Local business owners in Oakland are struggling to stay afloat as a sprawling homeless encampment fuels crime and copper theft, leading to infrastructure problems like malfunctioning traffic lights.
Tam Le, who has operated Le’s Auto Body & Engine Repair for over 25 years at the corner of E. 12th Street and 16th Avenue, blames the nearby encampment for the repeated theft of copper wires and tampering with city electrical boxes that power the traffic lights.
“Many businesses already closed down on E. 12th St. And I don’t know how long we’re going to be here. Because once they move to our side of the sidewalk, we will be gone,” Le said, expressing concern about the encampment’s growth.
The city has made attempts to clear the encampment, which stretches about three blocks on E. 12th Street between 17th and 14th Avenues, but it continues to expand.
In September, over 200 business owners shut down their stores to protest the government’s handling of public safety amid rising crime. The same month, city leaders launched a grant program to provide funding for small businesses to hold events like workout classes and musical performances to draw customers back to local shops that have seen a decrease in patrons due to crime.
As the city struggles to address the copper theft problem and its impact on infrastructure, local businesses are left wondering how long they can survive in the face of growing challenges posed by the homeless encampment and the crime it attracts.
Oakland has experienced a 22% increase in violent crime this year, according to police data, along with a nearly 10% rise in commercial burglary. In September, over 200 business owners shut down their stores to protest the government’s handling of public safety amid the growing crime wave.
