COMMISSION ON HOMELESSNESS BRIEFING · JUNE 2026
Office of
Homelessness
Solutions (OHS)
Coordinating citywide strategy for Oakland's unhoused residents.
CITY OF
OAKLAND
Encampment Management
& Abatement Team (EMAT)
ABOUT OHS
What is the Office of Homelessness Solutions (OHS)?
• Announced by Mayor Lee in August 2025 to coordinate City departments under a unified strategy — bringing together prevention, shelter, services, and permanent housing pathways.
• Lead entity coordinating homelessness services across all city departments and external agencies.
• Lead coordination of Federal, State, County, City, and philanthropic funding specifically earmarked for homelessness.
• Implement the Homeless Strategic Action Plan.
• Implement the Encampment Management and Abatement Policies.
HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
Five Strategic Pillars
1 Prevention
Stem new
homelessness by
preventing inflow
into the system.
2 Access &
Coordination
Strengthen
outreach and
service
coordination
citywide.
3 Encampment
Management
Respond to
unsheltered
communities
promoting health
and wellness.
4 Interim
Housing
Increase accessible
and equitable
access to interim
shelter and
housing options.
5 Permanent
Housing
Create deeply
affordable and
permanent
affordable housing
for all.
Source: Homelessness Strategic Action Plan
Office of Homeless Solutions Organizational Chart | June 2026 Chief Homeless
Solutions Officer
Program Analyst II
Policy & Data Analyst
Administrative Assistant I
Deputy HSO
Encampment Management &
Outreach
Asst. to City
Administrator (2)
Administrative
Assistant II
Deputy HSO
Shelter Programs & Services
CHS
Office of Homeless Solutions · City of Oakland
CONTINUUM OF HOMELESS SERVICES
HCD + OHS
← Pathway to Stability →
OHS coordinates across departments to ensure seamless handoffs along the continuum.
U.S. SUPREME COURT RULINGS
Federal legal framework governing encampment enforcement 2018
Martin v. Boise
Prohibited cities from criminally
penalizing unsheltered individuals for
sleeping or camping on public
property when no adequate
alternative shelter space was
available.
2024
City of Grants Pass v. Johnson
OVERTURNED
Martin v. Boise
Ruled that local public camping bans do
not violate the Eighth Amendment's Cruel
and Unusual Punishments Clause — even
when shelter bed availability is insufficient.
Local governments can enforce public
camping and sleeping bans.
Banned Closures
w/No Shelter Beds
CITY POLICY & LEGISLATION
2020 Encampment Management Policy
• Mitigates public health & safety impacts while
balancing housed and unhoused residents'
interests
• Does not criminalize homelessness
• Designates high- and low-sensitivity zones
• Formally established an interdepartmental
Encampment Management Team (EMT)
• Requires racial equity lens throughout
implementation
• Originally tracked ~150 encampments using
Red/Yellow/Green methodology
• Lead with available shelter services
2026 Encampment Management and Abatement
Team (EMAT)Update
Changes:
• Vehicles and RVs removed from policy scope —
OPD and DOT now handle vehicle towing &
CVC/OMC enforcement
• Additional Standard Operating Procedures and
Dashboards
• No Return Encampment Zones
• Make reasonable efforts to lead with available
shelter services
Unchanged:
• Does not criminalize homelessness
• Miralle Settlement compliance: weather
considerations, storage requirements, and notice
provisions
• 7 Day Notices
• High and Low Sensitivity Zones
Encampment Management Team
Roles and Responsibilities
Effective January 1, 2021
Waste / Debris
Collection
Heavy
Equipment
Operation
Bag / Tagging
Storage of
Possessions
Tracking of
Public Facility
Encroachments
Tracking of
Encampments
and Operations
Emergency
Shelter
Management
Housing
Navigation
Management
Outreach
Management
w/CAO
Noticing of
Pending
Operations
Linkage to
Health, Human
& Social Services
Liaison to
Alameda County
Health &
Homeless
Agencies
Law
Enforcement
Public Safety
Risk Mitigation
Traffic Control /
Employee
Security During
Operations
Drug / Human
Trafficking
Monitoring
Closure Zone
Enforcement
Abandoned /
Stolen Vehicle
Towing
Liaison to
ALCOSO, CHP,
BART Police
Support OFD
Operations
Fire Code
Enforcement
Fire Risk
Mitigation
Public Health
Risk
Mitigation
Tracking of
Fire Service
Calls to
Encampments
Support OPD
Operations
Monitor Public
Transportation
Disruptions
Track Right-of-
Way Issues
Support Traffic
Control
Operations
Provide Barrier
Protection
Mitigate
Electrical Risks
at Encampments
in coordination
with OPW
Building Code
Enforcement
Support OFD
Operations
Monitor Park
Activity
Related to
Homelessness
Support OPW
Operations
Track Service
Calls
Forward
Complaints to
Appropriate
Departments
Support
OPD/OFD/HSD/
OPW Operations
Porta Potty &
Wash station
Services
Encampment Management Team
Roles and Responsibilities
Updated August 19,2025
Operations-Based
CAO
Logistics-Based
OPW HSD OPD OFD DOT PBD OPR 311
Waste / Debris
Collection
Heavy
Equipment
Operation
Bag / Tagging
Storage of
Possessions
Tracking of
Public Facility
Encroachments
Tracking of
Encampments
and Operations
Emergency
Shelter
Management
Housing
Navigation
Management
Outreach
Management
w/CAO
Linkage to
Health, Human
& Social Services
Liaison to
Alameda County
Health &
Homeless
Agencies
Law
Enforcement
Public Safety
Risk Mitigation
Traffic Control
Drug
Trafficking Mon
itoring
Abandoned
/ Stolen
Vehicle Towing
–Private
Property
Liaison to
ALCOSO, CHP,
BART Police
Support
OFD Operatio
ns
Fire Code
Enforcement
Fire Risk
Mitigation
Tracking of
Fire Service
Calls to
Encampments
Support OPD
Operations
Monitor Public
Transportation
Disruptions
Track Right-of-
Way Issues
Support Traffic
Control
Operations
Provide Barrier
Protection
Mitigate
Electrical Risks
at Encampments
in coordination
with OPW
Building Code
Enforcement
Support OFD
Operations
Monitor Park
Activity
Related to
Homelessness
Support OPW
Operations
Track Service
Calls
Forward
Complaints to
Appropriate
Departments
Support
OPD/OFD/HSD/
OPW Operations
Porta Potty &
Wash station
Services
Placing
Temporary
Closure
Signage
Dispatch
Biohazard
Contractor
Private
Property
Encampment
Referrals
Abandoned /
Stolen Vehicle
Towing
Employee
Security During
Operations
Human
Trafficking
Monitoring
MACRO
Trauma
Response
OAS EWD
Animal
Assessment
Owner
support
Temporary
Shelter
Retrieval of
stray animals
Land Selection
Lease
Negotiations
Lease
Execution
Jurisdictional
Boundaries
ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS
Four Actions Taken by EMAT (formerly EMT)
01 Deep Clean
Actions
Comprehensive
cleaning and
sanitation of
encampment sites to
address public health
concerns.
02 Partial
Closures
Targeted removal of
sections of
encampments
presenting
immediate safety
risks.
03 Full
Closures
Complete site closures
with coordinated
outreach, storage, and
relocation support.
04 Hygiene Units &
Garbage Runs
Ongoing delivery of
portable hygiene
services and waste
collection to active
sites.
SERVICES & OUTREACH
Operation Dignity (OD)
• Primary outreach provider for
encampment operations
• Manages three cabin shelter sites
• Outreach begins 2–6 weeks before any
abatement
• Coordinates with CHS and county health &
human service agencies
Outreach to Abatement Timeline
1 Weeks 1–2 Initial outreach & needs
assessment
2 Weeks 2–4 Ongoing service coordination,
referrals
3 Week 4–6 Notice of closure / partial
abatement + Outreach
4 Abatement EMT/EMAT team mobilizes with
full support
Encampment Management and Abatement Operations
EMAT Coordination and Priorities
• Monthly consultation with city
council offices
• Consultation with OFD, OPD, OPW,
and OPRYD
• Monthly consultation with external
agencies such as BART, PGE, Union
Pacific Railroad, Caltrans
• Coordination with Eastbay Regional
Parks, and Special Districts
• Citywide Construction Projects
• Protection of Critical Infrastructure
• Administrative Priorities
• High Sensitivity Zones
• Abatement of illegal or
environmentally hazardous conditions
EMAT Priorities
ENCAMPMENT MANAGEMENT AND ABATEMENT OPERATIONS
Year to Date – EMAT Operations
79 Total Operations
Scheduled
57 Closures
14 Deep Cleans
5 Partial
Closures
57 14
5 2
1 0
15 30
45 60
Closures Deep Cleans Partial Closures Closure & DC Cancelled 2 Closure & Deep Clean
EMAT ACTIONS AND INTERVENTION TYPES
EMT/EMAT Operation and Intervention Breakdown
Action Type Total % of 78
Closure 57 73.1%
Deep Clean 14 17.9%
Partial Closure 5 6.4%
Closure & Deep Clean 2 2.56%
TOTAL 78 100.0%
73%
18%
6%
3%
Closure Deep Clean Partial Closure Other
OPERATIONS BY DISTRICT
District Summary
District # Operations Actions
District 1 5 3x Closure, 2x Partial Closure
District 1 & 3 1 1x Closure
District 2 15 12x Closure, 3x Deep Clean
District 3 28 15x Closure, 1x Closure & Deep Clean, 8x Deep Clean, 1x Deep Clean & Closure, 3x Partial Closure
District 4 2 2x Closure
District 5 7 6x Closure, 1x Deep Clean
District 6 10 8x Closure, 2x Deep Clean
District 7 11 1 Cancelled, 10x Closure
TOTAL 79
OPERATIONS BY DISTRICT
Operations by District – Distribution
5 1
15 28
2 7
10 11
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
D1
D1&3
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
6%
1%
19%
36%3%
9%
13%
13%
District 1 D1&3 District 2 District 3
District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7
Encampment Clean Up Ups
Before -- 31st Ave b/t International & E 12th St.
After -- 31st Ave b/t International & E 12th St.
Encampment Clean-Ups
Before -- Lake Merritt Channel
After -- Lake Merritt Channel
Encampment Clean-Ups
Before – Old Greyhound Building/20th St and Castro
After – Old Greyhound Building/20th St and Castro