OXNARD POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE

INCIDENT:	Halaco Inhabitants to Vacate Property
DATE/TIME:	January 17, 2018 at 6:30 AM
PREPARED BY:	Melissa Valdez, Community Affairs Manager (805) 342-8292 melissa.valdez@oxnardpd.org
CONTACT PERSON AND CONTACT INFO:	Melissa Valdez, Community Affairs Manager (805) 342-8292 melissa.valdez@oxnardpd.org

DETAILS:

At sunrise this morning, members of the Oxnard Police Department’s Neighborhood Policing Team with assistance from the Special Enforcement Unit, Traffic Unit, and Ventura Police Department’s Patrol Task Force led an operation at the Halaco site, located at 6200 Perkins Rd. The purpose of the operation was to follow up with the inhabitants that were previously directed to vacate the property by January 17, 2018. Halaco inhabitants had been repeatedly advised that they were trespassing on private property, and would be subject to arrest if they did not vacate the property by the deadline.

During this morning’s operation, police and social service workers contacted thirty-six (36) persons on the site. All 36 individuals voluntarily left the premises and it was not necessary to make any arrests for trespassing.

Assistant Chief Jason Benites said, “We are pleased that we did not have to arrest anyone for trespassing this morning. Though some individuals had outstanding arrest warrants, our preference from the beginning has been to seek compliance from those who have been camping there. Hopefully those who vacated the premises do not return, as they will face arrest if they do. ”

Seven (7) were arrested for outstanding warrants. Seventeen (17) vehicles that were determined to be either abandoned or inoperable were towed.

“We first had the abandoned, inoperable vehicles towed, in order to afford others with operable vehicles to remove them from the site,” said Benites. “Vehicles are a means for the people that are here to leave, and we did not want to take away that option from them.”

In order to assist Halaco inhabitants with their ability to vacate the site, Police and workers from Oxnard City Corps also offered to place personal belongings into temporary storage. Several of the Halaco inhabitants took that option. Items that were stored were first photographed, geo-coded with a mobile app, then cataloged for storage. Halaco inhabitants were given instructions how to make arrangements to retrieve their belongings at a later time. The City of Oxnard will hold such property for up to ninety (90) days; unclaimed property will then be subject to disposal.

The intersection of Perkins Rd. and McWane Blvd. is temporarily blocked with barricades for up to ninety (90) days, while the scheduled abatement of the property takes place. Vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian access is restricted south of the intersection, and the barricade is being monitored by security guards, 24 hours a day. Several “no trespassing” signs were also posted in conspicuous places to deter people from entering the site.

The Police Department will continue future sweeps through to the Halaco site, to ensure that people have not returned. All of the Halaco inhabitants have been advised that moving forward, any individual found to be trespassing on site will be taken into custody and charged with trespassing, a misdemeanor.

The Halaco site, formerly a recycling facility and currently an EPA superfund location, is not safe to inhabit. The living conditions are unsanitary. Accumulated piles of refuse raise health concerns, and have negative environmental impacts on the adjacent Ormond Beach Wetlands, a nature preserve with protected and endangered species.

To remedy concerns about this site, the City of Oxnard initiated an abatement process for the site in August of 2017. Once abatement work begins later this month, this process will consist of trash cleanup, debris removal, vegetation abatement, and demolition of free-standing concrete walls.

We encourage those seeking temporary shelter to visit the West County Winter Warming Shelter located at the Ventura National Guard Armory through March 31, 2018. The shelter opens nightly at 6 PM and provides a hot dinner meal, a place to sleep, showers and breakfast. The shelter is a County collaborative and is available for single occupants and families. For information concerning this, as well as additional services, the public can call “211” or (805) 385-1800.

We would like to remind the public that while the City of Oxnard does not provide any direct homeless services or emergency housing, the City does provide funding to several agencies and non-profit organizations that do provide such services. Below is a list of service agencies and places that provide assistance:

EMERGENCY HOUSING

If you are facing homelessness or are already homeless and need emergency housing:

Homelessness Prevention Program

Rapid Re-Housing Program

County of Ventura Human Services Agency

805-385-8585

www.vchsa.org/hprp

The Kingdom Center

(women and children only)

805-487-3400

www.tkcoxnard.org

Turning Point Foundation