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Homeless people forced to clear out of Ohio tent city

Homeless individuals are clearing out of a tent city after an Ohio city council voted last September to close the encampment.
Homeless camp file photo

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Homeless individuals are clearing out of a tent city after an Ohio city council voted last September to close the encampment.

Akron officials posted a 30-day notice to vacate in early December. They've said in a news release that those who refuse to comply by the Saturday deadline are subject to further legal action.

Local businessman Sage Lewis told the Akron Beacon Journal that more than 20 people will have to leave the makeshift village. He has housed homeless people on his privately owned land since 2017.

The city council last September rejected a zoning request that would have allowed Lewis to keep the encampment open.

A spokeswoman for the mayor told the Beacon Journal that "tents are never going to be a viable, safe option in the city's mind."

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