On Friday, November 20th, deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Civil Unit carried out the final step of an eviction process at a homeless encampment in the county limits of Mendota.
The encampment is located along the west side of Hwy. 33, about ½ mile north of Bass Ave. The property is owned by Westlands Water District.
In April 2015, Westlands Water District contacted the Sheriff’s Office with intentions of entering the eviction process. The FSO referred Westlands to the courts in order to permanently remove the people who were trespassing on its land. More than 20 temporary structures and approximately 40 people are living in a ditch on the property.
In May, deputies posted notices at the encampment, notifying occupants that the eviction process was underway and they would be ordered to leave.
In early November, a judge issued a court order, mandating that the Sheriff’s Office evict people who unlawfully remain on the property. Deputies then posted “must vacate” notices at the encampment.
The Civil Unit conducts several evictions on a daily basis. In fact, it has carried out nearly 2,100 evictions so far this year. Evictions are not regularly performed at homeless encampments, however, deputies handled this task just like any other eviction and it proved to be a smooth process. A team of five deputies with the Civil Unit will contact people on the property. Meanwhile, additional deputies and officers from other agencies will be stationed on the perimeter in case their assistance is needed. Westlands has installed a temporary fence around the encampment and is providing 24 hour security to protect and store the occupants’ possessions. Occupants will have the next 15 days to collect their property and move it to a new location. A Westlands representative says it will not charge property owners any fees to reclaim their items.
The Sheriff’s Office, Westlands Water District and the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care have kept in constant communication throughout this process to ensure a positive outcome. Advocates were at the location on Friday to assist the homeless and explain the resources available to them in regards to housing placement.
Once the eviction process is complete, sheriff’s deputies and Westlands Water District will continue to patrol the area to make sure no one re-enters the property. Under the court order, any violators are subject to arrest for trespassing.
