ANTIOCH, Calif. ( KRON ) — With Gov. Gavin Newsom giving the green light for local governments to clear homeless sites, the mayor of Antioch wants his city to strengthen its no camping ordinance. The mayor’s proposed changes would help speed up the process to remove encampments.
In Antioch, Marie has lived out of a tent with her longtime boyfriend on and off for more than two years. Their tent is currently set up along a trail on the southeastern edge of the city.
Marie says she is in this position after losing to her house and job to a prescription drug addiction.
City evicts homeless encampment near San Jose airport
“We’re getting kicked out every day and they’re not offering us a place to go. I don’t know,” Marie said. “I just don’t understand where they expect us to go.”
“Eastern Contra Costa County is challenged with the fact that there is no congregate in east county like in other parts of the Bay Area or within Contra Costa County,” said Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe. “And, so, there is no place for any of these individuals to go.”