Gateway homeless encampment to be cleared out and cleaned amid growing safety concerns
The homeless encampment near the Gateway Plaza in Santa Cruz is set to be cleared out next week, but it might only be temporary.
Flyers were handed out and posted around the camp letting campers know they will be vacated sometime early next week.
City officials say the reason being; the growing fire danger and safety hazards.
“To have that density, the level of debris, the increase of the weather and the drying out of the area there’s a lot of concern for the health and well being of the people staying there and also in for the surrounding area in terms of the neighbors and the businesses,” said Mayor Martine Watkins.
At the request of the City of Santa Cruz Fire Chief, Jason Hajduk, and other public safety officials, the camp will be cleared out and get a deep cleaning.
Hajduk says there are simply too many tents in that small of an area. He added there are limited access points for public safety crews and if a fire were to spread quickly, there are also not a ton of ways for people to exit.
He said there have already been several fires at the camp, but the wet weather has helped keep those contained. Now, with the warmer weather, that might not be the case.
After the camp is cleaned out, it will be up to the city council to decide where to go from there.
Mayor Watkins says campers will either be allowed back to the gateway encampment, or they will be asked to relocate to other existing shelters and the new shelter that will be managed at 1220 River St. That decision will likely be made at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
While the camp is being cleaned, there will be spaces for everyone available at the San Lorenzo Benchlands. Each camper will be offered a new sleeping bag, tent and tote bags to store their belongings.
Camp resident, Amber Scurfield, said she just wants a place to camp where she wont be asked to move. “It looks horrible you know but when you’re homeless you don’t have anything you collect everything cause you don’t have stuff and I know it’s a big issue with us, I just wish the city would put us somewhere and let us be somewhere.”
