Santa Cruz Author Explores Homeless Encampments in New Book

Brian Barth's 'Front Street' provides an up-close look at tent cities in the Bay Area

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Journalist Brian Barth's new book 'Front Street: Resistance and Rebirth in the Tent Cities of Techlandia' offers an in-depth examination of three prominent homeless encampments in the Bay Area, including the challenges their inhabitants face and the history of homelessness in the region. Barth will be discussing the book at an event in Santa Cruz, a city where such encampments are common, alongside activists from the Wood Street encampment in Oakland.

Why it matters

Homelessness has become an increasingly visible issue in Silicon Valley and the broader Bay Area, with tent cities springing up amid the region's wealth and tech boom. Barth's book sheds light on the lived experiences of those living in these encampments and the systemic factors contributing to the homelessness crisis.

The details

Barth's book 'Front Street' focuses on three major homeless encampments in the Bay Area: the Crash Zone near Columbus Park in San Jose, Wolfe Camp in Cupertino, and the Wood Street encampment in Oakland. The author talks to activists within these camps, discusses their fears of encampment sweeps and police harassment, explores the history of homelessness, and analyzes potential solutions. Barth is also working on a documentary called 'The Spark' that provides a look at the Wood Street encampment as it faces eviction.

  • Barth's book 'Front Street' was published in February 2026.
  • Barth will be discussing the book at an event in Santa Cruz on February 27, 2026.

The players

Brian Barth

An independent journalist who has written for publications like the New Yorker, National Geographic, and Mother Jones. 'Front Street' is his first book.

Wood Street Commons

A group of Oakland homelessness activists that sprung out of the Wood Street encampment, one of the largest camps in West Oakland until its closure in 2022.

Don Lane

The former Santa Cruz mayor and City Council member, a social sciences lecturer at UC Santa Cruz, and the president of Housing Matters' Board of Directors. He will be moderating the discussion.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The event in Santa Cruz on February 27, 2026 will feature a discussion with Brian Barth and members of the Wood Street Commons group.

The takeaway

Barth's book 'Front Street' provides a powerful and empathetic look at the lived experiences of those living in homeless encampments in the Bay Area, shining a light on a crisis that has become increasingly visible in the region's tech-driven economy.