About a dozen residents of a homeless encampment in northwest Berkeley will be allowed to remain there while the city continues its effort to dismantle the settlement.
The fate of the encampment has been debated in court for more than a year.The Berkeley Homeless Union represents many of the encampment residents. It argues that residents with disabilities are entitled to protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Edward Chen yesterday temporarily barred the City of Berkeley from continuing its sweep of the encampment located at the intersection of Eighth and Harrison streets.
The Berkeleyside reports the order will allow at least a dozen residents with physical and mental disabilities to remain at the site for about two months. The court gave the City of Berkeley the time to find accommodations for the disabled residents.
The Berkeley Police Department cleared much of the encampment last week before Chen ordered a halt.
Since then, more than a dozen former residents have returned to the site.
