Homeless living in tent city told to pack it up

Drugs, prostitution, and plenty of fistfights: That's what police say was happening at a tent city on Foremaster Lane.

For the past few months, social workers have been trying to get people there into housing. Now, anyone who is still on the streets is being told to move on.

And as News 3's reports, officers are finding some unexpected supporters.

It's a move Leo Afshar has been waiting for: the last of a once-massive homeless community packing up and moving from Foremaster Lane.

"I saw the prostitutes, I saw the drug dealers."

Afshar says for the past two years he's spent his own share of nights on the street. And he thinks the stretch of tents was especially dangerous.

Denise Rosch: Do you think it's a good idea they clean this area up?

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Afshar: It's an excellent idea. If the police didn't do it, everybody would be dead.

Police say about two months ago as many as 400 people were living along Foremaster. Since then, numerous interventions have been held to get people into housing.

But some just didn't want to leave. Barricades were then brought in and the word went out: As of Tuesday, time's up.

"I can't believe the greatest city in the world would treat its homeless this way," says Joe D'Angelo, Living Water Ministries. "Give us a single piece of property that we, the homeless, can go to and make a community."

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D'Angelo believes that by sweeping the homeless off of Foremaster, the problem will merely move somewhere else; he wants a more permanent solution. Workers at Catholic Charities say they have one.

"It's very frustrating because we have empty beds waiting for people to come onto property, enter our structured work program, and get assistance," says Phillip Hollon.

Right now, Catholic Charities alone has 50 beds available and a room stocked with clothing for clients heading out for job interviews. He says there's no reason anyone should be camping on Foremaster.

Denise Rosch: Do you think no matter what you do there will be some people that just don't want to do it?

Hollon: Some people are more resistant that others. They're opposed to structure.

Out on the street, many agree.

"There are a lot of people that can work," says one homeless man. "They don't want to because they get handouts every day, that's why."

Nonetheless, it's a move everyone knew was coming - even if the problem of homelessness is far from solved.