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February 2, 2024
Trying to solve the homeless problem Brentwood town hall meeting tackles issue
If homeless people are found trespassing on private or business properties, the owners can ask them to leave. If they refuse to leave, they can be arrested for trespassing, Brentwood police said at a town hall meeting.
By Hemananthani Sivanandam Correspondent
Case law decisions may be hindering the city of Brentwood’s efforts to solve its homeless problem, but the agency has assured residents that they are doing their best to tackle the issue in a compassionate, caring, and accountable manner. Brentwood Police Department Patrol Watch Commander Lt. Christopher Peart, who has been with the agency for 18 years, said initially, the department could use Penal Code 647e, which addresses illegal squatting
Photo by Hemananthani Sivanandam
in the city of Pomona required the city to provide storage for the property of homeless people, restricting the city’s enforcement of ordinances prohibiting tents, personal proper-
and camping ordinance. The Penal Code section makes it a crime to lodge anywhere without the permission of the property owner. However, in 2016, a lawsuit settlement
ty, and overnight camping on public property. Peart said this meant the police department needed to give the homeless people a 72-hour notice for them to gather their things, clean up, and vacate the property. “But it was very vague on how far they can go,” said Peart at a packed Brentwood Police town hall meeting on Jan. 24. “It did not provide any parameters, so it became problematic. It also did not provide a timeline (on how long they should stay away), so if I gave them notice, they would clean up, go, and come back again the next day.” “I would have to start the process all over again,” he added. Peart also said the police department needed to provide storage for the property of see Homeless page 22
Some voters must Delta levees prove resilient even after quake request a ballot this The 4.2-magnitude earthquake in the city of Isleton in Sacramento County last October that was felt as far as East County underscored the seismic resilience of the Delta levees, with officials from the Contra Costa County Water Agency pointing to proper levee system maintenance as the best way to protect communities and water supplies important to other areas of the state. The water agency said that the cost of maintaining levees is significantly less than the proposed Delta tunnel by the state, and needs to be done in any case. The Delta levee system plays a crucial role in safeguarding access, commerce, agriculture, and ecosystem functions, while also
breaches or breaks that have disrupted state water supply or caused local impacts.
supporting Freshwater Pathway essential for supplying water to millions of Californians, said Ryan Hernandez, the Principal Planner at the Contra Costa County Water Agency and the Water Policy adviser to the county Board of Supervisors. The water agency said that the attention should be directed towards fortifying and improving the existing levee system, instead of focusing on the costly Delta tunnel project, that is proposed to be used to remove freshwater from the Sacramento River and bypass the
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Delta for export to the state water project distribution system. The state water project and the Central Valley Project is water infrastructure in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta that funnels and pumps water throughout the major regions of the state from the Bay Area to Southern California. The Department of Water Resources (DWR), which is the owner and operator of the state water project infrastructure, is responsible for the upgrades and maintenance and see Levees page 22
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No Party Preference voters may not be able to vote for presidential candidates By Jake Menez Staff Writer
Residents who are registered as No Party Preference who would like to vote for presidential candidates in the upcoming primary election will need to take steps before Feb. 20 to ensure they’re sent the correct ballot for the March 5 election. No Party Preference voters
Opinion.................................................. 8 Pets......................................................... 7
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Principal Engineer Emily Pappalardo
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Serving East County
year for election
“ We haven’t had any massive levee
By Hemananthani Sivanandam
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across the county – those who are not registered with a specific political party – were mailed postcards informing them of this deadline, according to Chief Deputy County Clerk-Recorder Tommy Gong at a recent Brentwood City Council meeting. The postcard included checkboxes that would allow voters to request a crossover ballot for the Democratic Party, Libertarian Party or American Independent Party. The crossover ballot would include presidential candidates, but those who take no action before the deadline will be mailed a No Party Preference ballot that will not include presidential candidates for any party. Those who wish to vote in see Ballot page 22
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Liberty escapes with narrow win Page 12
with
Brentwood Police honor their own Page 4