Most folks living at the Inner City Ministries "Tent City" know by now that the upcoming closing is a "for real deal." The police will be issuing warnings soon and once those warnings have been issued, anyone who remains will be cited. Should someone still not get the message after a ticket, they'll be going to the pokey, and anytime they return to the area and are caught there, they'll also return again to the pokey.
It sucks for many who have called the area home for the past six years, but most are now resigned to the fact that this good thing is coming to an end.
I mention this particular closing because we're working now with folks in the camp and I had a chance yesterday to do a "test-run" of available services on another camp that had a fairly long life as well. This one was located at the intersection of 21st and 440; it was on the northeast side, tucked away in a wooded area right next to the off-ramp.
Two of the residents of the camp on the left here had been residing here for over four years without hassle, trouble or problem.
Unfortunately, someone apparently saw folks heading into the camp and made the
call to Metro PD, who wasted little time in taking action to eradicate it.
The wooden structure on the right side of the pic was actually a little but cozy (and dry) cubbyhole that had two rooms and a nice view of the woods when laying in the bed. Meals were cooked on the bbq grill and because it was fired with propane, it didn't give away the site due to exessive smoke.
One of the gentlemen in the picture had been working at a local company for the past four years and ended up here because he couldn't afford to keep his truck running and legal. He moved in here when his truck broke down and was impounded and has been lving here ever since, trying to save enough money to get his life back together again.
Two of the eight residents went to a local non-profit, where they are in the process of obtaining services and housing. The other six asked to be dropped off in town at a secondary camp that will remain anonymous at this point, due to the potential for closing if discovered....
I mention this particular closing because we're working now with folks in the camp and I had a chance yesterday to do a "test-run" of available services on another camp that had a fairly long life as well. This one was located at the intersection of 21st and 440; it was on the northeast side, tucked away in a wooded area right next to the off-ramp.
Two of the residents of the camp on the left here had been residing here for over four years without hassle, trouble or problem.
Unfortunately, someone apparently saw folks heading into the camp and made the
call to Metro PD, who wasted little time in taking action to eradicate it.
The wooden structure on the right side of the pic was actually a little but cozy (and dry) cubbyhole that had two rooms and a nice view of the woods when laying in the bed. Meals were cooked on the bbq grill and because it was fired with propane, it didn't give away the site due to exessive smoke.
One of the gentlemen in the picture had been working at a local company for the past four years and ended up here because he couldn't afford to keep his truck running and legal. He moved in here when his truck broke down and was impounded and has been lving here ever since, trying to save enough money to get his life back together again.
Two of the eight residents went to a local non-profit, where they are in the process of obtaining services and housing. The other six asked to be dropped off in town at a secondary camp that will remain anonymous at this point, due to the potential for closing if discovered....
