Looks like items left out for community re-use, not dumping.

You can often get useful (or even apparently useless!) items removed from the streets more quickly by posting them on Craigslist.

They have an active free stuff page for people to list items being given away or discarded, where many people post about items left out on the street:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/zip?query=free%20stuff#search=1~gallery

It costs nothing to post a street find, just go to https://www.Craigslist.org, click on "create a posting", and choose "free" under the "for sale" category.

It's a better place than this to find people willing and happy to take something off the street and reuse it – probably faster than government officials relying on public resources will get around to removal too.

Best of all, the items you list may find a better home than just getting sent to the landfill.

Homeowners or tenants who practice the common and time-honored custom of leaving useful but unwanted items out on the curb for community re-use, rather than sending them to a landfill, deserve our appreciation.

Sometimes we can do a small thing for the environment, or to help poor people in our community, that costs very little, and can brighten someone's day with a street "find".

No, no, and no. This absolutely is illegal dumping, and it is beyond me how you think you can tell it is "for community re-use" by looking at a photo. It is not about the convenience of the dumper, it is about respecting public spaces that are used by many people. This is a public park in the specific area used by the youngest children.

There is no "time-honored custom" of dumping your junk in public places to share with neighbors. This is illegal, pure and simple.

If you have something you think neighbors might be interested in, call them, talk to them in person, leave a note under their door, or use NextDoor or Facebook Buy Nothing to pass it on to someone who actually wants it. Leaving it out in front of your house, or worse like in this case, leaving it in a public place where the elements destroy it, deprives others of their use of public space.

No illegal dumping in parks, on streets and sidewalks. People need to take responsibility for their stuff and never, ever, dump it in public places.

Tara – How exactly does leaving stuff out curbside for community re-use deprive anyone of their use of public space?

This kind of community exchange IS a use of public space. And clearly it is also a time-honored custom, or we wouldn't see it happening so frequently despite the mean-spirited laws against it.

Criminalizing this use of public space deprives both those who leave out their no longer wanted items, and those who are glad to have the opportunity to peruse those items for things they can use.

And how exactly is it a negative for kids? I think just the opposite. A kid might be happy to find a new (new to them) toy on the sidewalk.

I do agree with you that items which are sensitive to the elements should not be left out in inclement weather however. Mattresses in particular are poor candidates for curbside re-gifting, as they can not only get moldy and ruined, but are big, bulky and difficult for someone who just comes across one on the street to readily take with them.

Still a hard no. There are multiple ways for people to pass things on which are perfectly legal, and dumping things on streets, sidewalks, and parks is illegal, period. The laws against it are not mean-spirited, they are to protect public spaces for the public. No public space is ever legal for dumping unwanted materials.

Contrary to your imagined appropriate use of public space as a dumping ground, it is not. And there is a good reason why. People dump things and abandon all responsibility for them, mostly to avoid taking them hazardous waste disposal where they properly belong, or to Oakland's landfill and sorting facility. They even avoid getting their free bulky item pickup which will dispose of the items for free. No, it is easier and more convenient to some people to just dump things.

Here's why this is bad. Hazardous materials are left out to soak into gardens, parks, and creeks. Mattresses and sofas become sodden messes, same with old clothes and books. Paint cans and pesticide containers leak, lumber with exposed nails is a safety issue, etc. No one has the right to leave these items out on the street, and if people want to peruse items that are free, they can go to thrift shops or view them online.

Those of us who have stuff illegally dumped by our homes and in our neighborhoods and have to figure out how to dispose of it know this is a problem. Those of us who volunteer to clean up local parks know this is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which dumping stuff in public spaces is OK. The sidewalk is not a shopping mall. I think most parents would be quite against the idea of their child picking up a discarded toy on the street, that is probably filthy and been peed on by dogs etc. And when things are dumped in a children's play area so the children can't use the equipment that is there for them to use, that is definitely negative.

The junk is now gone from this spot, and I hope this can put an end to the illegal dumping so that people can use the sidewalk to walk.

Still a soft, gentle, but insistent yes, Tara. :-)

Using government force or taxpayer resources to "protect" public spaces against people, activities, or things that are not actually threatening anyone's person, private property, or rights, is a form of aggression.

If you're putting out things that someone might want, that's simply moving items from private space into public space, at which point anyone is free to do what they want with them. If you want them, you're free to take them. If you don't want them, and don't want them in public space, you can choose to dispose of them. It's only dumping if you put out actual trash that no one wants – used packaging, food wrappers, disposable bags, spoiled food, soiled/stained/torn clothing, broken items no one would likely want or be able to repair., etc.

I agree that some items are unsuitable to be left in public space for others. That includes hazardous materials certainly, and things that are going to disintegrate or become unusable as a result of being left out in the elements, including mattresses or absorbant sofas.

Hopefully you similarly agree that some free, unpermitted use of public space for vending, art, and exchange should be permitted, and aren't just trying to prohibit all aspects of a free society that don't meet your personal approval.

I'd like to see more "Little Free Libraries" for people to leave things like books, music, magazines, and other such media. Then these things can be left in public space without being exposed to the elements. I'd like to see one on every block.

Contrary to your imagined controlled society in which freedom and vibrant, unpermitted use is always bad and dangerous, it is not.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, those of us who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem. Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

If parents don't want their child picking up something they find on the street, that is a decision for them to make, not you. Not sure I can think of any instance when items left in a play area for community re-use prevented children from being able to use the play equipment there. Probably this has occasionally happened somewhere, but it's not a significant problem. If you're talking things like used syringes, obviously that's different and not okay – there should be safe disposal bins for such hazardous items.

Just as there should be sufficient public trash receptacles, serviced regularly enough, so that they are not overflowing and there's always a convenient place to throw actual trash away and it doesn't get left on the streets as much.

But you'll never stop people from leaving items out for community re-use, nor should anyone want to see that culture destroyed. I hope we can overcome our controlling tendencies and mental blinders, so that sidewalks and public spaces can encompass a wide variety of diverse and creative uses.

The City of Oakland addressed this issue on 12/02/2023, service request #1358317.

Thanks for fixing this request!

Still a soft, gentle, but insistent yes, Tara. :-)

Using government force or taxpayer resources to "protect" public spaces against people, activities, or things that are not actually threatening anyone's person, private property, or rights, is a form of aggression.

If you're putting out things that someone might want, that's simply moving items from private space into public space, at which point anyone is free to do what they want with them. If you want them, you're free to take them. If you don't want them, and don't want them in public space, you can choose to dispose of them. It's only dumping if you put out actual trash that no one wants – used packaging, food wrappers, disposable bags, spoiled food, soiled/stained/torn clothing, broken items no one would likely want or be able to repair., etc.

I agree that some items are unsuitable to be left in public space for others. That includes hazardous materials certainly, and things that are going to disintegrate or become unusable as a result of being left out in the elements, including mattresses or absorbant sofas.

Hopefully you similarly agree that some free, unpermitted use of public space for vending, art, and exchange should be permitted, and aren't just trying to prohibit all aspects of a free society that don't meet your personal approval.

I'd like to see more "Little Free Libraries" for people to leave things like books, music, magazines, and other such media. Then these things can be left in public space without being exposed to the elements. I'd like to see one on every block.

Contrary to your imagined controlled society in which freedom and vibrant, unpermitted use is always bad and dangerous, it is not.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, those of us who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem. Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

If parents don't want their child picking up something they find on the street, that is a decision for them to make, not you. Not sure I can think of any instance when items left in a play area for community re-use prevented children from being able to use the play equipment there. Probably this has occasionally happened somewhere, but it's not a significant problem. If you're talking things like used syringes, obviously that's different and not okay – there should be safe disposal bins for such hazardous items.

Just as there should be sufficient public trash receptacles, serviced regularly enough, so that they are not overflowing and there's always a convenient place to throw actual trash away and it doesn't get left on the streets as much.

Contrary to your imagined controlled society in which freedom and vibrant, unpermitted use is always bad and dangerous, it is not.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, those of us who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem. Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

Contrary to some imagined controlled society in which freedom and vibrant, unpermitted use is always bad and dangerous, it is not. Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, those of us who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem. Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

Contrary to some imagined controlled society in which freedom and vibrant, unpermitted use is always bad and dangerous, it is actually not.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited; those of us who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem.

Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem.

There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited; those of us who are criminalized for being poor; for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that aggression (usually committed via government rather than directly by community members encouraging it being aggressive themselves) is a problem.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, or who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people committing aggression (usually via government rather than directly themselves) is a problem.

Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments where everything is regulated or prohibited, or who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that people aggress|on (usually via government rather than by those others themselves) is a problem.

Those of us who volunteer to defend civil liberties and expose authoritarian threats to a free society know it is a problem. There is no imaginary situation in which violating people's rights, failing to understand that public space belongs to everyone, is okay.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments, where everything is regulated or prohibited, or who are criminalized for being poor, for not meeting the aesthetic standards of others, know that aggress|on (usually at the hands of government rather than by those others themselves) is a problem.

Those of us who feel alienated by sterile environments, where everything is regulated or prohibited, or who are criminalized for being poor, know that this kind of state aggression is a problem.

If parents don't want their child picking up something they find on the street, that is a decision for them to make, not you. Not sure I can think of any instance when items left in a play area for community re-use prevented children from being able to use the play equipment there. Probably this has occasionally happened somewhere, but it's not a significant problem. If you're talking things like used syringes, obviously that's different and not okay – there should be safe disposal bins for such hazardous items.

Just as there should be sufficient public trash receptacles, serviced regularly enough, so that they are not overflowing and there's always a convenient place to throw actual trash away and it doesn't get left on the streets as much.

But you'll never stop people from leaving items out for community re-use, nor should anyone want to see that culture destroyed. I hope we can overcome our controlling tendencies and mental blinders, so that sidewalks and public spaces can encompass a wide variety of diverse and creative uses.

Still no. Public space is for the public to use, not for the lazy and cheap to treat as their disposal area. No one wants to see broken junk in public parks, and it is not the job of park users to dispose of the junk illegally dumped there.