Berkeley clears long-running 8th and Harrison encampment
Berkeley began removing a large homeless encampment at 8th and Harrison streets on Tuesday after city officials said conditions at the site had become dangerous and cited a fatal leptospirosis outbreak connected to rats.
Police told residents to gather their belongings as excavators pulled down tents and makeshift structures. The camp has operated for about a decade and has been the focus of a prolonged court fight over whether the city could shut it down.
A federal judge allowed the cleanup to proceed, while requiring Berkeley to provide added assistance to disabled residents, including help with moving and storage for their property. City officials said seven people had been approved for those accommodations, and Berkeley Homeless Union president Yesica Prado said she filed requests for 19 more people the day before the operation began.
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