The city of Berkeley is set to move dozens of unhoused people into 18 RVs and a rehabbed house as part of a new respite program approved by officials Tuesday night in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
La Quinta was set to open Friday as a respite for homeless individuals in Alameda County, including many who live in Berkeley, but now the deal is dead. Each side holds the other responsible for the breakdown.
City and county officials are setting up a new isolation site at the 113-bed LaQuinta Inn on University Avenue for homeless individuals who appear to be healthy, Berkeley’s city manager reported Wednesday evening.
Critics say the university should postpone plans until the COVID-19 crisis is over. UC Berkeley officials say the law requires the school to proceed now.
A neighbor who heard the attack tackled the assailant and wrestled with him to intervene, police said.
The stabbing has been classified as life-threatening. A 52-year-old man, who police say also bit a bystander who tried to stop the attack, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Berkeley could lease two parcels on University Avenue and Frontage Road from the state for $1 for the project.
A number of neighbors oppose the move, expressing concerns about allowing customers to consume on-site and its proximity to a library.
A Berkeley City Council majority voted yes Tuesday night to the idea of a sanctioned homeless camp pilot program, location to be determined, and have asked city staff to figure out the details and report back.
Officials have put forward a proposal for a homeless camp, for up to 120 tents, that could be located below the University Avenue overpass. Council is set to vote Tuesday and the city has asked for public input.
The sale transfers 314 units around downtown that mostly house students and could bring over $4 million in transfer taxes to the city.
A sex offender who took a high-school-aged girl to a park, where he kissed her and touched her over her clothes, has been charged with child molesting and sexual battery by restraint, according to authorities.
© Cityside. All Rights Reserved.
