January Atmospheric River Storm Poses Extreme Danger to the Unhoused. Please Help with Our Relief Efforts.
Photo credits to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The atmospheric river storm streaming over California has created emergency conditions across the state, especially along actual rivers where many unhoused individuals establish precarious campsites. Waterways swollen by unprecedented showers are flooding and causing waterlogged misery for the folks who live there. In some cities, like San Francisco and Oakland, the rains have turned urban streets into rivers. While some cities have acted to get people experiencing homelessness to temporary safety and warming shelters, some waterway residents and other encamped individuals have refused to evacuate for fear of losing their few possessions. In most cases, people experiencing homelessness are finding it nearly impossible to keep themselves and their belongings safe and dry.
Many of the communities in which DST works have been affected by massive flooding. In our outreach efforts we work with many of the folks forced to flee the rising waters. Below you can follow links to read news coverage about specific areas.
Please help! The button below will take you to a special donation page that will allow you to direct your aid to a community of your choosing. In the case of San Jose, you can opt to send relief supplies directly by fulfilling items on their Amazon Wishlist. However you choose to help, your gifts will enable us provide tarps, tents, and other wet-weather items to our Team Members.
All items purchased from Team San Jose’s Amazon Wishlist can be shipped to our headquarters at 1671 The Alameda, Suite 306, San Jose, CA 95126. Thank you!
In Santa Clara County, San Jose has declared a state of emergency and mandatory evacuation for folks camped along creeks, but has stopped short of forced removal. Read more in the San Jose Mercury News and San Jose Spotlight.
In Santa Cruz, pier-destroying waves battered the coast while rains caused heavy flooding throughout the area including along the San Lorenzo River where many people experiencing homelessness establish camp. Santa Cruz and nearby Watsonville opened warming shelters ahead of the storm. Read more in The Santa Cruz Sentinel.
In Sacramento and Yolo County, first responders had to perform emergency water rescues along the American River Parkway and Miller Regional Park, which house numerous homeless encampments. The flooding in this area is expected to worsen in the coming days, leaving these folks to scramble to find shelter in town. Read more in The Sacramento Bee.
In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency and the city added additional shelter beds on a walk-in basis. Many folks living on the street, however, decided to weather the storm in their encampments for fear of losing their possessions by staying in a shelter. Similarly, in Oakland, the city made shelter beds available, but many unhoused folks were reluctant to accept them for similar reasons or lack of knowledge around their availability. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.
In Marin County, an emergency shelter was activated in San Rafael to temporarily house folks affected by the storm. Given the proximity to the Bay for many encampments housing unhoused individuals, the risk of flooding and severe damage is likely. Read more from Kron 4 News.