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Public Comment – Support for Encampment Ordinance (July 21, 2025 <br />Agenda Item) <br /> <br />Date: 29 July 2025 <br /> <br />To: Redwood City Council <br />c/o City Clerk <br />1017 Middlefield Road <br />Redwood City, CA 94063 <br />council@redwoodcity.org <br /> <br />Dear Councilmembers, <br />We’re writing as a Redwood City family who has lived here for about five years. In <br />that time, we’ve come to love this community — the parks, the sense of safety, the <br />excellent public services, and the overall feel of the city. We feel deeply connected <br />to this place and want to see it continue to thrive. <br />One thing that has become harder to ignore, though, is the situation around <br />homelessness. We’ve seen people living in makeshift tents or on the street near the <br />Caltrain station and the public library. It’s heartbreaking to watch people trying to <br />get by in such conditions — with no stability, often struggling with visible health or <br />mental health issues, and seemingly little hope of things improving. It doesn’t feel <br />right to look away and pretend this is okay — because it’s not. <br />We understand that there’s a proposed ordinance coming up for discussion that <br />would allow the city to intervene more directly — first by offering shelter or help, and <br />only if that’s declined, by taking further steps. We support this approach. It treats <br />people with dignity and compassion while also recognizing that doing nothing helps <br />no one — not those on the street, and not the larger community either. <br />From what we’ve read and learned, this kind of approach has already started <br />making a difference in other California cities. It aligns with newer state laws like <br />CARE Court and updated conservatorship rules, and it gives local governments <br />more tools to help people who can’t always help themselves. It’s not a perfect