Politics & Government

City's $500,000 Plan for Albany Bulb Includes Temporary Shelter

The City of Albany on Tuesday said it is seeking a temporary housing shelter and taking other steps as part of a comprehensive $500,000 plan to relocate people living on the Albany Bulb and make the Bulb part of McLaughlin Eastshore State Park.

The City of Albany has proposed a half-million-dollar "Transition Plan" for the Albany Bulb, including a temporary shelter, to relocate the people living in makeshift dwellings on the Bulb and turn it into a public park.

In a press release Tuesday, the city said it is working to find a "transitional shelter" for those living on the Bulb and to establish a mobile services center to assist them.

The city notice described the "Albany Waterfront Park Transition Plan" as "a comprehensive outline of City actions to continue to assist homeless on the Albany Bulb with transitional services and shelter." The plan also "includes next steps regarding transfer of the Albany Bulb to the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park," the release said.

The estimated cost of the initiative is $500,000, the city said. It will be presented to the City Council on Oct. 21. 

The city's goal of removing the estimated 60 or so people living on the city-owned Bulb so that it can become part of the state park is not new. The council voted in May to ask police to begin enforcing the city's no-camping law at the Bulb beginning this month, and the city has working with the Berkeley Food & Housing Project to offer Bulb residents help in securing social services and alternative housing.

Temporary shelter

The proposal described in Tuesday's press release includes a temporary "transitional shelter" that would be located close to the Bulb.

"The City is working to locate temporary shelter, including restroom and shower facilities, for homeless transitioning from the Albany Bulb," the press release said. "The shelter will be provided in proximity to the Albany Bulb, and is intended to ensure those relocating from the Bulb have a temporary alternative sheltered location."

The transitional shelter would also include a kennel and dog run for the dogs owned by Bulb residents.

The plan also includes storage units in which the personal belongings of Bulb residents could be kept for up to 120 days.

"Mobile transition center"

The plan also includes "transitional services" that would be provided from a "mobile transition center."

"The City is working to develop a mobile transition center," the press release says. "The center will provide assistance to homeless transitioning from the Albany Bulb. The City is working with local nonprofit service providers to help connect people with human and health services, food, clothing, housing and other transitional support. This action is intended to provide additional time and support to homeless transitioning from the Bulb."

Other major components

A chief part of the plan is working with a contractor to clean up trash, debris and biohazards such as hypodermic needles, the city said. That will be followed by ongoing maintenance and enforcement of park rules.

The final major element is the transfer of the Bulb to McLaughlin Eastshore State Park.

City representatives have met with state park officials and representatives of the East Bay Regional Park District, which manages the McLaughlin park for the state. A Memorandum of Understanding is now being drafted, along with a Request for Proposals, for the transfer plan, the city said. The transfer plan will be presented to the city and park district, according to the city release.

The release says the Transition Plan addresses three goals whose acronym is "ACT":

  1. Assistance to Homeless including housing-centered outreach, transitional services, support, and shelter
  2. Clean up of the Bulb
  3. Transfer of the Bulb to McLaughlin Eastshore State Park 
The city effort has run into resistance from some Bulb residents and their supporters who advocate either more time before the city acts or allowing the Bulb dwellers to remain where they are. A group of about two dozen protesters staged a camp-out Monday night on Solano Avenue to illustrate what they said would be the result of evicting the Bulb inhabitants. 

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