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Residents urge action on railroad encampments after fires, rock‑throwing and assaults near Hesperian Gardens
Summary
Several residents from the Hesperian Gardens neighborhood told the council that repeated homeless encampments along the Union Pacific/BART corridor have caused fires, violent incidents and a persistent public‑safety and nuisance problem and asked the city to coordinate with Union Pacific, county and state agencies.
Multiple San Leandro residents addressed the council on June 2 to demand sustained action on violent, hazardous and nuisance conditions tied to encampments along the Union Pacific tracks and BART corridor near Hesperian Gardens and Bayfair.
Residents described fires, rock‑throwing, aggressive behavior, incidents of violence and property damage. Celine Huang told the council the encampment along the tracks had been present since December 2020 and that “temporary cleanups have not solved the problem.” She asked the city to coordinate with Union Pacific Railroad, the county and other state agencies and requested that the city provide a written response with next steps. Raymond Jin said the smoke and burning were so pervasive that he could smell materials burning at home and that explosions had occurred near the wall, leading to fire and emergency responses; he said family members and neighbors were afraid to walk outside at night.
Another resident, Jason Lee, recounted being forced to walk through a group of residents that he described as aggressive after a nearby encampment sweep, and said he feared for his personal safety. Residents requested a permanent, coordinated solution rather than repeated short‑term cleanups. Several speakers asked the city to coordinate with Union Pacific and Alameda County to produce a sustained plan for safety and housing responses.
Council members and staff noted that, under the Brown Act, the council typically does not engage in extended dialogue during the public‑comment period on items not on the agenda, but staff said they would look into follow up and that there are ongoing interagency coordination challenges because the corridor involves multiple jurisdictions and private railroad property.
No formal action was taken during the meeting; the comments were received and council members asked staff to follow up and provide information on next steps and interagency options, including responses tied to health, housing and enforcement.
