Home Antioch Antioch Preparing to Cleanup Tent City on E 6th Street

Antioch Preparing to Cleanup Tent City on E 6th Street

by ECT

On April 9, the City of Antioch is tentatively scheduled to begin a cleanup of “tent city” in the area of E. 6th Street and McElhenry Road.

Over the past several months, the area has grown from a few homeless camps to more than 30-camps with firefighters being called due to reports of fires while the city has had numerous blight complaints.

Antioch Police have also responded to the area on several occasions for various calls.

According to Forrest Ebbs, Community Development Director, the City is still pursuing an Abatement Warrant to enter the property and clean up the encampment. This will require that the current occupants vacate the site.

“The basis for this requested warrant is that the current situation violates the Zoning Ordinance and also creates an immediate public health threat and also threatens the natural environment,” explained Ebbs. “The site is adjacent to a critical drainage channel that discharges to the San Joaquin River and the encampment is located on wetlands that are critical to maintaining a clean and functioning ecosystem. The loose garbage and lack of sanitary facilities can potentially damage this natural area. The City is obligated by State and federal laws.”

Ebbs explained that a once the warrant is posted to the site to notify the occupants, they will have between 24-hours to 72-hours to vacate.

“Until we receive the warrant, we are encouraging those familiar with the situation to work with the occupants to begin to clean up the site and may be delivering dumpsters to the area for this purpose,” said Ebbs.

With regards to the impact the homeless have had on the downtown area, Ebbs said it has not been significant. He also could not say what role the church groups may have had with the number of homeless in the area.

“The City simply needs to address a situation that has the potential to do real and permanent damage to the natural environment and violates a series of local ordinances,” said Ebbs.

As of Friday, there are 20 spots available for homeless veterans that are sitting vacant in East Contra Costa County.

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16 comments

Simonpure Apr 3, 2018 - 9:49 am

The site is adjacent to a critical drainage channel that discharges to the San Joaquin River and the encampment is located on wetlands that are critical to maintaining a clean and functioning ecosystem. The loose garbage and lack of sanitary facilities can potentially damage this natural area. The City is obligated by State and federal laws.”
GROSS

Dawn Apr 3, 2018 - 3:31 pm

God only knows what they throw into that water! Lack of sanitation facilities can cause a typhus epidemic.

Mike Apr 3, 2018 - 11:30 am

Once they’re gone where will they go? Another place? Return?

Elizabeth Apr 5, 2018 - 8:05 pm

Maybe they can be returned to the states they were bused in from? Those states (AZ, TX, MN, UT, etc.) bought these people one-way tickets on Greyhound and sent them on their way. A few people I know from those states admitted it and said, “Well, it’s California’s problem now.”

NICOLE GARDNER Apr 7, 2018 - 3:05 pm

That is not true at all. Who have you talked to that told you they were shipped here to antioch?

Julio Apr 3, 2018 - 12:35 pm

The magic merry-go-round. The city simply has to do better than this.

Dmitri Apr 4, 2018 - 12:41 am

Yet Antioch was totally cool with the canneries and other factories polluting our waterways from the 1920’s- 1960’s before regulations. Oh, but look, poor people!!! Oh no, there’s the enemy, not the industrial entities because they make money for us. What a disgrace to the values we’re supposed to hold dear as humans.

NICOLE GARDNER Apr 7, 2018 - 3:06 pm

100% agree!

Reality check Apr 4, 2018 - 5:45 am

@dimitri. Get off your soap box. You want to put the burden on the city really tha makes no sense. As if a city already in debt need more problems. How about the cities they are from help pay or how about you take two or three into your home. Hypocrite

Dmitri Apr 4, 2018 - 8:53 am

In debt but could afford a $2 million+ playground for the already departed Najee Harris. And FYI I have taken in homeless children before, it’s a lengthy process but there’s many out there. My income isn’t tax exempt like churches and corporations with the means to do so- so maybe those are the true hypocrites, not me, a simple citizen.

Benny Hanna Apr 5, 2018 - 11:41 pm

Dmitri ….. You’ve taken in homeless children. Good for you! Now, take in a bunch of homeless adults! Set up cots in your garage or have them put up tents in your back yard! A simple citizen can do that.

Dmitri Apr 7, 2018 - 7:22 am

Ah a band-aid over a deep wound. What next? Drop bombs on the homeless? Thinking like a true American.

NICOLE GARDNER Apr 7, 2018 - 3:08 pm

Dmitri.. there is no explaining to people who think that the solution is to put the hundreds of homeless people that are in the city in your backyard. They cant come up with a solution, they just want to see the problem go away. And alot of these people claim to be religious. That is what kills me. Smh. I feel sorry for their souls. Its just disgusting.

nolikemyoakem Apr 9, 2018 - 6:58 am

I live on E 6th st,. It’s awefull to look out my front door and seeing a huge pile of garbage from tent city. My street is like a dumping ground for garbage, people sleeping in their cars all night. Doing drugs and stealing peoples gas out of there cars. 2 times in 1 month the fire department had to come put out fires. I believe its a breeding ground for drug users. Not all homeless people are bad. the church’s cater to them. Giving them all kinds of supply’s. Why don’t they do that at there church. after they feed them they throw all the garbage on the sidewalks or wherever they want. It’s a breeding ground for sex- trafficking. Everyday there’s a new group of people setting up camp. But the city is worried enforcing & fining people for having to many garage sales. Really come on Antioch. we have a serious problem here.

nolikemyoakem Apr 10, 2018 - 6:04 am

Try living on E.6th st. It’s crazy, I feel the church’s are making it easy for the homeless. They bring them food, clothe’s,etc. Why don’t they have them go to the church for their meals. The huge pile of garbage is a health hazard. 24/7 the street is busy, people everywhere. I don’t see them trying to better them selves. So what’s going to happen to all those people? where are they going to go? Maybe the church that supplys for them should let them stay on their property corner of E.6th st & Ast. that big open field. that’s a great Idea.

Teresa Lane Apr 12, 2018 - 10:51 am

Who is doing the clean up? This is a bio-hazard and should only be done by professionals. There are used needles, human waste and many other dangerous items. All of these things must be disposed of correctly.

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