North Coast State Sen. Mike McGuire announced this morning that he’s helped secure $1 million in state funding for the Eureka Waterfront Trail, which will transform the PalCo Marsh from its current blighted state into a waterfront nature trail. The funding will help fund the construction of 3.75 miles of new trail, which will consist […]
Homeless
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Numbers from the PalCo Marsh Cleanup
The Eureka Police Department has released some information from the May 2 and 3 cleanup of the PalCo Marsh, in which over one hundred homeless people were displaced and/or rehoused. According to the press release, more than 60 tons of trash were collected in the two-day operation. Dozens of sharps containers, used to safely store […]
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A Morning Emergency in the Palco Marsh
It’s quiet. Despite its reputation as a chaotic place, the PalCo Marsh, also known as the Devil’s Playground, often is. A few dogs, tied in front of tents, bark. The motor of a fishing boat on the bay can be heard just out of sight behind the trees. Eureka City Councilmember Kim Bergel walks with […]
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Full Report: Judge Allows Bulk of PalCo Marsh Evictions to Proceed, Saying “I Have 11 Litigants”
OAKLAND — Eleven homeless people in Eureka cannot be evicted from a long-established homeless encampment on Monday unless the city complies with yet-to-be-determined conditions for their alternative shelter, a federal judge ruled from the bench this afternoon. The 11 sued Eureka in Federal Court on Monday, asking for a temporary restraining order that would prevent the […]
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Federal Judge Grants PalCo Marsh Restraining Order, But Only for 11 Plaintiffs
A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order to prevent Eureka’s pending eviction of people camping illegally in the Palco Marsh. Kind of. Courthouse News Services‘ Katherine Proctor, who was in court covering this afternoon’s hearing, said federal Judge Jeffrey S. White granted a request for the restraining order, but not for all of […]
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Operating, Lease Agreements Last Hurdle for Container Community
Less than 72 hours before more than 100 homeless people are slated to be evicted from the Palco Marsh area, a new temporary housing project to accommodate 40 of them is taking shape. Down at the corner of Commercial and Third streets in Eureka, a bevy of construction crews worked busily this morning to continue […]
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‘A Significant Threat’: Eureka Responds to Lawsuit, Offers Contradictory Declarations
The city of Eureka is arguing in a federal court filing that there is no need for a judge to issue a temporary restraining order halting the city’s planned May 2 eviction of homeless people living in the PalCo Marsh, because there’s no threat that they will be irreparably harmed by being forced to relocate. […]
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‘Minimum Standards’: Federal Suit Seeking to Halt Marsh Evictions to be Heard Friday
On Monday afternoon, local attorney Peter Martin and Eureka City Attorney Cyndy Day-Wilson got together for lunch. The topic of the day was a lawsuit Martin was working on and looking to bring against the city stemming from its ordering about 150 homeless people in the Palco Marsh to vacate the area by May 2. […]
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UPDATED: Despite Uncertainty, Homeless Container Community Project Plows Forward
UPDATE: The city of Eureka received one response to its request for proposals to help the soon-to-be-displaced homeless people currently residing behind the Bayshore Mall, and it appears to dead on arrival. City Manager Greg Sparks said he’s currently reviewing the proposal submitted by the local nonprofit Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives with an eye on […]
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Council Moves forward with Container Community for the Homeless
After an outpouring of critical public comment, the Eureka City Council opted last night to move forward with a proposal to create a temporary homeless living arrangement in a vacant lot on the corner of Third and Commercial streets. In a 4-1 vote, with Councilmember Linda Ciarabellini dissenting, the council amended its shelter crisis declaration […]
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Eureka: Marsh Campers Must be out May 2
The city of Eureka is moving forward with a plan to expel all homeless encampments from the Palco Marsh area behind the Bayshore Mall by May 2. The city is meanwhile soliciting proposals from organizations or individuals with an “exit strategy” for the 200 or so people currently living in the marsh area, but doesn’t […]
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TL;DR: Six Things you Need to Know About This Week’s Cover Story
Busy week? We get it. Here are some highlights from “Homing the Houseless” to get you caught up. (And a few things that didn’t make it into the issue.) With the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors and the Eureka City Council slated to vote Tuesday on a joint-resolution that would pledge the two governments’ dedication […]