Sherman R. Frederick
Sausalito Marin Scope
The balance between good intentions and the gritty reality of homelessness hit high tide this month in the seaside hamlet of Sausalito.
After an explosion and fire last Wednesday (Feb. 9) in the Marinship Park Tent City, damaging two tents and endangered the lives of two residents, the city declared itself in a state of emergency, calling the situation a “crisis with unsheltered members of our community.”
It began in 2020 with a handful of “anchor-outs” and other unhoused people camping on the beach at Dunphy Park. As the encampment grew larger during the pandemic it prompted town hearings in which some citizens worried about the encampment becoming an unwieldy eyesore that would fail to serve the needs of the unhoused.
The city then decreed that all homeless shall be housed at Marinship Park, claiming that park had proper infrastructure for a safer, more hygienic place to shelter the down and out. After a legal tussle with homeless advocates, a federal court approved the plan. It’s been a struggle ever since for the city, both financially and socially. It has some wondering whether Sausalito bit off more than it can chew.
Late in 2021, heavy rains caused a sewage issue that led to residents of the homeless sheltered in Tent City getting sick. That prompted the city to move the tents from the grass area of the park to the tennis courts. At the beginning of 2022, facing the reality of skyrocketing costs of maintaining a Marinship Park Tent City, the city issued a statement indicating town leaders wanted to “eliminate the need” for the Marinship facility.
A statement just a few weeks ago said the town is “committed to treating all individuals experiencing homelessness with compassion and dignity. As such, Sausalito is dedicated to acting expeditiously and cooperatively to eliminate the need for the Marinship Park tent encampment by continuing, and expanding, partnerships and collaborations focused on identifying and/or creating a range of housing opportunities for persons who have no alternative for sleeping indoors.”
The statement further read: “Sausalito is cognizant of the impacts an encampment has on the general public, including the public’s use of Marinship Park, as well as the impacts on surrounding businesses, property owners, neighbors, and municipal services. Sausalito is committed to mitigating such impacts and to ensuring that the encampment is a safe environment for the campers and the general public.”
Then came the fire and explosion last week. It was the latest in an ongoing struggle for the city to maintain some level of safety in an encampment filled with people with a wide range of problems.
Sausalito police reported that Tent City resident Debra Ellen Hazelwood, 61, of Hazelwood admitted she used a cigarette lighter to set fire to two tents, one of which contained a propane canister. There were no injuries as a result of the blaze.
While it was only the latest example of crime and misbehavior in the Marinship Park’s Tent City (See the Sausalito section of Marinscope’s Cop Log on Page 6), it prompted the city to admit it can’t cope with homelessness alone.
“This state of emergency is a clear signal to county leaders that our small town needs extra resources, including money and manpower, to deal with this crisis,” Sausalito Mayor Janelle Kellman said. “Since the onset of the encampment, Sausalito has been working closely with Marin County officials, and we have repeatedly requested additional support from the county to help find permanent housing for unsheltered residents.”
“While we appreciate the recent allocation of funds, it is not sufficient for the unique dynamic of our encampment, and we are asking for further help and support,” Mayor Kellman said. “This is costing an overwhelming amount of taxpayer dollars, and private landowners have incurred significant losses. We are committed to working collaboratively with the county to reach a long-term solution.”
The county is the primary recipient of state and federal housing funds.
(You can reach the writer at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
Jenette says
I’m glad the City of Sausalito finally got a chance to clean up the filth that was created by this encampment. I stopped by the other day and the new tents in the tennis courts were looking very good. Let’s hope Sausalito can return Marinship Park back the the community for all to use and enjoy!