Preparations Continue at Marinship Park Encampment Site
Post Date:06/18/2021 7:15 PMWork continued this week to prepare Marinship Park as a transitional camping location for individuals who have been residing at the Dunphy Park encampment and otherwise have no indoor sleeping options. The Sausalito City Council in February approved a resolution that allowed overnight camping in specific areas of Marinship Park.
City of Sausalito staff are chalking the grassy field at Marinship Park to mark off campsites and have installed a drinking fountain that can be used to fill water bottles. Marinship Park's permanent restroom facilities have also been painted and cleaned. In the coming days, staff will install fencing around the camp area and set up two portable toilets, a handwashing station, and a sink. Mobile showers will continue to be provided at Marinship Park twice a week by the Downtown Streets Team.
The City is undertaking the work at Marinship Park to ensure the encampment's move from Dunphy Park is done in a manner that is safe, compassionate, and respectful of individual and community needs. The City has retained Urban Alchemy, a nonprofit homeless support organization, to help with the encampment and to manage the move in accordance with the court's ruling. The move is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
In late May, U.S. District Court Judge Edward M. Chen granted the City's motion to permit the relocation of the Dunphy Park encampment to Marinship Park based on new findings and evidence showing that the move would be safely accomplished and that there was no toxic risk at the proposed site due to the vessel abatement operations at the nearby U.S. Army Corps of Engineers yard.
The judge's ruling modified a March 1 preliminary injunction, which enjoined the City from enforcing its prohibition on day camping and from closing and clearing the Dunphy Park encampment. The City is still barred from enforcing its day camping prohibition.
City staff, alongside staff from Marin County and other cities in the county, are actively working to identify resources to assist individuals who are residing in encampments in the county and lack other housing options. In addition, Mayor Jill Hoffman and Councilmember Melissa Blaustein are working with local elected officials to identify opportunities to secure or develop appropriate alternate housing opportunities.
The hot topics page on the City website provides links to all legal filings concerning the Dunphy Park issue. Additionally, the City is maintaining a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the Dunphy Park encampment.
