There was a candid conversation in Oakland Saturday about some of the most challenging issues facing the city including homelessness and community safety. Christie Smith reports.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao hosted an event Saturday as she and community members talked about some of the most challenging issues facing the city, including homelessness and community safety.
The event comes as pressure is building for the city of Oakland to do more to address rising crime.
Dawn Abram came to Castlemont High School Saturday to voice her concern for Oakland.
“People don’t feel safe. I actually have been a victim, my family and I of violence two years ago. Our home was shot up,” she said.
Abram joined in a discussion dubbed "Town Talks," part of a city initiative to gather thoughts and ideas on housing and homelessness, economics and community safety.
Safety was the key issue to many people attending the event. Businesses have complained about repeated burglaries. While residents raised concerns about rampant car break-ins.
“It’s really, really bad. I've been sitting in a local restaurant. And I I saw five cars get bipped in the parking lot. It was nothing that the customers could do,” said Oakland resident Stacy Hogg Stewart.
The groups took notes, talked solutions and outlined the change they would like to see. Thao talked about the efforts already underway.
“We are doing everything that we can to protect our businesses and residence. So again, all of this implementation, it is slowly ramping up. We already have the CHP officers but we’re going to get more, including cameras including more CHP officers. Not just that, 911 dispatch center is going to be better," she said.
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Residents say they just want to feel safer in their city. The information being gathered is expected to be part the state of the city, coming up in October.
