Philadelphia Clears Several Kensington Homeless Encampments To Tackle City's Opioid Crisis
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia officials cleared out several homeless encampments in the Kensington section of the city on Wednesday. It was all part of an effort to tackle the city's growing opioid crisis.
The section of Kensington Avenue, right underneath the El, was home to dozens of the city's homeless and addicted, but now it's completely clear as part of a new program by the city of Philadelphia.
The tunnel has been Ryan Deeny's home for the past few months as he copes with his opioid addiction.
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"It's the hardest thing I had to do in my life. To stay clean is the hardest thing I've ever had to do," said Deeny.
City officials cleaned up and closed the encampment he was at.
"The encampment pilot launched on April 30, after several months of research on what other cities had done," said Liz Hersh, the director of Office of Homeless Services.
Hersh says the men and women living here were given 30 days' notice of the cleanup. For a month, homeless advocates met daily with the nearly 200 people in different encampments offering guaranteed housing for 110 and immediate addiction help for all.
"This is the closest we have come to treatment on demand," said Hersh.
It was also coupled with pressure from permanent neighbors.
"Our kids are walking past this every single day," said Casey McLeod.
Nate Gannon added, "It's a shanty town. They're shooting dope under there like it's legal."
This specific encampment is now closed, cleared and cleaned.
"Right now, I'm headed to find a shelter to go to," said Rosa Wagoner, who has lived on the streets for the past four years. "I turned to drugs to numb my feelings and what I go through in my mind from day to day."
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She is one of the people who also had to move and believes the help she'll soon get could keep her from returning again.
"I can never forget where I come from and I think it'll be something that will keep me clean in the long run, also because this is rock bottom for me," said Wagoner.
If those that were removed today return, they could be charged with trespassing.