SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Caltrans removed another homeless camp in Sacramento on Tuesday, located between F and H streets underneath Interstate 80. This is the second cleanup done by Caltrans in less than a week.
Candis Montoya has been experiencing homelessness for three years now.
"I mean look at how many of them there are. It's a little ridiculous," Montoya said.
She and her husband spent Tuesday moving their pets and belongings from under I-80 to just a few blocks away.
"I think it's funny; we're going right across from the school, which is what they said was the reason why they were doing this," she said.
Sandy Vasholz, a neighbor in the area, said she feels bad for the people impacted, but noted that the situation has gotten out of control. Vasholz is relieved to see something being done after homeowners and renters in the area have spent the past year complaining.
"But the thing is, they leave there and they just go down the street a little bit and then they're on the sidewalks," she said.
The camp removal comes as Sacramento's shelters, Safe Ground camping areas and motel voucher program are at capacity.
"Everything is full, and that should mean sweeps are at a full stop," Niki, a volunteer from the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee, said. "What did you offer people? What did you try to do? How long did you work with anybody? And the answer out here is zero, none."
Caltrans said they made this a priority to happen one day before National Walk to School Day.
"So these sidewalks, you can't see them right now, but they're blocked right now with tents and encampments," said Patrick Bishop, the Caltrans District 3 Deputy Director of Maintenance and Traffic.
Since the camp is also right under the highway, Caltrans said it's not safe for anyone to sleep there.
"There's feces, needles, sometimes hazardous materials -- be it stored fuels, canisters of propane, flammable materials," Bishop said.
City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela said this is not acceptable for Caltrans to move folks when the city doesn't have a place for them to go. However, Caltrans said the ball is in the city's court to sign off on paperwork and do the environmental analysis to open up the approximately 20 other sites for housing around the city, which are part of the city's master plan to address homelessness.
"We are a willing partner, and we want to speed that along, but right now, they have to do the application part," Bishop said.
The city's Department of Community Response said they're in the process of adding more sites, beds and rooms, but confirmed there are currently no spaces available right now.
ABC10 asked them about Caltrans cleaning out this camp, and a city spokesperson told us in a statement, "when we do not have viable alternative places for people to go, moving them from where they are is not really a solution."
WATCH ALSO:
