Friday, April 20, 2007

Berkeley following Portland's model for sit-lie...

According the Berkeley News, "In addition to creating or expanding four drop-in centers across the city, the measure created a detox center that uses acupuncture and funded both a city guide program and a short-lived public donations program, according to Jane Micallef, housing and homeless services manager with the city’s housing department.

Bates’ current proposal is largely composed of suggestions for further expansion of services, and his office emphasizes that the proposal is "not intended to be a crackdown. But, without offering specifics, it says a new approach is needed.

"What we’re doing now is not working as well as it needs to work," said Cisco DeVries, Bates’ chief of staff. "The mayor believes that enforcement has to be a part of it."

Citations for violations of city codes governing street behavior--such as lying on sidewalks and urinating in public--are not officially tracked by the Berkeley Police Department, but in general there are fewer than two a month, said Berkeley police Officer Ed Galvan.

"Usually we try to work out other measures for compliance with people," he said. "Some of those ordinances are there as a last resort."

The cities of Santa Cruz and Palo Alto have each passed ordinances with language similar to Measure O, and Portland is currently considering a similar draft. All three are mentioned as models for Berkeley in Bates’ proposals. "

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  • Berkeley News
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