Officials in Oakland, California, removed traffic lights from at least one intersection and replaced them with stop signs after homeless people repeatedly stole copper wires used for the lights.

Neighbors told local news that authorities have repeatedly been forced to fix the traffic lights as homeless people who reside in a nearby encampment take the copper wires. Others steal electricity by running wires from the city power boxes, knocking out power for the lights. Residents discovered that the city simply placed stop signs to direct traffic instead.

"It's just telling us that the city is giving up on us," Tam Le, the owner of a body shop and repair center at the corner of the intersection, told the media. "The city did try to fix the traffic light at least a few times. But once they fix it, normally within a week or so, it will go out again.”

There indeed exists a large homeless encampment in the area, stretching between three city blocks and continuing to expand even after Oakland tried to disperse the population. “Once they move to our side of the sidewalk, we will be gone," Le continued.

Spokespeople for the city claim that the stop signs will be replaced with traffic lights once more, but that there does not currently exist a timeline for returning the traffic lights. Neighbors say the inconsistent traffic lights have led to accidents at the corner in recent years.

The homeless population in Oakland has more than doubled over the past decade. Estimates released last week found that the homeless population rose 9% over the last two years.

Oakland has also grappled with increased theft and violent crime, a trend causing businesses to shutter their doors. Following the death of George Floyd, several cities in California started to defund or dismantle their police departments, with members of the Oakland City Council reducing law enforcement budgets by $20 million one year after the incident.