FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 11, 2025
Contact: Urban Compassion Project info@urbancompassionproject.org, (510) 332-0617
Urban Compassion Project to Support Encampment Residents, Provide Oversight During City’s East 12th Encampment Closure
Oakland, CA — The Urban Compassion Project (UCP) will be on-site during the planned closure of the East 12th encampment, beginning May 12, 2025. UCP is committed to being present to advocate for, support, and conduct compassionate outreach to unhoused individuals currently living along the East 12th corridor.
As a trusted community-based organization, Urban Compassion Project functions as a crucial liaison between the City of Oakland, including the Oakland Police Department (OPD), Oakland Fire Department (OFD), MACRO, and other governmental and non-governmental partners involved in the closure. Our aim is to facilitate transparent, lawful, and humane engagement between the city and affected individuals, ensuring that the City of Oakland’s Encampment Management Policy (EMP) is carried out in accordance with local, state, and federal laws.
“Urban Compassion Project believes that laws should not be broken in order to expedite the closure” said Vincent Ray Williams III, Co-Founder and Executive Director of UCP. “We are here to ensure that the rights of all individuals residing on East 12th are protected throughout this process and expect the EMP to be followed in an ethical and humane manner.”
Our role includes:
- Direct outreach and service connection to unhoused residents
- Monitoring and documenting conditions to ensure humane treatment
- Supporting the City in lawful policy implementation
- Offering de-escalation and trauma-informed engagement
- Helping coordinate between outreach providers to prevent redundancy and confusion
Urban Compassion Project’s primary mission during this closure is to ensure that no individual is overlooked, displaced without cause, or subject to violations of their constitutional rights. We remain committed to collaboration and accountability and urge all participating entities to uphold a spirit of dignity and care during this critical effort.
We welcome continued communication with city officials, first responders, outreach providers, and the media to ensure a unified, transparent, and lawful approach to encampment transition.
For interviews, questions, or further information, please contact Urban Compassion Project at info@urbancompassionproject.org or (510) 332-0617.