COLUMBUS, Ohio — Multiple Columbus homeless camps were given Dec. 18 as a deadline to leave the properties they were on. Those still on the properties served could be subject to a trespassing violation from the city.
The sweep of the homeless camps is being done by the city’s Department of Development. A statement from the department on the move read in part:
“It is not the goal of the City of Columbus to issue tickets or other criminal justice related responses to those experiencing homelessness. The goal is for people to move inside during these winter months. Their options include the traditional shelter system, which is in overflow protocol, so no one will be turned away. In addition, there are 4 warming centers across the city with capacity and they are accommodating people with pets coming from encampments. These warming centers are designed to keep couples together, pets with their owners, and space for individuals who are reticent to enter traditional shelter due to individual barriers.”
10TV went to one of the affected camps on the city’s south side off Moler Street. No one was there at the time. However, people living in apartments nearby did share their thoughts on the move.
“I’ve never had an incident with any of them and I never seen them have an incident with each other. I guess some people could be nervous. There’s people who don’t live around here walking here,” said Elijah Ryan. “You kick them out of there and they’re going to go right down the street.”
Melissa Ritz has lived in the apartments neighboring an encampment in the tree line for 13 years. She said it’s gotten progressively worse over the years.
“We’re an apartment complex. This is private property. They get in our dumpster. This actually looks good from what it normally is. They’ll leave trash lying all around there,” Ritz said. “They’ll mess with our cars and try to break into them. It’s irritating.”
She said she tries to help some of those living around her with a couple of dollars here and there when she has some to spare or even clothing, but said the city needs to do more.
“There’s got to be vacant buildings [the city] can try to make livable,” she said. “There’s got to be someplace you can put these poor folks. They shouldn’t have to be outside, especially down there by the train. That’s not safety conscious at all.”
Terry Trojan was walking toward the camp to check on some of the people who lived there. Trojan told 10TV he was homeless for 13 years before he got the help he needed to get an apartment.
“Thankfully some programs helped me get housed. There’s a group called Here to Serve. They came to help us along with Mount Carmel. Some of us were taken to a hotel and we stayed at a hotel until stuff got finalized and got into housing,” Trojan said.
While he’s doing better now, he knows what it’s like on the other side.
“I understand they live where they live and do what they do and make the choices they make, but walk a mile in our shoes and tell me how you feel. See if your feet hurt,” he said. “Some of us went through some experiences and situations, circumstances that weren’t necessarily intentional on our behalf to get where we are,” Trojan said.
He asked people to be more understanding and kind to people going through homelessness.
“There’s a lot of people in public society that treat us like we’re less than, beneath, like we’re a cancer,” he said. “If we could work together on this instead of we’re just the problem, it would go a lot better.”
The City of Columbus gave $329,000 to two organizations helping the city’s homeless population. One of them was the Community Shelter Board. They operate traditional shelters and also warming centers designed to keep families together and people with their pets.
“So this is the second year that we've opened seasonal warming centers. Some are congregates, some are non-congregate, so hotels, and it offers a different type of shelter. So we're providing the winter warming centers for folks that might come in there but not in the traditional shelter,” said Steve Skovensky, the chief program effectiveness officer at the Community Shelter Board.
Skovensky said their goal isn’t to provide a one-time service. Instead, it’s to get the people seeking their help into stable housing and help them until they are able to support themselves.
“We have rapid rehousing that can pay rent for a duration of time. Three months, six months, 12 months; that can get someone stabilized in housing. We're really trying to find the best housing fit for everyone, so that, to your point, people can maintain housing and not return to homelessness,” he said.
The Department of Development said more than 50 individuals have engaged in the shelter systems and warming centers in the last few days. Most of the targeted encampments are now clear.