On Monday, November 14th, members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Civil Unit and a debris removal company contracted out by the county conducted a homeless encampment cleanup project.

It was located in a public alleyway near S. Ormus Ave. and S. Henderson Road in Raisin City. Community members began filing complaints about a year ago regarding the messy, unsafe living conditions that people had created between homes in this area. At the peak, approximately 15 people were camped here. For the last few months, deputies had kept in contact with these folks letting them know that a cleanup was being planned and they would eventually have to leave. Last Monday, November 7th, deputies posted an official notice to vacate.

Today, deputies arrived and found all but two people had already left. The two remaining owned an RV that was blocked in by trash. The debris removal company used equipment to clear a path and free up the RV so that the owners could take it. They were cooperative. Advocates with homeless services were on scene as well and offered relocation opportunities to them. They contacted the two people, as well as several of the original people who were staying at this site. They had since relocated to different nearby area, but still living on the street. They are now working together to explore possible housing options available to them.

The debris removal company will continue to be in the area for the early part of this week to remove trash and debris until the cleanup is complete. Many appreciative residents contacted our deputies today, thanking them for their work to improve the quality of life in this area of Raisin City.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages property owners to monitor their grounds on a regular basis and make sure they are secure. If trespassers or vehicles appear on the property, report it to our office right away. Taking a proactive approach will help Fresno County a great deal with its effort to reduce the number of homeless encampments on public and private lands.