Oakland Estuary problems with piracy, homelessness on water persist amid budget woes
Last summer, Oakland made national and international news when so-called "pirates" moved into the estuary and began raiding boats stored in the local marinas.
An effort made to remove them seemed to work, but now the pirates are back and the city's budget problems may mean they'll be there for some time to come.
Oakland's latest homelessness problem doesn't involve tents or trailers. They're called ADV's -- short for "abandoned and derelict vessels." Tom Horton with the East Bay Rowing Club says there's a lot of them on the Oakland side of the estuary right now.
"The Alameda Police Department is much more active about impounding and removing boats," he said. "But in Oakland, due to a variety of factors including lack of funding, you'll find this whole community of anchor-out boats that are illegally moored along the shoreline."
A few years ago, homeless people began living in boats, often purchased for as little as one dollar from owners who were just looking to get rid of them. Oakland passed an ordinance prohibiting any parking of boats for more than 12 hours other than in a designated marina slip.
The problem is that officials really don't enforce the rule. The Oakland Police Department only has one officer dedicated to patrolling the entire estuary and his salary is reportedly paid by the Port of Oakland. Now the problem is growing even worse, according to Horton.
"They haven't been able to get approval on their diesel contract, so...it's my understanding they're unable to get fuel for their patrol vessels. Which keeps them grounded" said Horton.
Currently, old boats can be found all over the estuary, many of them half sunk. And even though the Coast Guard looks out at the problem every day, Horton said don't expect any assistance from them.
"No enforcement help," he said. "They will not cite the boats, they will not remove the boats, unless they are a hazard to navigation."
All the derelict vessels have attracted a lot of crime. Large boats are being ransacked or vandalized and small boats are being stolen. Most recently, a pair of coaching boats were taken from the sailing academy located at the Jack London Aquatic Center.
"It's gotten 100% worse because the enforcement has stopped," said Mary Spicer, who is with the nonprofit I Heart Oakland/Alameda Estuary. "When you actually have a lot of ADV's on the water, I think it definitely does feel like it's fair game and permission to come on out. But it also sends the message to the citizens that the estuary is not safe."
Spicer's organization helped secure a $3 million federal grant to pay for removal and disposal of the ADV's. Oakland is reportedly one of only 13 cities to get the vessel removal grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition to that, they are also awarded an annual $150,000 grant from the California Division of Boating and Waterways.
While that should help Oakland reduce the number of ADV's in the estuary, authorities also need to control the crime that has been created. And more police patrols may be a tough sell when the city is facing a $120 million deficit.
Spicer said it's time for city leaders to re-establish trust with those at Oakland's waterfront.
"When our cities have money, the Oakland Estuary is ok. When we lose that funding, all of a sudden chaos happens and it really is the Wild West out on the water," she said. "By having OPD out on the water, it actually is something that we can 100% contain. And that's why it's so important that we don't stop."
Sending the right message can make a big difference when it comes to crime. Those who live and work near the water worry that if the city doesn't prioritize the estuary, they may be left all alone to walk the plank.