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Homeless camp in east Columbus raising concerns; city says it can stay for now

About 20 people are living in tents and say they are trying to be good neighbors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Since March a group of people looking for a safe place to live have chosen a small patch of ground along East Mound Street to make their home.

They say they are there because it's safer than other homeless options in the city.

"The folks that are here have been to the shelters. They've been to Van Buren, they've been to Friends of The Homeless and they don't want to be there,” Elizabeth Blackburn said. “There are fights, there are drugs and there are temptations there's drama.”

Blackburn says she liquidated her savings to raise money to help others living there including buying supplies and tents.

The camp sits behind Harvest Time Ministries and has become a nuisance to those who live nearby.

"The city had given this group of people to live in tents, but the city didn't give them a dumpster and the city did not give them a porta-potty," Pastor Barbara Henderson said.

Henderson says her church dumpster became the dumping spot for garbage and human waste.

"They’re using the bathroom on our property. That's not fair," she said.

Henderson says when her dumpster got full, someone from the camp called to have it dumped claiming it was the church. When she got the bill, she says she complained and got the charge removed.

 "We are paying for the service, and we don't like people taking advantage of us," she said.

The camp isn't far from Ohio Avenue Elementary School. Neighbors tell us they worry about what children may see walking home.

"You got groups of kids coming down these sidewalks everyday so imagine a group of elementary kids seeing a grown man dropping his drawers in plain view that would freak them out it would me," said Dennis Howland.

When we came to the camp, it was well-maintained. Those who live here say they just don't camp here.

They also pick up trash in the neighborhood and mow lawns for those who can't do it themselves.

"We want to be good neighbors, that's our goal since we've been here honestly. I'm surprised we've had complaints from the community because people have been so supportive," Blackburn said.

But how long this camp remains here is now a question for the Columbus Department of Development Special Projects. 

Assistant Director Emerald Hernandez-Parra said the group is trespassing, but they are working with outreach programs in the city to give them time to find shelter.

Those who camp here say they've requested from the city a dumpster and a bathroom for the site. 10TV called the city about it and we were told they're looking into the legal issues of providing both.

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