William Shirley: We can help the homeless without allowing them to create eyesores

I recently traveled twice last week on Mitchell Road alongside the Modesto airport. There was a large motorhome and another vehicle that seemed to have staked out the land as a campground of sorts. Which enforcement agency handles situations like this?

I’m sure Modesto or Ceres police have traveled that road, and had to have seen this encampment. Modesto seems to be turning into another Stockton, where encampments are staged along roadways, under overpasses and in any other open space to be had. I feel bad for people facing bad circumstances, but this is not isolated to “bad” neighborhoods. This is just right out in the public eye. City leaders need to do something to provide more opportunities for the homeless to find shelter, and still provide a beautiful community for our citizens.

This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 3:05 PM with the headline "William Shirley: We can help the homeless without allowing them to create eyesores."