Turlock begins clearing homeless encampment. Here’s what one resident said about it
Turlock Police began clearing a homeless encampment on West Main Street on Thursday morning, ordering about 50 people to vacate the area.
The sweep marks the first enforcement action in the city’s 120-day homeless emergency plan, and comes nine days after officers first gave residents a trespassing notice.
Unsheltered people living near 1400 West Main St., located between Planet Fitness and Evergreen Packaging, gathered their belongings while contractors cleaned up items left behind, such as tarps and water jugs.
A Turlock Police Department trespassing notice dated March 9 informed people they had until 7 a.m. Thursday to remove their belongings and leave. The notice told recipients “you may be arrested and your property will be disposed of” if they did not comply.
County and nonprofit agencies visited the camp offering services — including disability, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction resources — on March 2, 9, 11 and 16, Interim Police Chief Steven Williams said in a special city council meeting Tuesday. The trespassing notice referenced the outreach.
“City and county officials will canvass the property with information about shelter housing and other available services for you.,” the Turlock Police notice read. “Please confirm with them if you want these services.”
A woman who identified herself as a resident of the encampment said receiving services takes time, however. In public comments Tuesday, she asked what unsheltered people are supposed to do while waiting for their service applications to be approved.
“You just feel like you’re kicked to the curb,” she said Tuesday. “Then they come in and the stuff that you have — your tents, your clothing — it gets taken away and you have to start all over. Every day you’re telling us to find food, shelter, the things you basically need.”
The daily struggle to eat, shower and find restrooms, the woman said, makes securing a job and housing difficult. She added that she has a boyfriend and prefers to stay with him, which current shelters in the city do not allow.
The sweep is scheduled to continue Friday and Monday. Crews are also set to start building a fence around the homeless camp area on Friday, Williams said Tuesday. The city does not expect private property owners to reimburse the cost of any services done during the 120-day emergency response, he added.
City staff plan to develop its next homeless crisis response after crews finish sweeping and fencing the encampment on West Main Street, Williams said.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 1:44 PM.
