Campus Police Ban Park’s Donation Box

UC police this week halted a second attempt to rebuild a clothing donation structure in People's Park, saying the structure was unauthorized.

The structure, known as the "free box," was installed to collect clothing for the homeless living in the university-owned People's Park, located on Southside near Unit 2.

The donation receptacle has been a center of conflict for years, from fights over the clothing to acts of vandalism. The box was burned down in February by unknown persons.

Friends of People's Park, a Berkeley-based homeless advocacy group, began rebuilding the structure by laying a new foundation Sept. 18, according to UC police Capt. Mitch Celaya.

No one from Friends of People's Park could be reached for comment yesterday.

Celaya said the construction was not authorized by the university, and police officers dismantled the foundation Sept. 21.

Four days later, UC police removed several crates that had been set up near the park's basketball courts.

University officials said the donation structure has caused numerous tensions.

"We've had huge problems with the box," said Irene Hegarty, UC Berkeley's director of community relations.

Hegarty said the structure was associated with drugs, and that the homeless would often fight over the donated clothing. She added that people would use the free box as a place to drop off trash and unwanted goods.

Jim Hynes, assistant to City Manager Phil Kamlarz, said the problems with the structure have hurt city resources as well.

"It definitely does impact public works (cleaning) crews," he said.

Hynes said there have also been reports of people hoarding the valuable goods from the free box and reselling them.

Joe Eustacio, a homeless man living in People's Park, acknowledged the university's concerns about the free box, but described the university's actions as "spiteful."

"You're going to have a little conflict," he said. "It's harsh, it's a harsh life. I need to survive. Where can I get clothes?"

Hegarty said the university is open to discussion about how to build and run a donation service at the park, but the structures built over the last several weeks were done without consulting the university.

"Structures cannot be built at that site, or on any university property, without permission," she said.

Hegarty said plans to reinstate the free box would have to include consultation with university, city and police officials.

Kokavulu Lumukanda, chair of the city's Homeless Commission, said the free box should be brought back.

"It's an important resource of People's Park," he said. "For that to be taken away is certainly a diminishment for the community that depends on those particular donations."

James Miller, a Berkeley resident who lives near People's Park, said the box benefited people from outside the city as well.

"You got a lot of people from all over who come to that free box," he said. "A lot of people come get clothes for their kids."

Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, whose district includes People's Park, took issue with the university's unilateral actions in the park.

"The university's doing very controversial things without talking to us," Worthington said. "It's about the imperial attitude of the administration towards people."

Bryan Thomas of The Daily Californian contributed to this report.

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