Stockton Homeless At Mormon Slough Told To Move Out
STOCKTON (CBS13) — For years, Mormon Slough in Stockton has been known by the homeless as a place to set up and not be bothered. People here say they've not only built a home but a community.
To outsiders, she's considered homeless but to the woman who only wanted to go by the name Sylvia, she's got a place she says is hers.
"This is home," she told CBS13's Maria Medina. "it's got carpet, it's got a bed, it's got dressers just like home."
Sylvia is just one of the nearly 200 people who Stockton police say live in Mormon Slough near the railroad tracks. Many of them have built elaborate homes like Sylvia's, some even fit with apartment numbers.
But now the city's told all of them they need to go.
The city stuck eviction notices on the shacks a couple days ago, giving them until 8 a.m. Wednesday to leave if they couldn't show proof they had permission to be there.
Felipe Redondo has made unit 667 home for a year, and police say because the private property has no owner it's made it difficult for law enforcement to evict them.
"Please for god you know... I need to stay here," he said.
But a few months ago several city departments agreed enough was enough. After health and public safety concerns, they pulled together to not only kick out the occupants, but to clean up Mormon Slough.
the only problem is, the residents say there's no where else safer and cleaner to go in Stockton.
"It's better than the motels," Sylvia said. "They've got cockroaches and rats and all that."
People CBS13 spoke to say they might move out Wednesday morning but they'll just find another bridge to sleep under.
Public Work plans to start the clean-up work first thing Wednesday morning, and police will also be on scene to enforce the evictions.
