SETBACKS DON'T CUT OFF NEEDLE EXCHANGE SERVICE

OAKLAND -- The New Year's Eve fire that gutted the two-story Casa Segura
needle exchange program building has done nothing to extinguish efforts by
Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente to make it go away.

Since the fire, Casa Segura has continued to run its needle exchange and
HIV and Hepatitis C testing services, as well as wound and abscess care and
counseling, in the center's parking lot at 3229 San Leandro Blvd.

A press conference held by Alameda County public health officials at the
burned-out site Monday deteriorated into a sparring match between the
nonprofit's board and several parents who showed up -- at De La Fuente's
urging, they said -- to protest the needle exchange's continued presence in
the community.

"It was a deliberate attempt to sabotage our press conference," said Gerald
Lenoir, Casa Segura's board secretary. "He's (De La Fuente) trying to run
us out of the community.

"We've been to the City Council numerous times over eight years," Lenoir
said. "We've never gotten $1 from the city for this (HIV) epidemic, yet
we've had harassment from Ignacio De La Fuente and from the police.
Luckily, we have the support of the county and the Board of Supervisors."

De La Fuente said he has been trying to get the center to move for months,
and the fire won't diminish his efforts. As recently as Nov. 21, De La
Fuente wrote to executive director Chris Catchpool, urging him to find a
more appropriate location for the needle exchange as soon as possible.

De La Fuente said the parents had every right to be there, because their
children are most affected by the agency's location. The parents presented
a petition with 39 signatures asking that Casa Segura be forced to move.

Some parents of Lazear Elementary School students said children walking by
Casa Segura on their way to and from school have found used needles and
condoms, and have been exposed to people under the influence of drugs and
engaging in sex acts.

"It is not an appropriate place for this facility, but this (issue) is not
new," De La Fuente said. "We met with Wilma Chan and Chris Catchpool months
ago, and at that meeting they agreed to work with us to find a new site.

"I respect their commitment; I think they provide a good service, and they
are committed to their clients," De La Fuente said. "But their clients
(consist of) a small number of people from my district and I cannot let
them impact the people who live in the district."

Arnold Perkins, Alameda County's public health director, called the press
conference to draw attention to the essential public health-related
services provided by Casa Segura, services that help stop the spread of HIV
and other diseases. Since the fire, several well-respected research
facilities around the country have written the city to support Casa Segura
and to express alarm the end of its programs would correspond with a rise
in HIV infections.

Lenoir said syringes, testing kits and other medical supplies were not
destroyed in the fire, but the center needs office space and supplies, and
an indoor facility for all its programs. Casa Segura has a three-year lease
for the property on San Leandro, but the building no longer exists.

Contrary to what De La Fuente thinks, board members have tried to find
other space, but it's a tight real estate market and the few buildings that
have been available either weren't big enough, weren't close to public
transit, or weren't up to code, Lenoir said.

The existing location is perfect because it meets those needs. As for
syringes strewn about the neighborhood, Lenoir said they were there before
the center moved in and will be there if it moves out.