Sausalito Declares State Of Emergency Following Explosion, Fire At Homeless Encampment
SAUSALITO (CBS SF) -- Officials in Sausalito declared a state of emergency Thursday in regard to the city's homeless population, one day after an explosion and fire at an encampment Wednesday night led to an arrest.
"Conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property now exist in the City of Sausalito caused by dangerous and sometimes criminal activities at and surrounding the area designated at Marinship Park for transitional overnight sleeping by persons who have no options to sleep indoors," according to the text of the proclamation obtained by KPIX.
"We issued a statement of emergency because we really wanted to put out a flag to the county to say 'please, we need your help.'" said Mayor Janelle Kellman. The mayor says that, for the last 14 months, the city has provided services and resources to the residents of the encampment which is draining the budget.
The state of emergency proclamation comes a day after a resident at the Marinship Park encampment was arrested on arson charges in connection to the explosion and fire.
Officers were called to the encampment at 7:15 p.m. after the blast, which was reportedly heard throughout the North Bay community.
When police arrived, they found that a propane tank had exploded and two tents destroyed. Police also found a suspect who said she admitted to using a cigarette lighter to set her tent and a neighboring tent on fire.
No injuries were reported.
The suspect, identified as 61-year-old Debra Ellen Hazelwood, has been booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of arson. According to Sausalito Police, Hazelwood's bail has been set at $150,000.
It was not immediately known when Hazelwood would appear in court on the charges.
Mayor Kellman would like to see Marin County start to offer a temporary housing program for these residents instead of waiting to get permanent housing.
"I don't think it's inconsistent with the housing-first policy. It's kind of a 'yes and' situation. Yes, housing-first in many situations and, in a situation like ours, we do need bridge/traditional housing."
Marin County Health and Human Services Department did issue a statement saying "HHS staff reached out to Sausalito this morning to understand the incident. We will continue to assist Sausalito with their overall efforts to address homelessness."
The county has provided financial resources, programs and has found the nearly 50 residents are eligible for permanent housing but these residents made a move they didn't want to make.
"Their main priority is: rich people don't want to look at poor people," said Arthur Bruce, an homeless camp resident said.
KPIX correspondent Andrea Nakano contributed to this report