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The Bay Area city of Vallejo is putting California cities’ newfound power to clear homeless encampments to the test.

A federal judge last month stopped the city from dismantling the makeshift shelter of 64-year-old Evelyn Alfred, which she erected nearly two years ago on an empty strip of land next to a residential neighborhood. The ruling proves that, even as more cities in California crack down on encampments with sweeps and criminal charges, there are pathways open for unhoused people to fight back.

“I think now what this shows is that there is hope,” said Andrea Henson, an attorney who represents Alfred and also leads the Berkeley-based nonprofit aid organization Where Do We Go?

Before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last summer in a case out of Grants Pass, Oregon, Alfred’s win might not have been a big deal. Back then, legal precedent said it was “cruel and unusual” to punish people for sleeping outside if they had nowhere else to go. As a result, cities had to be careful to offer shelter before clearing a camp. If they didn’t, a judge might very well step in and stop the sweep.

That all changed in June, when the court caused a dramatic shift by finding, in Grants Pass v. Johnson, that cities can ban people from setting up homeless encampments even if there are no shelter beds available.

The recent order stopping Vallejo from clearing Alfred’s camp appears to be the first such federal injunction since the Grants Pass decision, according to several legal experts interviewed by CalMatters.

“Cities and other governmental entities have been using the Grants Pass decision as if it was a green light (to clear encampments),” said Anthony Prince, one of the attorneys representing Alfred. This ruling, he said, proves that thinking is wrong.

Representatives from the city of Vallejo did not respond to CalMatters interview requests.

Many city leaders and even California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, had cheered the Supreme Court decision, assuming it would give local governments freedom to remove camps that had taken over sidewalks, city parks and other public spaces. Advocates for the rights of unhoused people were appalled, worried cities would now indiscriminately criminalize people just for being homeless.

But this recent Vallejo case shows it’s not so simple. As a result, legal experts and other attorneys who represent homeless plaintiffs throughout the state are paying attention to Alfred’s fight to stay put.

“I think we’re all watching closely to see what the courts will do,” said Ron Hochbaum, a law professor and director of the Buccola Family Homeless Advocacy Clinic at the University of the Pacific.

Evelyn Alfred’s court battle

The dwelling Alfred is fighting to keep is made out of tarps, wood and other materials, and has a roof, windows and a locking door, according to court documents. Her lawyers argued it’s the only thing that protects Alfred — who walks with a cane and wears a back brace due to her osteoarthritis and other medical conditions — from the elements.

The city of Vallejo first informed Alfred of its intent to remove her camp in October, and Alfred sued shortly after. In November, a federal judge temporarily blocked the city from clearing Alfred’s camp by issuing a temporary restraining order — an order that lasts until the court holds a hearing on the issue.

In February, the court granted a preliminary injunction, which is a much bigger win: It lasts longer and comes only after both sides have made extensive arguments in court and the judge has had ample time to deliberate. This appears to be the first one issued in federal court since Grants Pass. It means Alfred can stay put until her case settles or goes to trial.

Alfred is on several waitlists for affordable housing, but hasn’t yet been offered a placement, according to her lawyers. When she asked where she could go if she were to leave her campsite, the city’s attorney said she could not camp anywhere else in Vallejo, according to court documents. The city does not provide shelter or transitional housing. Therefore, Alfred’s lawyers argued, she would be put in harm’s way if she were forced to leave her camp, especially due to her age, physical and mental disabilities and, as a woman, her vulnerability to sexual assault.

U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins sided with Alfred.

“Removing Plaintiff’s shelter while knowing Plaintiff has no alternatives is likely to expose her to more dangerous conditions than she currently faces by depriving her of protection from the elements, hygiene facilities, and access to life essentials, creating a known and particularized danger to Plaintiff’s safety and welfare,” she wrote.

City workers sweep clean the area of a former homeless encampment on Merlin Street in San Francisco on Aug. 9, 2024. Photo by Manuel Orbegozo for CalMatters

If the city knowingly puts Alfred in danger, that could violate her right to “due process” under the 14th Amendment, Coggins wrote.

The city, on the other hand, argued it should be allowed to remove Alfred’s camp because the camp presents health hazards caused by human waste, her makeshift dwelling violates multiple building codes, and in erecting the dwelling, she damaged a city-owned fence.

“Plaintiff has been properly noticed and provided with additional time to remove her encampment,” attorneys for the city wrote in a court filing. “The City must now be allowed to enforce its law and remove Plaintiff’s encampment.”

But Coggins found no proof that Alfred’s camp presents any “weighty” health and safety concerns.

Now the case will continue on toward a trial or settlement. The city has filed a motion to dismiss, which Coggins is scheduled to hear in May.

What does this mean for future homeless plaintiffs?

Before 2018, homeless plaintiffs often used the 14th Amendment (the basis for Alfred’s win) and the 4th Amendment (which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government) to challenge encampment sweeps in court.

Then, the federal Ninth Circuit appellate court ruled in Martin v. Boise that punishing unhoused people for camping in public if they have nowhere else to go violates the 8th Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. After that, the 8th Amendment became the weapon of choice for lawyers representing unhoused people.

And it got results. In 2022, lawyers using the 8th Amendment to sue San Francisco won a major victory: an order that stopped the city from enforcing several anti-camping laws as long as there weren’t enough shelter beds available.

Then, last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Grants Pass was not engaging in cruel and unusual punishment by banning encampments despite a lack of shelter beds. Suddenly, the 8th Amendment was off the table. Now, homeless plaintiffs and the lawyers who represent them are turning to other strategies. The Vallejo case proves that those can still work, even as cities throughout California ban encampments.

Alfred’s attorneys also claimed the city of Vallejo violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to accommodate Alfred’s disabilities as it tried to clear her camp. Coggins disagreed because the city granted Alfred more time to move, and granted her request for help packing her belongings.

“I think we’re all watching closely to see what the courts will do.”
— Ron Hochbaum, law professor, University of the Pacific

But legal experts said disabilities act claims are likely to pop up in future cases. In a 2023 survey of homeless Californians, one in five said they used a cane, walker, wheelchair or other mobility aid, according to the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. Survey participants also reported that shelters and subsidized housing weren’t accessible.

“That’s certainly an issue,” said Laura Riley, a social justice attorney and law professor at UC Berkeley. “We know that people who are unhoused disproportionately have disabilities. The plaintiff in this case has multiple disabilities, both mobility and mental health disabilities. So making sure that they honor the protections of the ADA for the unhoused population is important. And we know that that’s not happening, especially during sweeps.”

Alfred’s injunction may not stand alone for long. The same lawyers who represent her also sued the city of Berkeley to stop the removal of a camp at 8th and Harrison streets. Another lawsuit is attempting to stop an encampment sweep in the Marin County town of Fairfax.

“Until localities and the state make the appropriate investments in shelter and housing,” Hochbaum said, “this litigation is going to continue.”

Benjamin Lee Lewis passed away on February 25, 2025 at the age of 70, surrounded by his loving family.

Ben was born in Hokkaido, Japan and immigrated to the United States at the age of two with his younger brother Ken and his mother Toki after the tragic death of his father. His father Robert was killed by lightning while serving for the United States Armed Forces in Japan.

Ben was a graduate of Freshwater Elementary, Winship Junior High, and Eureka High Schools. He was very active in athletics, football being his favorite. He was very proud of being on an undefeated football team while at Eureka High.

After high school, he joined the United States Air Force, where he served for four years and earned a honorable discharge.

After serving his country, he gained employment with PG&E as a certified welder at the King Salmon Nuclear Power Plant. He proudly retired after 33 years of service.

Ben loved spending time at his family’s cabin. As a young boy his grandfather took Ben and his brother Ken to the cabin teaching them to hunt, fish and log. This encouraged Ben’s life-long love of spending every free moment at the cabin. He carried on this tradition by teaching his children the same love of being at the cabin especially fishing.

Ben’s other passion was being a Corvette owner. He looked forward every week to Corvette Coffee.

Ben was also a proud member of the Calvary Baptist Church.

Ben is survived by his loving wife Sandy of 32 years. They were married after reconnecting at their 20th high school class reunion. Ben is also survived by his five children: Robert Lewis, Sarah Lewis (Ben), Matthew Hillyard (Sara), Jeffrey Hillyard (Roxana), Jamie Stokes (John) and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Heidi, nephew Ken and many other family members. And we can’t forget his loving dog, Pearl.

He was predeceased by his grandfather Emmett Lewis, his father Sgt. First Class Robert Milton Lewis, his mother Toki Hipner, his step-father Ray Hipner, his brother Kenneth Lewis, mother-in-law Beverly Thompson, and his mentor Smitty.

His family would like to thank Hospice of Humboldt and UC Davis medical staff for their care. We would also like to give special thanks to son-in-law Ben and nephew Ken for their unending support at UC Davis and for being bedside with Ben through his final moments.

Services followed by a celebration of life potluck will be held on Saturday, March 15 at 11 a.m. at the Calvary Baptist Church 3400 F Street Eureka.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in honor of Ben Lewis to Hospice of Humboldt 3327 Timber Fall Court, Eureka 95503.

(AUDIO) Brett McFarland on KSLG

Brett McFarland has been having a bit of an extended moment here in Humboldt. Four months ago, the local farmer-turned-viral local music video star grabbed ahold of the regional consciousness with the release of the clip for his song “Humboldt” — off the album Humboldt, of course. That video has racked up over 300,000 views on YouTube as of this writing and he’s subsequently churned out a handful of highly produced follow-ups. 

Is it time to take this show on the road? Brett thinks so. 

This week, Brett stopped by the KSLG studios in Old Town to talk with DJ Rhi Marie about his plans to tour with his newly assembled band The Freedom Riders. The plan is to kick off said tour — we’re going with the “Straight Outta Humboldt Tour” — with a show at the Arcata Theatre Lounge on March 22. 

How’d we get here? In the interview above, Rhi Marie digs into Brett’s musical beginnings, his time in prison and how a return to music after a long time away revitalized his spirit. They also discuss his latest song, “Street Signs,” which Brett wrote to commemorate 165 years since the Wiyot Massacre.

Tune in. 

For More Audio Interviews From the Humboldt Airwaves,
-GO HERE-

An “urgent health advisory” posted to the Yurok Tribe’s Facebook page this afternoon sparked alarm by referring to “a measles outbreak affecting our region,” but public health officials later clarified that there have been no confirmed cases of the highly contagious virus reported in Humboldt or Del Norte counties.

The initial message, signed by Yurok Director of Health Services Dr. Jacqueline J. Bae, was meant to convey general public health guidance in response to a measles outbreak that began in Texas and has since spread to nine states, including California (which was apparently the “region” being referred to in the post).

The Tribe’s Facebook post was later edited to add more information, including the following clarification: “Three cases [statewide] occurred in February, with no new cases reported in March. The California Department of Public Health has not specified the exact locations of these cases.”

The Del Norte County Public Health Department announced this afternoon that there have been no confirmed cases of measles in the county recently, though it advised, “now is the time to make sure you and your children are up to date on vaccines.”

A spokesperson with Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services likewise confirmed that there have not been any measles cases in Humboldt County this calendar year.

Here’s the Tribe’s Facebook post:

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Letter from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Redwood Region:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Redwood Council, we are reaching out to the Humboldt County community with an urgent message. For 44 years, our Dining Facility has proudly served as safe haven to the displaced and low-income residents of northern Humboldt County, providing hot meals, clothing, hygiene kits, and access to essential services like healthcare, showers, and navigating shelter.

However, due to a severe financial shortfall during the past couple years, we are facing the heartbreaking possibility of reducing our service days from five to just three per week. This reduction would dramatically impact the individuals and families who rely on us for their daily nourishment and basic needs. Many of our guests face ongoing challenges, including behavioral health issues, prolonged exposure to dysfunction, or the overwhelming struggles of life on the streets. Our facility offers not just a meal, but a place of community, respite, and care.

The need for our services is greater than ever, and we cannot continue without the support of our community. We urgently call for donations, volunteer assistance, and spreading awareness to help us maintain our vital work. We have served over 3.5 million meals since 1981, but to continue our mission, we need your help.

We invite all community members to visit our Dining Room, located at 35 W. Third Street, Eureka, to see our work in action and experience the radical hospitality provided within our walls. We welcome everyone, which is rare in the modern world. Join us in our mission to create a safe place for the most vulnerable in our community. There is room for you at our table.

Please visit our website at svdp-redwoods.org to learn how you can make a difference, or email Bob Santilli directly at raps56@hotmail.com to see how you or your organization can contribute. Your support will ensure that we can continue to provide these essential services to those who need them most.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul - Redwood Region

Bob Santilli
Russell Shaddix
Georgeanne Fulstone-Pucillo
Stephanie Holmes
Juan Velazquez
Hannah Ozanian

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Gone are the days of downloading PDFs. Press release from the Humboldt County Office of Elections:

The Humboldt County Office of Elections is proud to announce the launch of its new election results search tool, ElectStats, designed to provide voters and researchers with enhanced access to local election data.

ElectStats allows users to easily search and analyze election results through multiple entry points, including specific elections, individual contests and candidate names. This user-friendly system represents a significant upgrade from previous methods of accessing election data.

By offering immediate public access to historical election data, ElectStats helps reduce the time and staff resources needed to fulfill records requests, while empowering the public with detailed insight into the history of our local elections.

“This new search tool demonstrates our commitment to transparency and accessibility in the democratic process,” says Juan Pablo Cervantes, Humboldt County Registrar of Voters. “We’re making it easier than ever for our community to access and understand election results.”

ElectStats features:

• Comprehensive search capabilities across all digitally archived election results.

• Filter options by election date, contest type and candidate.

• User-friendly interface designed for both casual voters and detailed research.

ElectStats is available today, Tuesday, March 4, and can be accessed through the Humboldt County Elections website at electstats.humboldtgov.org. Users will be able to search election results from 2013 to the most current General Election with older data to be included in the coming months.

For more information about the new search tool, please contact the Office of Elections by email at this link or by phone at 707-445-7481.

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After spending nearly three months trailing on-duty Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies, last month, camera crews with “On Patrol: Live” packed it in and headed home. For now, at least. 

Honsal

The sheriff’s office made its debut on “On Patrol: Live” — a reality TV show that follows on-duty police officers and sheriff’s deputies from departments across the United States — on Nov. 8. The show, which strives to give viewers a glimpse into the day-to-day duties of law enforcement officers, airs live (with a 10-minute broadcast delay) every Friday and Saturday night on Reelz, a digital cable and satellite TV network that offers an assortment of crime-related programming, including “Cops” and “Sheriffs of El Dorado County.” 

Many of our readers will recall last year, when the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a one-year contract with the show’s production company, Half Moon Pictures, LLC, despite hesitation among some board members who worried the camera crews would distract deputies from their duties or cause reputational harm to the county. At that time, Humboldt Sheriff William Honsal made the case that the show would “highlight the professional law enforcement services” his deputies provide and, hopefully, improve recruitment for the department, which has been understaffed for years.

In a recent interview with the Outpost, Honsal said it’s “too early to tell” if “On Patrol: Live” has impacted recruitment, though he said the department is currently “near full staffing on the patrol side.” Still, he spoke favorably of the whole experience and praised the professionalism of the deputies who featured on the show.

“I feel like it was, overall, a great experience,” Honsal said. “[Our deputies] represented the county, they represented our department — and law enforcement in general — in a highly respectful manner. … You look at the professionalism [of departments] in other parts of the nation, you know, when it comes to how they handle people or patrol operations, and I’m just thankful to say that our deputies did it very, very well. … And the more people can see that, the more trust is garnered in our community.”

Asked how the sheriff’s office first caught the attention of the show’s producers, Honsal said he was approached in 2020 by the executive producers of “Live PD,” — a near-identical show dreamed up by the same production company as “On Patrol: Live” — at the beginning of the pandemic. (Perhaps they caught this episode of the Joe Rogan Experience?)

“[The producers] just saw how we were handling the pandemic … and kind of being the leaders of the community during the pandemic, and they thought it would be a good thing to highlight [HCSO] on ‘Live PD.’ I was starting to talk to [the producers] and then George Floyd happened at the end of May and all the protests [started],” Honsal said, referring to the national outrage over police brutality that followed the in-custody death of George Floyd. “At that point in time, ‘Live PD; was taken off the air by A&E, but I still kept in touch with [the producer].”

It didn’t take long for the show to make a comeback. “On Patrol: Live” premiered on Reelz just two years later. (Not long after the show premiered in July 2022, A&E sued REELZ for copyright and trademark infringement. The lawsuit was settled in October 2024.)

The HCSO made its debut on the program in November 2024 during a particularly slow time of the year, which is what ultimately led the department to take a break from the show. 

“After about eight weeks, they wanted to continue [but] I said, you know, at this time of year, there’s not a lot going on and our guys are busy with training,” Honsal said. “I said we could use a break, and then we’ll come back and do the show again at the end of 2025. We’re looking at that as definitely a possibility.”

Looking through old episodes of “On Patrol: Live,” I noticed that the sheriff’s office didn’t get much airtime on the show, which seems to focus on the busiest departments in its lineup. During the first episode I watched, HCSO Deputy L. Bonilla is seen approaching a vehicle parked near the bathroom at the disc golf course in Manila where a man appears to be sleeping in the driver’s seat. 

“It looks like he’s just dozing off, but [I’m] just gonna do a welfare check to make sure everything’s okay,” Bonilla tells the crew as he peers into the driver’s side window with his flashlight. “Usually, people come out here and [we] respond to people OD’ing.” 

After confirming the man isn’t in distress, the deputy asks to see the driver’s ID, which he doesn’t have. The deputy then gives him a look and asks if he’s made contact with him before. “No, I don’t think so,” the man responds. The feed cuts and goes back to the “On Patrol: Live” studio where the show’s host, Dan Abrams, playfully asks his in-studio guests, “Do I know you from somewhere?” and the feed cuts to a police chase.

A little later in the episode, we see Bonilla approaching a silver SUV he’s just pulled over in the Eureka Wing Stop parking lot. As he walks up to the driver’s side window, a woman can be heard saying, “I was on the phone doing 20 things at once,” and he calmly tells her that she shouldn’t be on the phone while she’s driving. 

She leans out the window, looks directly at the camera crew behind Bonilla, and asks if she’s on camera, accidentally handing him her debit card instead of her ID. “Oh my goodness, are we really on camera? Why?” she asks. The deputy asks her to move her vehicle to accommodate traffic trying to get into the parking lot, and the feed cuts again.

In another episode, HCSO deputies respond to a suspicious house alarm and, with the homeowner’s permission, take the camera crew through the house to ensure no one is hiding inside. The feed cuts to Richland County, S.C., where a man is being detained for letting his vehicle run while unattended in a gas station parking lot.

Honsal acknowledged that a lot of the content featured on the show is pretty routine stuff. 

“Some of [the content] is the stuff that happens in between the calls for service, you know, when we’re stopping for a cup of coffee, talking with someone at a gas station or on the side of the road and they’re broken down,” he said. “There’s not police sirens or really anything exciting about that, but [it shows] the interaction and us treating people with respect and dignity.  … I feel like that’s the side of law enforcement that a lot of people don’t understand. I think [the show] captures that well.”

How did local folks feel about their mugs being broadcast on national television? It’s difficult to say because we weren’t able to track down anyone willing to share their account. 

I came across a post from an anonymous user on r/Humboldt who described their encounter with the “On Patrol: Live” crew after they were pulled over for a busted headlight. “The cop has a camera man with him, which weirded me out, but also the cop was acting hella intense for just a headlight, which seemed to … be because he was being filmed,” the poster wrote.

Other anonymous users in the comment section called the show “embarrassing” and asserted that it’s illegal for people to be filmed without their consent, which isn’t true. Others suggested that the sheriff’s office was just participating in the show for a little extra funding. 

To be clear, HCSO was not paid for its participation in the show. The only money exchanged between producers and the departments featured on the “On Patrol: Live” is an insignia fee, which is usually paid directly to the city or county government that is hosting the show, as stated in the show’s FAQ section.

No money is paid by the producers to the departments in exchange for their appearance on ON PATROL: LIVE. Committing to a season of ON PATROL: LIVE can be demanding on a department’s resources, especially for smaller agencies. In an effort to make a department’s appearance on ON PATROL: LIVE cost-neutral for taxpayers, and upon discussions with the department regarding their specific needs, the producers employ the industry-wide practice of paying a nominal Insignia Fee, which is a standard television licensing practice involving a specific payment for the rights to air an agency’s name or logo. Frequently, Insignia Fees are paid directly to the city government, not to the police department itself.

[ADDENDUM: In an emailed response to the Outpost’s previous inquiry about insignia fees, HCSO Spokesperson Meghan Ruiz said the sheriff’s office has not taken any fees from the show to date.]

Honsal couldn’t say for sure if and when “On Patrol: Live” would return to Humboldt County, but if it happens, it would probably be sometime in the fall.

“We still have an active marijuana season, and there’s definitely things that occur during harvest season — whether it’s robberies [or] violence — where we just have an uptake in crime in general,” he said. “It’s an up in the air thing, but [the producers] know they are welcome back here.”

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• TODAY IN SUPES: Board Approves Contract with Reality TV Show ‘On Patrol: Live,’ On the Theory That it Could Boost Recruitment for Local Law Enforcement