For the past three years, Toni-Jo Napihaa has made the tent beneath the swooping branches of a Bay Laurel tree her home at Uvas Creek Park in Gilroy.
Thursday, Napihaa, 62, began folding up tarps and lugging tanks of propane out of the dusty dirt pathways as she prepared to leave the park encampment with her boyfriend. The city of Gilroy order has ordered the 10 residents there to pack up their homes so that it can perform tree and weed trimming this coming Monday.
The move is meant to give city workers space to work, but residents and advocates the sweep is disruptive and can upend the lives of the homeless residents.
It also marks one of the first major sweeps since the city passed a partial camping ban this July after much spirited discourse and dozens of public comments. The ordinance restricts camping around nearly a fourth of the area within city limits, including public spaces such as near schools, in parks, by creeks, and under bridges.
“It’s been crazy … since the 12th,” said Napihaa, referring to when she first heard that she would have to move. Since then, she and the other nine members of the encampment have rushed to clean up their camps, find places to move, and look for ways to store their belongings. The city posted written notices of the clearing on October 12th, with a deadline to move out by October 22rd.
The city says the sweep will help enable regular upkeep, including tree trimming and brush clearing, meant to protect against wildfire and flooding risk.
The city has worked to provide some options for the residents as they move, saying any objects that are not soiled and are clearly labeled could be stored by the city for up to 90 days. Two dedicated members of Gilroy Police Department will serve as quality of life officers who will assess the needs of the homeless individuals and relay them to partners in the community.
Gilroy also contracts with the South County Compassion Center, which helps connect homeless residents to shelters, case management services, and other resources. The center directs residents to temporary housing at the Gilroy Shelter, which provides a variety of assistive services and expects to have enough beds available to house the residents of the encampment if necessary.
“We value our diverse community and are committed to continuing our efforts to balance the need for safety, health, and protection of all those who live and work here in a way that is measured, compassionate, and thoughtful,” said Rachelle Bedell, a spokesperson for the city of Gilroy, in a statement.
Still, the sudden moves take a toll on both houseless residents and service providers. According to Tim Davis, executive director of the Compassion Center, each encampment sweep takes time and resources away from the day-to-day work of the center while causing undue stress to the residents.
“Our clients will suffer, do suffer, and our ability to meet the need for our clients is greatly challenged as a result of the sweeps,” said Davis.
Often, individuals have already begun applying for housing, but the process can take months or years and moving an encampment can disrupt that, said Jan Bernstein-Chargin, co-founder of PitStop Outreach, a homeless outreach nonprofit in Gilroy. “I think it makes the most sense to meet them where they are, and then help them move directly into housing as opposed to just chasing them from one illegal campsite to another,” she said.
Napihaa — who has been homeless for 11 years — and her boyfriend have been working towards getting housing assistance for months and are slated to move in to an apartment in November. Now they will be moving their camp to another location in Gilroy until they are able to secure housing.
“It’s emotionally disruptive,” said Berstein-Chargin. “It’s not just tents and stuff. It’s human beings just trying to live their lives.”