Squatter Camps Popping UP Across OKC

[Downwind17]

I noticed today at the NE corner of Memorial and Penn, a tent pitched against the fence that separates the right of way on the south side of Memorial Rd. and the Kilpatrick T'pke.

Along with the tent were two shopping carts and, what appeared to be, a dining room chair...along with the usual trash. I certainly hope my calls to the OKC Action Center will result in getting the squatter(s) to move on because I am not about to let OKC turn into Austin, LA, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle or the countless other municipalities where homeless squatter camps are permitted to setup on city or state property out in the open. It looks like crap...and frankly, many parts of our fine city do not need any help looking more sloppy.

While I have the Action Center on the line...anyone know of any other public right of ways where squatters are making themselves at home? I can pass those location on to the Action Center, too. Don't bother mentioning the areas along the OKC Boulevard...seems the city and Mayor Holt are not interested in addressing those areas.

[HangryHippo]

Your compassion is remarkable.

[cinnamonjock]

Not gonna narc on our homeless neighbors.

[Bill Robertson]

There are things I turn in but those guys have enough problems surviving without the city getting on their case.

[Plutonic Panda]

“ Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”

- Bill Bullard

And PS, I live in Hollywood and my apartment is borderline surrounded by various tents and encampments. It is frustrating sometimes but I found many of these guys to be very nice people. Why don’t you go talk to them instead of complain on a message board and tell the city which won’t do what you want them to?

[Dob Hooligan]

I have spent 38 years around them and they are not a positive for our area. They steal and vandalize. They leave all kinds of trash around. They will move on from their camps when it is full of trash or bio-waste and leave it behind for the city or a landowner to clean up.

They are not usually violent, but almost are mentally ill and/or active chemical abusers. They have burned part of my building down; stolen from cars in the lot; killed old and harmless yard dogs; their unrestrained dogs have killed shop cats and mauled our shop pet dogs; they have cost me over a quarter million dollars in direct damage and business losses.

Having said that- they are part of the area and I live and let live. I know the legal limits for them and myself and I respect that. I call the police when needed and not on a whim. They have to live somewhere and my near urban core area is better than suburbia or the CBD. I think they should not be allowed to leave their junk on public right of ways and that should be stopped and the junk removed. I understand that the city budget is strained by COVID expensed and revenue losses, so it might not be a big a priority today as it has been in the past.

[d-usa]

This is a good visible reminder of what our progress has done to those less fortunate. It’s a small thing for most of us, but many new developments are build in areas where homeless camps were previously located (and were often out of sight there).

Penn & Memorial is an active intersection and many homeless call that area home, but many of their previous campsites are no longer there. Chisholm Creek resulted in cleaning out many camps, just as one example.

[LocoAko]

Don't Nextdoor my OKCTalk.

But in all seriousness, what is the solution? Just kicking them out, destroying their things and forcing them to move on to the next location in some sort of cycle? It does seem to be getting more visible and prominent (the Classen/Western/OKCBlvd intersection is often completely covered in trash and tents), but beyond the obvious assistance so many require that the city isn't prepared/able to offer, I don't know what forcing them out of sight so that you don't have to have the horrible experience of seeing these people accomplishes.

[mugofbeer]

The Mayor of Aurora, CO, Mike Coffman, recently spent a week living anonymously in homeless camp. I urge you to read his first-hand accountvof his experience.

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/1...meless-aurora/

[Dob Hooligan]

It’s illegal for them to camp on City property or right of way. I am not trying to be smart aleck by making that direct statement. There is plenty of land in any area of the City that they can squat in.

30 feet outside of my building we cleared out a military veteran who had set up a 400 square foot camp. He went 5 feet inside the edge of the trees and cleared out his space, using green and black tarps and trash can liners as walls. This made it hard to identify from any distance. He good wind protection and had made some areas covered from rain. He kept coolers, solar chargers, bicycles, carts, tables and chairs in his camp. We gave him a couple months heads up that we were cutting down his area. He moved to a space closer to the Linwood area IIRC.

The only positive from letting them camp in public spaces is to make ourselves feel guilty for their situation.

[HangryHippo]

It’s illegal for them to camp on City property or right of way. I am not trying to be smart aleck by making that direct statement. There is plenty of land in any area of the City that they can squat in.

30 feet outside of my building we cleared out a military veteran who had set up a 400 square foot camp. He went 5 feet inside the edge of the trees and cleared out his space, using green and black tarps and trash can liners as walls. This made it hard to identify from any distance. He good wind protection and had made some areas covered from rain. He kept coolers, solar chargers, bicycles, carts, tables and chairs in his camp. We gave him a couple months heads up that we were cutting down his area. He moved to a space closer to the Linwood area IIRC.

The only positive from letting them camp in public spaces is to make ourselves feel guilty for their situation.

What are you babbling about? They’re homeless during one of the coldest weeks we’ve had in years for Gods sake.

[mugofbeer]

Denver let homeless camp on public space for a while. Central Denver has many areas where homes and apartment buildings butt directly up to sidewalks so, of course, homeless set up shop directly outside people's houses and businesses and around urban schools.

After significant opposition, even from people who considered themselves homeless advocates, it was letting homeless live too upfront and personal, especially for those with children so Denver took a different tact and has set up vacant areas for camps to be set up.

The one thing that neither Dob Hooligan or Mayor Coffman mentioned is the significant amount of dangerous drug paraphernalia they leave behind and live in.

[mugofbeer]

What are you babbling about? They’re homeless during one of the coldest weeks we’ve had in years for Gods sake.

Why are you answering as if he is referring to just right now. I think it's clear this has gone on for a significant amount of time.

[Dob Hooligan]

What are you babbling about? They’re homeless during one of the coldest weeks we’ve had in years for Gods sake.

We cleared out the space in July 2019

[Dob Hooligan]

I have been around a few abandoned camps over the years and most of what would be considered drug paraphernalia are aerosol cans. In fact, the majority of 911 calls we have made the last 3 or 4 years have been due to flash fires in the camp. Which I suspect is from some kind of huffing or drug smoking accident. Never saw a bunch of used needles.

[d-usa]

Denver let homeless camp on public space for a while. Central Denver has many areas where homes and apartment buildings butt directly up to sidewalks so, of course, homeless set up shop directly outside people's houses and businesses and around urban schools.

After significant opposition, even from people who considered themselves homeless advocates, it was letting homeless live too upfront and personal, especially for those with children so Denver took a different tact and has set up vacant areas for camps to be set up.

The one thing that neither Dob Hooligan or Mayor Coffman mentioned is the significant amount of dangerous drug paraphernalia they leave behind and live in.

Mayor Coffman directly addresses the drug use in encampments in the article.

[mugofbeer]

He did but not so much the needles, urine filled bottles, bloody rags and clothes and chemical containers they leave where they camp. They also use the rivers as bathrooms - keep in mind, people frequently use these rivers for swimming, rafting and kuyacking.

My wife is a huge urban hiker here in Denver. Encampments are back in the trees all up and down the Platte River and Cherry Creek. She has seen and reported many used needles, pee bottles and other drug use byproducts as she's hiked. They do commit crimes and vandalize in those neighborhoods near their camps.

One of my wife's good hiking friends was beaten with a 2x4 by a homeless guy by the river last summer. She will recover but suffered brain damage. They do things like string wire across the trail and yank it up when bikers come near. Last week a homeless guy on the river went into a Wal Mart and set 5 fires in the store with lantern fluid.

[Plutonic Panda]

Mug, those people need help. They shouldn’t be on the street and it’s inhumane to let them suffer like that. Same crap happens in LA and worse.

[Ward]

A week or two go I was southbound on Lake Hefner Parkway and took the NW 63rd St exit. I was set up to turn left and go east on 63rd St. I was first at the red stop light so I had a moment to look around.

To my left I saw a guy and he had a tent set up right there, immediately to my left. I was astonished because there is no shelter there from the wind and there is certainly a lot of traffic noise.

I'm still astonished at that.

I used to work at Reno & MacArthur. Roughly a year ago there was a news report that there was smoke coming out of the storm drain, right by the OnCue. The news reported the fire department came out, didn't see flames so they investigated further. They found out people were living down there. Cooking, living, etc. Man o man, that's scary, living in a storm drain. It's scary to think about when a rain comes and it fills up.

From Thanksgiving to Christmas of 2019 while on the way to work I'd be greatly surprised while driving to see someone sleeping on the sidewalk. I mean right on the sidewalk. Saw one on the sidewalk on Reno just north of the new little hospital on Reno & Rockwell. One day I saw a guy sleeping on the bench at the bus stop just to the East of the OnCue at Reno/MacArthur. He had his stolen shopping cart, all loaded up, right at the bench. He was sleep, under blankets, and his boots under the bench.

My heart goes out to these homeless. But for the Grace of God I have a nice comfortable home to live in, a car, etc.

You can feel and think anyway you want, but these homeless people are still God's children.

I don't know the answer as to how to help them. Too many are there for God only knows why. Many don't want help.

This makes me very sad.

[Midtowner]

We have a decent sized camp over by the OKC Boulevard along the old I-49 right of way. There are always a lot of homeless under the bridge over there too. Lots of drugs and mental illness. The police occasionally clear the camps and they pop right back up. These people have no place to go. I expect some deaths over the next few days from the cold. I’m not sure that pearl clutching is really the move here. It is what it is. The city would be smart to offer services in a concentrated area to try and alleviate the blight elsewhere.

[bucktalk]

I have ministered to homeless camps several times over the years. The struggle, which have limited ideas to deal with, is the fact many homeless have no intention of being a part of a structured or 'regular' part of society by keeping a job and providing for themselves. This problem is the classic, 'you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink'. I fear that even if housing can be provided, many homeless will not take part. Homeless have made a life decision to live life apart from society and suffer the results. Sadly, the danger and disease in homeless camps is very real for them and others. This issue is so complicated. For those who say, "they just need our help" don't understand the nuisances of the issues. Those who say, "move them out or put them away" don't understand the nuisances of the issue.

[TheTravellers]

... Some Homeless have made a life decision to live life apart from society and suffer the results. ...

fify. There are *lots* of homeless out selling Curbside Chronicle, and they obviously haven't made that decision, they've made the opposite - they want to get back into a house.

[bucktalk]

fify. There are *lots* of homeless out selling Curbside Chronicle, and they obviously haven't made that decision, they've made the opposite - they want to get back into a house.

"Some"...yes.

[Anonymous.]

City needs to open the Cox Convention Center these next two weeks for these people. They will not survive.

[Dob Hooligan]

fify. There are *lots* of homeless out selling Curbside Chronicle, and they obviously haven't made that decision, they've made the opposite - they want to get back into a house.

I don't get that impression from the people selling Curbside Chronicle at all. I think it is a quick way to make some cash. And good for the. What they do with the money is their business, not mine.