FREMONT, Calif. — The Fremont City Council has signaled its lack of regard for people struggling with homelessness in favor of expanding recreational opportunities for the well off.
About a week ago, the Fremont City Council unanimously awarded Guerra Construction Group a $1.9 million contract to construct a dog park and four pickleball courts at Vallejo Mills Historical Park, located at the corner of Niles Canyon Road and Mission Boulevard, where several people struggling with homelessness are currently living in tents and recreational vehicles. Councilmembers Yang Shao and Teresa Cox were absent.
“It’s always been a park asset and one of the things we just updated is the 25-year master plan,” said Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, “so we think it’s very important for our community members to have access to the public facilities that are designed for them to be able to recreate.”
Mei said the city was being compassionate by giving the community members struggling with homelessness until January to clear out of the area.
Fremont resident Marie Hughes, who lives near the park, told the council that Vallejo Mills Park has always been known for two things — its beautiful spring wildflowers and its homeless encampment.
“It’s had homeless people there as long as I’ve lived in Niles,” Hughes said. “Right now, it’s mostly RVs, they’re tucked away in a corner where you really can’t see them unless you look. They have a strong community where they throw out any troublemakers right away. My neighbors and I are not particularly worried about them. What we are worried about is where they will go if you put in a dog park and a pickleball court.”
The city has, in the past, made things difficult for people in RVs to park somewhere and is choosing to take away another place for them, Hughes said.
“I would like you to reconsider this plan and come up with something that at a minimum allows the homeless people either another place to live or to be there undisturbed,” Hughes said, “and also, if possible, to preserve as much of the wildflowers as possible.”
The council decided to move forward without more than a few minutes of discussion. Councilmember Teresa Keng asked if there were any plans to help relocate the people who are currently living there. Deputy City Manager Allen DeMers said the city is expanding its winter shelters, which should be available to the displaced residents until April.
Construction is scheduled to begin in January and expected to be completed by summer.
The city of Fremont had the largest number of people struggling with homelessness in southern Alameda County (1,026 people) as of the most recent point-in-time count conducted in 2022.
Sonia Waraich can be reached at 510-952-7455.
