Homeless Encampment Enforcement in Southern Humboldt
Lisa Music: The sirens rang out in southern Humboldt as the fog lifted, flashing red lights atop fire engines and trucks headed north on Redwood drive toward the area of homeless encampments that have been a source of concern for the community following a rash of fires plaguing the area just north of town.
IC Jesse Graves: My name is Jesse Graves, Fire Apparatus Engineer with CAL FIRE Engine 1282. We arrived on scene with a homeless encampment fire. There’s no threat to the wild land, just a cooking fire. However, due to burning regulations, no burning is allowed at this time, HCSO arrived, and a citation will be issued.
Lisa Music: Along with CAL FIRE, two local volunteer fire departments responded to the report, a trip that has become all too common for fire personnel during this fire season.
RFVD Chief Seth Ayers: This is Seth Ayers, Redway Fire Chief. I believe this might be about the eighth or ninth fire we’ve showed up to in the last 30 days. Although it was only a warming fire, one by one diameter, this still takes the strain on our department, we are a small volunteer department, and also from our sister department in Garberville. It takes our time out of our day, our family, our jobs, and it’s getting to the point where one of these times, [one of these] fires will jump and it’s going to break out into something that’s going to be much bigger, and that is my concern.
Lisa Music: A fire originating from one of the encampments on September 20, spread to the vegetation and threatened businesses along Redwood Drive. The fire, at night, cast a large red glow that had some Redway residents preparing for evacuation, and prompting others to contact their local officials, pleading with them to do something about the trespass camps before an escaped fire caused catastrophic damage. Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell heeded the calls and enlisted county agencies in a plan for the ongoing problems faced by community residents. Bushnell, along with Humboldt County’s Planning and Building Department, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is working on a plan to address the concerns stemming from recent fires in those homeless camps. Lieutenant Josh McCall of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office led an initial enforcement operation today.
Lt. McCall: Today, we have deputies in the area here, the north end of Redway, just evaluating, …ongoing complaints with, associated with, trespass camps; Obviously, [the] community’s well aware of [the] recent fires that appear to be associated to those camps, …in addition to the …issue with the trespassing – most of this is private parcel; Obviously, a multitude of trash and human waste and those types of things. So, we’re working with partner agencies throughout the county, both DHHS [and] related agencies with home services and things like that, as well as code enforcement, to address these issues. As far as today, we were just kind of out here doing a walk through, kind of an evaluation, kind of logging in where we’re at with things and where some of these …camps are, and who are associated to them as we progress forward with that. And again, try to work with some of those partner agencies to get resources to those who need them, so they have some place to go. But also, obviously, try and respect the rights of the property owners as well to assist with the issues going on their property, and overall, assist the community with trying to resolve some of these issues.
Lisa Music: The enforcement action is part of a broader effort to address homelessness and fire safety in the area. Supervisor Bushnell revealed that a recent meeting with officials resulted in a plan to clean up the camps and relocate residents, which began today. Lieutenant McCall explained that addressing homeless encampments in Redway requires a multifaceted approach. This initial activity is more focused on evaluation and information gathering, rather than strict enforcement.
Lt. McCall: [We’re] trying to figure out who’s legitimately working with …programs to try and gain assistance that is out there. And I’m addressing that, making sure they’re aware of those services and getting them linked up with those. Obviously, we made an effort to have some of that here today. It didn’t work out. So again, today was a little bit more of an informative [visit]. All of us personally, haven’t necessarily spent a lot of time down here with us recently, so it’s kind of a [time to] get a bearing and engage on where things are at. I wouldn’t say that a huge amount of enforcement [is] the goal for today, more of, like you said, informing and making them aware that, ‘hey, this is private property, and you cannot be here’. And you know, ”we can do what we can to assist you with getting services’. But still, this needs to be addressed…
Lisa Music: The area in question is primarily on private property. In a previous interview with KMUD News, Nick Jelev, the property owner, confirmed his cooperation with the Humboldt County enforcement unit and expressed his desire to build a homeless shelter on the property, although the project is in the early planning stages. However, at this time, a ‘no trespass letter’ for the property has been filed with the county so that trespassing enforcement can be used to evacuate the camps. A helpful tool when dealing with established camps on private property.
Lt. McCall: For the location we were just at, yeah, we do have a ‘no trespass letter’ from …the representative, …the controller of that property, [who] has indicated …who should be on there and basically any other aside from that, nobody else has permission to be there. So yeah, they’re cooperative …in that aspect.
Lisa Music: While HCSO was on site making contact with homeless residents, fire personnel arrived on scene for the report of a fire in the area. The subject, with what was determined to be a campfire, was cited for illegal burning by HCSO personnel on scene. though rain is in the forecast, CAL FIRE Incident Commander Graves reminded folks, housed and unhoused, that fire danger remains high
IC Jesse Graves: [The] burn suspension still is in effect, even though we’re getting cooler weather for the coast, we are in our high fire danger. Usually about September, October is the area where we get large fires in our community. So don’t burn, and if you do burn, please call the one 800 burn number to see if burning has been suspended or released. If it is, do not burn and abide by your area’s burn regulations.
Lisa Music: Though Supervisor Bushnell states…
Supervisor Bushnell: The problem is that those ..folks are homeless, and they’re going to relocate to somewhere else, and so, does that mean they’re going to relocate on the streets of Redway, or the streets of Garberville, or move to a Bear Creek Canyon camp, or, you know, the camps over by Sprowl Creek? And so moving people doesn’t fix the problem. It might fix that problem for the north end of Redway and the fires that are happening there, but …there’s still the problem out there. …And it’s not easily solved in one meeting, and folks don’t have to be relocated to a service area, which would be Eureka, or [to] try to find housing. It’s not against the law to be homeless.
Lisa Music: However, trespassing, illegal burning, and environmental violations are. Leading to the community and county officials trying to serve a homeless population in a rural area with a lack of services while protecting the community and resources from fire and environmental damage, often associated with large encampments. Though there are no easy answers to be had, many feel like any action is better than no action.
Chief Ayers: I was happy to see that the sheriff’s office were here today. And they were dealing with the problem with what they can; they were writing citations and pushing these people along their way. I understand everyone’s human – they all need a place…, but at this point, we need to get this under control, and I’m happy to see …the progress that’s being made.
Lisa Music: As the community grapples with balancing fire safety, property owners’ rights, and compassion for the homeless who need warmth or to cook outdoors, Southern Humboldt Housing Opportunity, SHHO, has recently been awarded a $3.5 million grant to provide emergency housing and services while local resources are limited. SHHO is actively working to address these needs. Patty Rae, SHHO’s board president stated, “We’re all working together like our community always does and always has done, and it just thrills me that we’re able to do this.” Until then, however, county officials will continue to make contact with homeless residents, offering services. Though most resources are not available locally, strides are being made to address this ongoing concern. The Redwoods Rural Community Health Outreach program, located in Redway across from the car wash, offers community kitchen access, food resources and fire blankets. Chief Seth Ayers also encourages residents to reach out with concerns of fire risk via the Redway Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page or by emailing the department at rvfd95560@gmail.com. Or he encourages you to give them a call at the station at 707-923-2617.
