Times Article: Homeless leave White Slough encampment; some vow to return

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_11859721

============================

Homeless leave White Slough encampment; some vow to return

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 03/07/2009 01:01:34 AM PST

Chiqui, 51, looks at his home as packs up his belongings at the homeless encampment near White Slough. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

The homeless of White Slough -- the few remaining after Friday's deadline to vacate the area -- have been granted a temporary reprieve, police and some homeless individuals said.

Most of the nearly 50 squatters living -- some for years -- along the water behind Vallejo's Carl's Jr. and Smart & Final, had already left by Friday afternoon.

One of those was Chiqui, a 51-year-old former bus driver who said he's lived in the homeless encampment for about seven months. Chiqui, who declined to provide his last name, said he feared he was going to jail when he saw police in the encampment Friday.

"I told them, 'I'm packing up, I'm leaving, officers, don't worry,' but they said not to be afraid, they weren't there to take me to jail," he said.

Last week, police distributed fliers warning the homeless living along White Slough to be out by Friday, or face arrest. But despite that notice, police would not force them to leave Friday, Vallejo Police Department spokesman Lt. Lee Horton said.

But, "the time has expired as of (Friday) and enforcement will be forthcoming if the problem is not resolved in a timely manner," Horton said.

Another White Slough resident said he planned to "lay low while they do their thing, and then come back," though that likely will be made more difficult by the new fence that workers were installing Friday.

Most of the homeless who had already left the area did so unhappily, while some understood the reasoning, Vallejo environmentalist and homeless advocate Doug Darling said.

"One or two went to stay with family members temporarily, but others have nowhere to go and are looking for some place to pitch a tent," he said.

Chiqui is like that. He said he lost his license to drive handicapped children because he couldn't afford the $1,000 renewal fee, couldn't find a job and was evicted. He has no family, he said.
"I have no place to go. I'll probably live in the street," he said. "I have no record, I'm a good citizen."

Randy Spering, who owns a building abutting the White Slough encampment, said he's sympathetic to the plight of the homeless. But his property has suffered copper thefts, public urination and most recently, some threatening graffiti, which he said he attributes to the homeless.

"It says stuff like 'your building is next,' and 'F the owner' and 'F the police,' " he said. "If you had a homeless encampment behind your house, would you like it?"

But Darling and Mark Mora, who identified himself as "an ordinary citizen," said they're sympathetic to all sides of the issue and are forming a coalition of concerned community members to address the root causes of homelessness.

"We need to stop scapegoating and trying to do quick fixes. It's in the best interest of the city, and the homeless folks, to really address the issue," Mora said. "It's just unjust to make them pick up and go, to become somebody else's problem."

Contact the coalition at ServeOurVallejoHomeless.blogspot.com or at serveourvallejohomeless@gmail.com.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or RachelZ@thnewsnet.com