Cleanup of homeless encampment along Santa Ana River hits a snag in Newport Beach
A community effort to cleanup a trash-filled homeless encampment in Newport Beach has hit a snag, as the area is environmentally sensitive.
Orange County Public Works officials have already put plans into action, hopeful to clean up the growing encampment on the environmentally sensitive marshland next to the Santa Ana River. But, they say that the land falls within the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers.
"We're ready and able to clean this up and connect the individuals living in the marsh with housing and supportive services today," said Alyssa Napuri, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Supervisor Katrina Foley.
The only thing standing in the way is the federally-protected land.
"Our staff has been observing and trying to coordinate with the Army Corps of Engineers since February. Right now, it's nesting season and we have multiple endangered species living here," Napuri said. "We have birds that are nesting that are hatching their eggs. We cannot even bring our staff within 500 feet, but there's individuals walking around with reckless abandon."
The Army Corps of Engineers says that cleanups are labor and resource intensive and that they must be done in consideration of all policy and legal requirements.
"We understand the urgency of the matter, and its importance to the local community," said a statement from the US Army Corps of Engineers. "This coordination has occurred, and USACE is in the final stage of setting a clean-up date."
They say that cleanup is now scheduled for April 26 and 27.
Footage from the scene shows heaps of trash, broken down bicycles and tarps all over the bank. It was slated for cleanup this week, but Supervisor Foley said that has now changed.
On top of the growing encampment, residents in the area are concerned about the fires that are often lit in the area at night.
"It needs to be cleaned up, but then you have to think about homeless people," said Huntington Beach resident Les Milligan. "I mean you can't be cold hearted and say go someplace else."
County officials say that once the area is cleaned up, the people staying there will be given vouchers for hotels or they'll be connected to the shelter system. They'll even be able to bring pets with if they have them, along with their belongings.
Ultimately they hope to connect them to permanent housing.
