Beautification Commission to debate on sending letter to Vallejo City Council

by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | November 1, 2025

VALLEJO – The city’s Beautification Commission will debate next week on whether to send an official letter asking the Vallejo City Council “to take action on items of concern that affect the visual appearance, quality of life, pride and safety of our city.”

Signed by all seven commissioners, the letter asks the council to address homeless encampments, increase the fines for illegal dumping, and coordinate with Caltrans and railway companies to ensure freeways/highways and railroad tracks in the city are clean.

“We have heard from members of our community about these items, and they have requested that we advocate solutions on these issues as a Commission,” according to the letter, which will be presented to the Beautification Commission on November 5.

Housing continues to be an important issue in the city. The city has conducted numerous sweeps of homeless encampments following the June 2024 decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, Johnson v. Grants Pass. That ruling struck down the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in Martin v. Boise, which held that enforcing camping regulations constituted cruel and unusual punishment, especially if there were more homeless than available shelter beds in the city.

Ironically, city officials revealed in a September 2025 brief to the 9th Circuit that it conducts weekly encampment removals and expects the practice to continue. In earlier October, the city cleared a controversial homeless encampment, which included RVs, from along a section of Pennsylvania Street in downtown Vallejo. The commission is asking that the city work with non-profits to develop safe parking options for the unsheltered living in RVs.

The commission is requesting that the city “continue to develop housing solutions for individuals in the encampments, including the completion of the Vallejo Homeless Navigation Center and Broadway Project.”

After years of delays, the city finally opened its 125-bed Navigation Center in June. Located at 1937 Broadway St., the shelter will be used as a “one-stop-shop” to help individuals experiencing homelessness. They can stay for six months and receive case management to connect them to various services. 

Residents and Vallejo City Council recently learned that the Broadway Street supportive housing project has been delayed again and now will likely be housing residents in December.

The commission also requested that the city look into taking legal action against private property owners in which encampments are presenting code enforcement violations.”

Further, the commission is requesting the city to maintain certain high-traffic public areas including the waterfront, downtown and the city’s board launch.

The Vallejo Beautification Commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 5 inside the Vallejo City Hall Council Chambers, 555 Santa Clara Street.