Homeless residents in a west Gilroy encampment received a notice
on Thursday that they would need to evacuate, although they will
have until Monday to do so, residents said.
Homeless residents in a west Gilroy encampment received a notice on Thursday that they would need to evacuate, although they will have until Monday to do so, residents said.
Residents at the Bamboo Village encampment, which stands in a forested area along Uvas Creek west of Santa Teresa Boulevard off Third Street, were given notice that they would have to leave late Thursday morning. The notice mentions the City of Gilroy, but was likely distributed by a property owner, police said.
Residents Gloria and Robert Lopez said they were not sure what they would do next, and they hoped that the city would be able to help residents.
“We’ve got no place to go,” Robert Lopez said.
Gilroy Police Chief Denise Turner said police met a week ago to discuss abating the homeless camp.
City Administrator Tom Haglund said the matter is complicated because it is a health and safety issue, but the city also wants to respect private property owners’ rights.
“These people have to clear the property because ultimately it is an unsanitary situation,” Haglund said. “The only way we can physically remove them is to cite them for trespassing, and we need the private property owners’ help.”
Police previously cleared the camp Dec. 12, moving out more than 30 people. The residents were told to move and were notified that they would be cited for trespassing if they returned.
At the time, the city arranged to find transitional housing for 18 of the displaced homeless people. Those residents were scheduled to apply for that housing Friday, Turner said.
Robert Lopez estimated about 30 people lived at the camp, and another resident estimated that only about 15 were left.
Turner said police have had to respond to the homeless camp for various calls from time to time. On Thursday morning, police were notified that transients had been defecating in public in front of people walking along a nearby trail.
Turner said issues surrounding the homeless are complex, as some people are happy to receive the city’s help while others choose the homeless lifestyle.
She plans to bring the issue to the council’s attention to see if some citywide solutions can be reached.
In the meantime, Turner noted that abating the homeless camp will likely create its own challenges, as residents may move further into town.
“It’s hard because if we move them out of that creek, they’re going to move somewhere,” she said.
