'Destroying' homeless camps not a solution to mismanaged problem, says Inglewood resident

A homeless camp in Inglewood was taken down last week, but not by bylaw officers leading to concerns for one resident who is calling for more compassion.

Cheryl Myers said she has mostly kept out of the Inglewood Wildlands this summer because the homeless camps make her uncomfortable, andthey are "just hazardous all around," but when she saw a tent nestled between two trees she decided to step closer and investigate.

She made a service request on 311 and waited, butsaid her request was closed.She neverheard from bylaw and the camp was still standing. But days later, to her disappointment, someone had dragged the tent from its spot in the trees closer to NinthAvenue S.E.

"It's somebody's worldly possessions," she said. "We need to take the steps given to us by the city, though they're not great.We still need to take those steps to try and get resources to these people. But destroying their belongings isn't isn't the answer and doesn't help anybody."

Walking into someone's living room

The city's Jennifer Lawlor said the camp wasn't being lived in and would be cleaned up soon. It can take up to 10 days for the city to inspect a homeless camp and another five business days before it's cleaned up if it's found to be abandoned.

The city says it's important for citizens to wait before entering these camps.

"Essentially you're you're walking into you don't know what the hazards might be," Lawlor said. "So you would be startled if someone walked into your living room, so to speak.... There might be substances there that you wouldn't want to get into:needles, a propane tank that might be slightly damaged."

Lawlor saidthey began a new pilot project in April called the Joint Encampment Team (JET). Theprogramruns until the end of this year, with the goal of bringing in aunified way for the city to respond to encampments.

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Pilot project underway

At the time, Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra said there's no citywide protocol to deal with homeless camps and each city department had been dealing with them in its own way. He said the pilot would help the city better understand the scope of the problem

The city has always had something called the Partner Agency Liaison (PAL), which is a team of two peace officers who specifically deal with illegal camps. Their role has always beenand continues to be to make connections with peopleand help them address the root causes of their homelessness.

"What we put JET in place to do is make sure that regardless of where the camp comes on city property, even if it is on private property, the PAL team would notify the landowners," Lawlor said. "It could then be addressed sooner. It also makes sure that every occupant, if we're able to find them, would be referred to those social resources."

She says the new process means the two bylaw officers on the PAL team are able to see more campers and get them help, while the city has a better way of collecting informationon where the camps are and how many campers are referred to agencies.

Changes coming

By the end of the year, she said the pilot will give the City of Calgary a better sense of the overall encampment picture.

But for now,Myers wants her neighbours, and others who come across homeless camps, to continue to report the activity and raise awareness about it but let bylaw officers do their jobs.

From where she stands,the program to help campers and residents get the homesteads cleaned up is understaffed and resourced.

"I think the more noise the more awareness that they're there puts pressure on the city to take action and to get the resources out there," she said. "Just to get more people on the ground to help."

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