Last summer, Oakland made national and international news so-called “pirates” entered the estuary and began raiding boats stored in the local marinas.
A The efforts to remove them seemed to be workingBut now the pirates are back and the city’s budget problems may mean they’ll be there for a while.
Oakland’s latest homelessness problem doesn’t involve tents or trailers. They are called ADVs, short for “abandoned and derelict ships.” Tom Horton of the East Bay Rowing Club says there are a lot of them on the Oakland side of the estuary right now.
“The Alameda Police Department is much more active when it comes to seizing and removing boats,” he said. “But in Oakland, due to several factors, including a lack of funding, you’ll find an entire community of anchored boats illegally moored along the shoreline.”
A few years ago, homeless people started living in boats, often bought for as little as one dollar from owners who just wanted to get rid of them. Oakland has passed an ordinance banning boat parking for more than 12 hours except in a designated marina lane.
The problem is that officials don’t really enforce the rule. The Oakland Police Department has only one officer dedicated to patrolling the entire estuary and his salary is reportedly paid by the Port of Oakland. Now the problem is getting even worse, Horton said.
“They haven’t been able to get approval for their diesel contract, so… my understanding is that they can’t get fuel for their patrol vessels. That’s keeping them on the ground,” Horton said.
Currently, old boats can be found all over the estuary, many of them half-sunken. And while the Coast Guard is looking at the problem every day, Horton said don’t expect help from them.
“No enforcement assistance,” he said. “They won’t name the boats, they won’t remove the boats unless they pose a hazard to navigation.”
All the abandoned ships have caused a lot of crime. Large boats are looted or destroyed and small boats are stolen. A few coaching boats have recently been removed from the sailing academy at the Jack London Aquatic Centre.
“It’s gotten 100% worse because enforcement has stopped,” said Mary Spicer of the nonprofit I Heart Oakland/Alameda Estuary. “When you really have a lot of ADVs on the water, I think it certainly feels like it’s fair game and permission to come out. But it also sends the message to citizens that the estuary is not safe.”
Spicer’s organization helped obtain a $3 million federal grant to pay for the removal and disposal of the ADVs. Oakland is reportedly one of only thirteen cities to receive a ship removal grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition, they also receive a $150,000 annual grant from the California Division of Boating and Waterways.
While this should help Oakland reduce the number of ADVs in the estuary, authorities must also control the crime that has been created. And more police patrols could be difficult to achieve if the city faces a $120 million deficit.
Spicer said it’s time for city leaders to rebuild trust with those on Oakland’s waterfront.
“If our cities have money, the Oakland Estuary is OK. If we lose that funding, suddenly chaos ensues and it really is the Wild West on the water,” she said. “By having OPD on the water, it’s actually something we can control 100%. 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 and forced to walk the plank.
John Ramos
