Oakland mayor seeks to scale back homeless encampment sweeps as others push crackdown

At a glance, it might look like Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee is following the trends in the Bay Area — and the nation — in handling homelessness. The icon among progressives has cleared homeless camps faster than her predecessor since taking office in May 2025, evoking ongoing sweeps in San Jose and San Francisco.

Behind closed doors, Lee is planning a new course: The mayor and a top official want to remove fewer camps and improve sanitation around them, they said in an interview with this news organization ...