LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - The city of Little Rock evicted a homeless camp off of Baseline Road on March 2 for health, safety and welfare reasons.
When the eviction notice was posted, the people living at the camp had seven days to get out and within 24 to 48 hours after everyone left, the city said they would send a crew out to clear it out.
We went out to the camp in April after we were told the area was never cleaned up and we returned again this Wednesday, June 20, to the same scene.
Aaron Reddin with the Van, a nonprofit that helps homeless people, said the city uses code enforcement as an excuse to shut down the camps.
“For at least a couple of years now they've been continuously evicting people knowing there aren't adequate options for them and then not coming out and cleaning them,” he said.
He said it's not helping, it's just creating more dumping spots across the city.
“They pack up what they can carry and the rest gets left there because they think the city is coming to clean it anyways. It sits there, turns to garbage and then ruins,” he said.
“Why aren't you following through, what's the point of sending someone out to evict people and disrupt their entire lives,” he said.
Reddin said instead of creating more dumping sites, the city needs to give them a place to go.
“What people need is a safe shelter, a safe place to sleep, and for the city to quit throwing rocks at them,” he feels.
We reached out to the city for comment. A city spokesman said the area in question is private property, and the property owner is working with the city to acquire the proper permits for plans to clear the trash and to also develop the area.