Homeless encampment near San Jose Airport being cleared following FAA order
Following an order by the Federal Aviation Administration, San Jose is clearing encampments from Columbus Park near the city's airport.
The move is a push to keep trash and birds specifically, out of the flight path of planes flying dangerously close to the tents in the park.
Officials with the FAA said that birds attracted by the trash, can get caught in the engines of their planes flying above the encampments.
Now that the city has already started relocating people, Alyssa Kinny, a long-term resident of the park, says the area provided a sense of normalcy for her daily routine. Kinny believes the FAA's order just disrupts an already complicated life.
"Eventually, they're going to clear out the whole area," Kinny said. "Which is kind of sad for some people, because some people have nowhere to go."
The question of where to go is mirrored in several people who've made a life themselves in Columbus Park. Brian Webb doesn't see a problem with leaving, but he's worried he won't find shelter before the city evicts him.
"If we had a place to go, then you can take your time moving the stuff over," Webb said.
"But if you got no place to put it, it's kind of harder than, you know, just taking it, packing up and going down the street."
In a statement, a spokesperson for the city said that everyone living in that area was provided with contact information for homefirst and the san jose housing department. But it's unclear how many took the assistance and how much room is availble at each location at each location.
Webb told CBS San Francisco, he already made plans to move to temporary housing. He hopes a tiny house will be available for him.
"I believe, and it's just, you know, another attempt to just try and get housed."
Kinny already has her things organized for the move. She didn't disclose where she'll go, but hinted that she has a plan.