San Benito River Cleanup Progress in Hollister

Hollister police announced that their 3 day clean up efforts in the Hollister city portion of the San Benito River has been completed. Police working with public works and outreach teams to clean up the former homeless encampment while ensuring that the people who used to live in this encampment have somewhere to go.

Outreach workers offering homeless people housing, mental health, and addiction services during the cleanup. In the meantime, police cleaned up a lot of debris on the riverbed. Hollister police say that of the debris removed, there were 7 abandoned cars, 9 dismantled cars, 2 of which were stolen, 9 bicycles, 11 mattresses, 31 shopping carts, and even a boat.

Police say the riverbed had become an environmental problem leading to public safety concerns along with being a hotbed for illegal activity.

Code Enforcement Supervisor Sergeant Matt Weiss says "Keeping our rivers clean isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about protecting our drinking water, wildlife, and community health."

Now the police department will continue their work with the San Benito County Sheriff's Office to keep that section of the river clear and clean.