This is St. Paul’s Episcopal School, on Montecito Avenue in Adams Point.
And this is the public lawn outside the Oakland Senior Center, on land owned by the Oakland Park Department, just across the street from St. Paul’s.
For as long as I can remember—and I’ve lived here 35 years—the little kids from St. Paul’s play on the grass. It always puts a smile on my face to see a bunch of kids, ranging I guess from 6 to 12, tossing a ball around, playing tag, or sitting on the grass having a snack.
No more. Not since the tents came in.
I noticed the first tent about two months ago. Then a second, and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth. At the same time, I wasn’t seeing the little kids playing anymore. Yet I knew school was in session: I live just up the block from St. Paul’s. So when I saw a friend of mine who works at St. Paul’s, I asked him why the kids weren’t playing anymore.
“Because of the tents,” he said.
“Wow.”
“We’ve asked the city to do something, but they haven’t. They said they’re working on it.”
Working on it. Right. How long will that take? Meanwhile, these little kids have no place to play. This is unacceptable. It’s not only a violation of these kids’ rights, it’s a violation of Oakland’s own, official Encampment Management Policy, which states that encampments are forbidden “Within 150 feet of a school [and] Within 50 feet of a playground or tot lot [and] Within 50 feet of a public park.”
Mayor Schaaf and Carroll Fife, whose District this is, need to do something about it right away. You can help by contacting Schaaf and Fife and demanding action. Here’s Schaaf’s email: LSchaaf@oaklandca.gov and here’s Fife’s: CFife@oaklandca.gov
Steve Heimoff