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A Tropical Disease Hit a Berkeley Homeless Encampment. Courts Blocked Cleanup.
Brief
The leptospirosis outbreak at Berkeley’s Harrison Street encampment began when rats tested positive in November 2025 and two dogs were infected, yet a legal injunction tied to a December 2024 lawsuit by the Berkeley Homeless Union prevented effective abatement for roughly 16 months. Public health officer Dr. Noemi Doohan filed sworn declarations on January 6, 2026 and the city issued a January 12 alert urging residents to relocate at least one-third of a mile; officials warned the bacterium can survive in soil ≥30 days and that eradication requires rat baiting, carcass removal, and rebaiting. In April 2026 Judge Edward Chen permitted clearance but attached operational limits—replacement of tents and gear, 6-foot sidewalk clearances, individualized findings for towing and 16 ADA claimants—and scheduled a full trial for October 2026 while Berkeley continues two Ninth Circuit appeals.
Why it matters
Rats at Berkeley’s Harrison Street encampment tested positive for leptospirosis in November 2025; two dogs also tested positive and the bacteria can persist in soil for at least 30 days.
Key details
- A federal injunction tied to a suit by the Berkeley Homeless Union blocked full cleanup efforts from December 2024 through April 2026, leaving the encampment occupied for 16 months despite public-health warnings.
- Berkeley Public Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan filed a court declaration on January 6, 2026 and the city issued a public-health alert on January 12, 2026 urging residents to move at least one-third of a mile; effective remediation requires repeated rat baiting, carcass removal, and rebaiting, which cannot be done while camps are occupied.
- U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in April 2026 allowed Berkeley to clear Harrison but imposed conditions—replace destroyed survival gear, ensure 6-foot sidewalk clearance, individualized ADA assessments for 16 people, strict towing rules—and set a full trial for October 2026 while Berkeley pursues two Ninth Circuit appeals.