has done nothing to come up with solutions. This is a health issue.

"Volunteers Clamor To Help Build Micro-Homes For The Homeless In Oakland" http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2016/02/25/volunteers-clamber-to-help-build-micro-homes-for-the-homeless-in-oakland/

I was first in favor of these homeless "shelter's" but i have since changed my mind, IMO they are human dog houses(and accompanying piles of trash/sanitation issues etc). I think as a society we can do better. Please NIMBY don't put these "shelter's in my Neighborhood"., How about putting them in Alameda and see what happens!!
Or better yet in front of Oakland City Council.

So aren't these like the tiny houses the man tried to build awhile ago and they ended up burned or abandoned? In Seattle they have these also but they are set on the lot with tents in areas the city chose, not all over where they want. In front of city council is perfect.