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Homeless Residents Share Frustrations over OPD at Public Forum

Published

7 years ago

February 25, 2019

Needa Bee speaks to the public and the Oakland Police Commission. She lives in a camper with her daughter ad claims the Oakland Police Department constantly demands that she move her vehicle even though the law only requires it be moved every 72 hours.

At 1 p.m. on Sat. Feb. 16, the Oakland Police Commission (OPC) hosted a three-hour public hearing on policing in the homeless community at Taylor Memorial Church in West Oakland. Dozens of citizens, most of them unsheltered, spoke to the public and to members of the OPC, which is tasked with overseeing the Oakland Police Department (OPD).

Most people who spoke expressed frustration. “OPD has decided to enforce a morally bankrupt policy,” said unsheltered resident, Mike Lee. “They’re kicking people out of tents in the pouring rain.”

During this past rainy Valentines Day, OPD officers were present to help enforce a new city policy that disallows people from camping near Lake Merritt. At least 50 people were displaced. Lee says police have told him they’re just following orders when they’ve helped to evict him in the past, but he doesn’t see this as a good excuse. “OPD has the ability to say we just won’t do that,” Lee said.

Many unsheltered residents wish police would leave them alone. Although marijuana has been legalized in California, two speakers complained of police harassment due to possessing the substance. Needa Bee complained that she and her daughter, who live in a camper together, are constantly told by OPD to move their vehicle, often after only a day. She’s aware of the city law that requires her to move her vehicle after 72 hours, but since police don’t wait for 72 hours to pass before asking her to move, she thinks they’re not following the law correctly and they’re unnecessarily and illegally bothering her.

Due to their negative past experiences, many unsheltered residents feel they should only rely on police during absolute emergencies, so they rarely call them. When they have called, OPD has often not been helpful. Unsheltered resident Darren Soo says when he called OPD about a rape in progress, it took them thirty minutes to show up. When he’s witnessed people in the process of stealing his possessions and he’s called OPD, they’ve rarely showed up and always too late to help.

Although many people were grateful to be able to speak to the OPC and the public about homelessness, some people also questioned the process. Several speakers questioned OPC’s ability to use the testimonies they’ve collected in a way that will practically help homeless people. One speaker named Marissa called for the ability for people to talk to the OPC in a more private way as issues of trauma, and particularly sexual trauma are common for unhoused residents and difficult or even impossible to talk about publicly.

At the public event, two city council members attended: Nikki Fortunato Bas and Lynette Gibson McElhaney, though McElhaney arrived over an hour late. Bas spoke at the public hearing and called for more affordable housing as well as more and better shelters for homeless residents.

“We don’t have enough shelters for everyone, and the shelters we do have are not appropriate for everyone,” Bas said. Many others who spoke agreed with Bas. Although those who were evicted from near Lake Merritt were offered space in small tuff sheds or shelter beds, many, particularly those with traumatic past experiences, chose not to use the tuff sheds as the spaces required having a roommate. Many also chose not to use the shelter beds as it would have required that they give up all their belongings. So some residents were left with no where to go.

Zack Haber

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State of Preschool Yearbook Provides an Annual Snapshot of State-Funded Preschool

By National Institute for Early Education Research Georgia’s state-funded pre-k program for 4-year-olds was recognized as the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation to meet all 10 quality benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. Georgia’s recognition is the top finding in the National Institute for Early Education Research’s new 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook. The yearbook provides an annual snapshot of state-funded preschool across the country. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia fund preschool programs. “Georgia is proud to be a leader in quality early childhood education as we work to ensure all Georgians have the opportunity to succeed, including our youngest learners,” said Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp. “Having strategically invested in our Pre-K classrooms, we are both meeting all 10 NIEER benchmarks of excellence and giving Georgia students a […]

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Institute for Early Education Research

Georgia’s state-funded pre-k program for 4-year-olds was recognized as the largest state-funded preschool program in the nation to meet all 10 quality benchmarks, and the first universal program to do so. Georgia’s recognition is the top finding in the National Institute for Early Education Research’s new 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook. The yearbook provides an annual snapshot of state-funded preschool across the country. Forty-four states and the District of Columbia fund preschool programs.

“Georgia is proud to be a leader in quality early childhood education as we work to ensure all Georgians have the opportunity to succeed, including our youngest learners,” said Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp. “Having strategically invested in our Pre-K classrooms, we are both meeting all 10 NIEER benchmarks of excellence and giving Georgia students a strong start on the path of lifelong learning.”

Only five additional states meet all 10 of NIEER’s research-based benchmarks for quality —Alabama, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island—in this year’s report. None of those programs has the reach of Georgia Pre-K. NIEER’s benchmarks measure essential preschool quality indicators, including teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.

“Other states should take note: Georgia proves that state-funded preschool with well-qualified teachers, pay parity with K-12, small classes, and strong continuous improvement systems can be scaled as a universal program,” said NIEER director Steve Barnett. “With new initiatives to support quality, Georgia can expect increased enrollment, but leaders should also actively promote increased enrollment.”

Nationally, state support for preschool education hit record highs in enrollment and funding in 2024-2025. The pace of growth slowed, however, compared to the prior year, and many states continue to lag behind pre-pandemic enrollment levels.

Preschool enrollment increased by 44,000 children nationally, reaching almost 1.8 million, including 37% of U.S. four-year-olds and 9% of three-year-olds. California, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri contributed the most to increased enrollment, adding more than 52,000 new seats.

States spent nearly $14.4 billion on preschool in 2024-2025. Including federal and local dollars, total spending was almost $17.7 billion. Three states each spent more than $1 billion last year: California ($4.1 billion), New Jersey ($1.2 billion), and New York ($1 billion). Together, these three states account for45% of all state preschool spending. Texas adds almost another $1 billion.

Spending increased by $434 million, or 3%, adjusted for inflation. Twenty-eight states increased preschool funding, including Michigan and New Jersey, which each added more than $100 million.

“Not only does preschool access vary by which state a child happens to live in, but so does the quality of that preschool experience,” said Allison Friedman-Krauss, lead author of the report. “Only high-quality early care and education programs support children’s development enough to result in lasting academic and other gains that ultimately deliver savings for taxpayers.”

A record six states met all 10 of NIEER’s recommended quality standards, with Alabama doing so for the 20th consecutive year.

Georgia joined this list this year after improving its teacher-to-child ratio from 1:11 to 1:10 and lowering maximum class sizes to 20. Several states met 9 of 10 benchmarks, including New Mexico, which is working toward universal access for both three- and four-year-olds. Once New Mexico requires all lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, it will be on par with Georgia in terms of both quality and quantity.

Not all states moved forward. Twenty states enrolled fewer preschoolers in 2024-2025 than the prior year, with enrollment dropping by more than 1,000 children in Arizona, Florida, NewYork, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Seventeen states spent less on preschool than the prior year, adjusted for inflation, with Arizona, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas seeing the largest percentage declines.

Additional information about the State of Preschool Yearbook, including individual state profiles and maps, graphs, and state rankings, can be found at www.nieer.org.

The 2025 State of Preschool Yearbook was supported with funding from the Heising-Simons Foundation and the Gates Foundation.

The National Institute for Early Education Research at theRutgers Graduate School of Education, New Brunswick, NJ, supports early childhood education policy and practice through independent, objective research and the translation of research to policy and practice

Oakland Post

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Which features on the 2026 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn are actually worth having?

Ask Roosevelt right now on AutoNetwork and get an instant answer based on my review. #AskRoosevelt #AutoNetwork #VolkswagenGolfGTI #GTIAutobahn

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Ask Roosevelt right now on AutoNetwork and get an instant answer based on my review.
#AskRoosevelt #AutoNetwork #VolkswagenGolfGTI #GTIAutobahn

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Panoramic Roof & Rear Seats: The Ultimate EV Comfort! #shorts

Seeking a compact EV with quiet luxury and ample rear seat comfort? This GT trim presents a compelling option, often a deciding factor for small SUV buyers. #AutoNetwork #CompactEV #ElectricSUV #RearSeatComfort #GTTrim

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