Laserfiche WebLink
From:Madahi Cornejo <br />To:publiccomment <br />Subject:Public Comment: ITEM 8A <br />Date:Monday, July 21, 2025 3:19:49 PM <br />You don't often get email from cornejoma93@gmail.com. Learn why this is important <br />Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, <br />I’m writing to express my strong support for the proposed Anti-Camping Ordinance. As <br />someone who was born and raised in Redwood City and who has worked extensively <br />as a legislative aide, I understand firsthand how difficult it is to strike the right balance <br />between compassion, public safety, and good policy. I believe this ordinance <br />thoughtfully reflects all three. <br />Growing up here, I’ve seen Redwood City evolve, and with that evolution, I’ve seen the <br />growing need to address the realities of homelessness with both urgency and dignity. <br />As a policy professional, I also know how critical it is that we have clear and <br />consistent frameworks for enforcement. The ordinance doesn’t create a new <br />approach, it formalizes the one we’ve been following: consistent outreach, notice, <br />cleanup, and follow-through. This gives city staff, residents, and our unhoused <br />neighbors clarity about the process and what to expect. <br />I want to be clear that I don’t support criminalizing homelessness. But I also don’t <br />believe that allowing unsafe, unsanitary, and sometimes dangerous encampments, <br />often in places where services and access are extremely limited, is a dignified or <br />compassionate approach. I’ve worked with individuals experiencing homelessness. <br />I’ve sat in on policy briefings about encampment fires, environmental damage, and <br />public health risks. And I’ve seen how incredibly difficult it is for outreach teams to do <br />their jobs in areas that lack basic infrastructure or pose safety hazards. We owe it to <br />everyone, housed and unhoused alike, to be proactive, not reactive. <br />I’m proud that Redwood City has invested heavily in outreach-based solutions. From <br />peer-led engagement to shelter and housing navigation, we’re doing the work. The <br />ordinance doesn’t roll back those efforts, it ensures they are the foundation for any <br />enforcement that follows. And that’s key. We’re not simply removing people from one <br />location and leaving them on their own. We’re connecting them to real resources. <br />We’re creating pathways out of homelessness, not just pushing people around. <br />This ordinance is a reflection of Redwood City’s values: thoughtful, compassionate, <br />and community-minded. It protects public safety, respects the dignity of unhoused <br />residents, and gives our city staff the tools they need to act responsibly and