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Indybay Feature

Sheriffs in Contra Costa County Plan to Impound all Live Aboard Vessels in Delta Region

by Amber Cifaldi (cifaldi.amber [at] yahoo.com)
Police in Contra Costa plan to seize all live aboard vessels from Antioch to Discovery Bay. This will leave dozens of people on fixed incomes homeless this winter. The Sheriffs intend to make recovery of these vessels difficult by substantially increasing the associated costs. Many veterans, disabled, and impoverished will lose their homes and one of the few affordable options available to those who do not qualify or currently waiting for rent subsidy programs.
The Sheriffs in Contra Costa County recently informed residents in the delta region about their intention to take their boats (their homes) as soon as the funds for next year are available. This will affect a large segment of low income people who live aboard their vessels because they have no other options of securing shelter that is within their financial means. The police intend to carry out their assault on the impoverished despite the fact that there is NO county ordinance prohibiting live aboard vessels. The county ordinance stipulates those who live aboard their vessels must have coast guard approved sanitation and the vessel must have a functional engine capable of moving the vessel. The ordinance also states that mooring at a private residence is permissible and a live aboard vessel is able to anchor in open water for up to 30 consecutive days anywhere that does not block other boat traffic. I was informed by the marine patrol that registered vessels that are in legal slips are not exempt from seizure if someone is living on them. They plan to blatantly disregard the property rights of these individuals and impose exuberant fees to recover their property because they are poor. Since they are too poor to afford the type of justice our system dispenses these peace officers figure they will get away with it without any consequence. That is no way to protect and serve the community.
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