JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly 20 homeless camps are being cleaned up on St. Johns Bluff Road. On Tuesday, Action News Jax visited these camps and learned the impact they could have on the folks living in heavily wooded areas like this.
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An environmentalist we spoke with said these camps are popping up more in urban areas due to the resources available to the people living in them. So, we visited a few sites to get an insight of the living conditions.
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When you first walk in one of the camps, you immediately find yourself stepping on glass, bottles, diapers, and even weapons.
Everything you will find in your house; you’ll also find it here in one of the homeless camps. But what you won’t find in your home is several used needles.
Before the Sitework crew arrived there were several tents for houses. Some walls were supported by trees. There was even a machete.
An environmentalist says this goes beyond just litter.
Read: St. Augustine officials discuss ways to resolve homeless issue
“The biggest problem that I think is going to affect the community at large is going to be the untreated human waste problem,” Senior Project Manager Environmental Consultants, Adam Hoyles said. “That going to end up in your stormwater system, rivers, and creeks.”
Hoyles said things you find at these camps won’t necessarily affect people outside the camps.
“The general public is not going to be in or around these camps. It’s more a hazard to the people inside those camps.”
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Action News Jax will keep you up-to-date when the nearly 20 camps are completely cleaned.
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