Abode’s Guest Column in the Chronicle Urges Fremont to Reject Encampment Ban

Vivian Wan, CEO of Abode Services, published a guest column Tuesday in the San Francisco Chronicle, explaining why we strongly oppose Fremont’s proposed encampment ban.

Here’s an excerpt from the column: “The proposed ordinance goes a step further than any other encampment ban in the state by making anyone ‘causing, permitting, aiding, abetting, or concealing’ an illegal encampment guilty of a misdemeanor – and possibly subject to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.

This means nonprofits, local religious institutions or even individual concerned citizens could find themselves in trouble just for doing the right thing and treating people humanely. … What kind of city do we want to be? Do we want Fremont to become a place where housed residents ban those struggling to survive and punish neighbors who try to help them?”

The Fremont City Council approved the ban by a 6-1 vote on Feb. 11.

You can read the entire column by clicking here.